ATLANTA -- No. 5 seed Texas experienced all of the emotions on Wednesday in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the Peach Bowl. The Longhorns led No. 4 seed Arizona State by 16 points in the fourth quarter but wound up trailing in overtime. After pulling level by scoring a touchdown on fourth-and-13, Texas emerged victorious with a 39-31 win in double overtime.
The victory advances Texas to the semifinals against No. 8 Ohio State, which decisively defeated No. 1 Oregon 41-21 during the Rose Bowl on the same day. The Longhorns and Buckeyes (12-2) are set to clash on January 10 at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was pivotal in the game, throwing for 322 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 20 out of 30 passes and was instrumental during the tense moments of the match, particularly with his game-tying touchdown pass to Matthew Golden on fourth-and-13.” I thought there were a couple of things impressive,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian remarked. “It was a great job of preparation by our coaches. We actually practiced the play against the exact defense during the week.”
Arizona State (11-3) had its share of excitement, led by Cam Skattebo, who racked up 242 all-purpose yards, including 143 rushing, and scored three total touchdowns. “At the end of the day, the best team is the team who wins the football game,” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham commented. “When you look at it, did we belong on the field? I think we did. There are no moral victories when the season ends.”
The game saw Texas trailing by 14 points at halftime but came out strong after the break. Arizona State’s opening drive of the second half advanced to the Texas 2-yard line, only to see them fail on three attempts to score. Instead, Texas recovered from the ensuing fumble, leading to a safety, which cut Texas' lead to 17-5 by the end of the third quarter.
After the scoreboard tightened, Texas managed to find the end zone again with Ewers rushing for 5 yards, giving Texas another touchdown and increasing their lead to 24-5. Arizona State responded quickly with Skattebo's 42-yard touchdown pass to Malik McClain, followed by a two-point conversion pass to Xavier Guillory. The momentum swung back to the Sun Devils as they scored consecutive touchdowns to tie the game at 31-31.
The Longhorns' Bert Auburn faced pressure as he missed consecutive field goals, including one as time expired, sending the game to overtime. The nail-biting tension culminated when Arizona State took the lead first in overtime with Skattebo's rushing touchdown. Undeterred, Texas's Ewers delivered the equalizer on fourth-and-13 to Golden, illustrating the high stakes and pressure both teams faced.
The final moments were defined when Ewers threw another touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm for the go-ahead score. Andrew Mukuba’s interception of Arizona's Sam Leavitt closed the book on the thrilling double-overtime win, solidifying Texas's place moving forward. Sarkisian praised the resilience of his players and the depth of their training, highlighting the importance of preparation leading to their victory.
With this win, Texas is charged with facing Ohio State, setting high stakes as both teams look to move to the final championship round of the College Football Playoff. This tilt promises to be another thrilling chapter, much like the Peach Bowl which showcased grit, heart, and the pursuit of glory on the football field.