They weren’t expected to win their conference. They certainly weren’t expected to qualify for the College Football Playoff.
Nonetheless, the fourth-seeded Arizona State Sun Devils (11-2) have a chance to earn perhaps the biggest win in program history when they battle fifth-seeded Texas (12-2) in a CFP quarterfinal on New Year’s Day at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The winner will meet either top-seeded Oregon or No. 8 seed Ohio State in a semifinal game at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 in Arlington, Texas.
Projected last in the preseason Big 12 poll, Arizona State secured an automatic bid to its first CFP with a 45-19 drubbing of Iowa State in the conference championship on Dec. 7.
Despite the Sun Devils boasting 311 fewer all-time victories than the Longhorns, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham doesn’t see the matchup as David versus Goliath.
“No, I wouldn’t say that,” Dillingham said. “I would say this is a really good football team that was predicted to win a national championship versus the Big 12 champion. I’m excited to see our guys go out there and compete.”
Riding a six-game winning streak, Arizona State will have rested for 24 days by the time New Year’s Day rolls around, admittedly an obstacle Dillingham’s team will have to overcome.
“Not playing a game for 3 1/2 weeks is definitely a challenge,” Dillingham said. “Especially because we were playing our best football. … We really dominated the end of the season, in my opinion.”
Averaging 34.5 points per game, the Sun Devils’ offense is led by quarterback Sam Leavitt’s 2,663 passing yards and 29 total touchdowns, alongside running back Cam Skattebo’s 1,568 rushing yards and 19 scores.
An upstart Arizona State squad enters Wednesday’s game as nearly two-touchdown underdogs, much due to Texas’ stingy defense, which allows the second-fewest points per game in college football (13.3).
The Longhorns have slipped twice this season, to Georgia, first in a 30-15 home loss on Oct. 19, then in a 22-19 overtime defeat in the Southeastern Conference title game on Dec. 7.
Appearing in its second straight CFP, Texas pulled away from visiting Clemson in the opening round last Saturday to win 38-24. Now preparing for the Longhorns’ second all-time meeting with Arizona State (2007 Holiday Bowl), coach Steve Sarkisian doesn’t take December football for granted.
“To be a part of this game is a fantastic honor,” Sarkisian said. “We’re really proud of the fact that we’ve gotten to this point. We obviously have a ton of respect for Arizona State and the job coach Dillingham has done. They’re a very good football team. We know how hard it is to win the Big 12.”
Last time out, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception, but the Longhorns shredded the Clemson defense with 292 rushing yards. Jaydon Blue ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns, paired with Quintrevion Wisner’s 110 yards and two scores.
“We needed to run the ball to beat Clemson, and we’re going to need to run the football to keep advancing in these playoffs,” Sarkisian said. “That’s what playoff football is about. … There’s a lot that goes into the run game. It takes all 11 to run the ball.”
–Field Level Media
