ATLANTA — Cam Skattebo, his voice raw and weary, kept repeating the word over and over again: “Undeniable.” This season, this game, this Arizona State team … undeniable. Skattebo and the rest of his Sun Devil brethren had just come up on the losing end of one of the finest games of the 2024 college football season, a playoff quarterfinal where Arizona State took Texas to the limit and beyond. Yes, the Sun Devils lost to Texas, 39-31, in double overtime. The Longhorns move on, the Sun Devils head home. But the Peach Bowl marked an unlikely, glorious culmination of a magical season for Arizona State, the kind of season you hope for and dream about, the kind of season you’ll talk about for decades to come. Remember when we were just one play away …?
Arizona State wasn’t supposed to be here. Hell, Arizona State wasn’t supposed to be anywhere. Picked to finish at the bottom of the Big 12 under second-year coach Kenny Dillingham, the Sun Devils surprised the entire college football universe by storming through their conference, winning their championship, and then very nearly upsetting one of the game’s blue bloods. Skattebo was the beating heart of Arizona State this season, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound bowling ball hurling himself at the opposition. Quick rather than fast, Skattebo doesn’t bother running around you when running over you or through you is so much more effective. He did plenty of both on Wednesday at the Peach Bowl, gashing the Texas defense for 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, another 99 yards through the air (with 74 yards coming after catches), and, just for good measure, a 42-yard touchdown pass.
When Arizona State fell behind by two touchdowns, Skattebo simply hoisted the team onto his back and began stomping some Longhorn hide. “We fought through everything all season,” Skattebo said after the game, at a podium with head coach Dillingham and quarterback Sam Leavitt at his side. “I bet you nobody in this room thought we were going to even be close when we went down 17-3 in the first quarter … Everybody on this team believes in each other and that's what kept us close.” Well, and the fact Skattebo is flat-out unstoppable. On his first play from scrimmage he ran for 10 yards, and he didn’t stop running the rest of the game.
Asked about Skattebo’s impact on everything not involving kicking, Dillingham just shook his head in admiration and disbelief. “I mean, this is just a Tuesday for Cam,” he laughed wearily. “Wednesday,” Skattebo helpfully corrected. “Good point. He's a special player,” Dillingham continued. “You give him the ball, crazy things happen.” Even Skattebo’s setbacks are dramatic. He was clearly off early in the game, and when asked what was ailing him, he was direct. “I mean, I threw up,” he said. “I drank too much water too fast, and I was kind of feeling sloshy, and then feltbetter after.” “Puke and rally,” Dillingham said with a laugh.
Skattebo is now out of eligibility and will head to the NFL Draft. He isn’t yet turning heads — Yahoo Sports’ draft experts don’t project him as a first-rounder — but he was once a lightly regarded recruit coming out of high school, committing to Sacramento State before transferring to Arizona State, and look where he is now. “Us three right here, we got a long life ahead of us,” Skattebo said, motioning to Dillingham and Leavitt. “This is just the beginning for us. No matter what, these guys will be in my life forever. So it's awesome I was able to play football for and with them.”
These are the kinds of stories we are coming to associate with the College Football Playoff, the moments when a lightly regarded team steps up against the elites, where an overlooked recruit finds glory and an unexpected new home. Arizona State proved it’s possible. Cam Skattebo proved it’s likely.
Despite losing, Skattebo and Arizona State made an impressive 16-point surge late in their Peach Bowl clash with Texas. Before the dramatic finish, Skattebo had had an intense conversation with Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham. On "The Dan Patrick Show" the day after the game, Skattebo discussed the animated sideline interaction. "We had a little discussion, but nothing too major," Skattebo said. Although upset with how things had unfolded to this point, he wasn't about to give up. He realized taking on a more positive approach would help Arizona State climb out of the hole. "We talked about it, you know? I got a little frustrated, just where we were standing as a team and how we were playing. I didn't understand what was going on fully. We talked about it, and then I walked over there after I was a little upset and let him know, 'Hey, sorry for getting upset, but I got your back from here on out. Let's go. Let's rock.' He trusts the fact I'm gonna keep going, even when I'm upset."
Dillingham defended Skattebo's zeal during the news conference after the defeat. "If him being competitive and passionate on the sideline is a negative, then I'm in the wrong sport," Dillingham said. "The kid is competitive. The kid is passionate. And if that's a negative, then I don't know what a positive is because kids care is the exact reason why we had the chance to win this football game."
Cam Skattebo finished with 242 yards from scrimmage, two rushing touchdowns, and one passing score. He was irked by his workload early on, but as the late drama ensued, his usage picked up. "Personally, I was upset I wasn't touching the ball as much as I wanted to," Skattebo remarked. "Not just running the ball, but catching it out of the backfield. I took a step back and realized at halftime what I needed to do. It was to be a team player and keep those guys uplifted. I knew if I did, our confidence would stay high and we would continue to fight."
Skattebo, known for his physical running style, said he doesn't model his game after one single player, but he draws inspiration from many, citing San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffery, Seattle Seahawks great Marshawn Lynch, former Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, and former Pittsburgh Steelers tailback Le'Veon Bell. "Going to the game, I understood I was going to have to do a lot," Skattebo stated. “I know every game is brutal. With me, how I run, I know I'm gonna come out banged up. I'm hoping they come out more banged up. I understand when I run, it's gonna make me not feel so good the next day."