RANT SPORTS – PEACH BOWL QUARTERFINAL: TEXAS VS. ARIZONA STATE
On January 1st, the Texas Longhorns take on the Arizona State Sun Devils in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup in Atlanta, Georgia. For the second time in this twelve-team playoff, the Longhorns enter as double-digit favorites—this time by 13.5 points. Texas is one of the elite teams in the playoff, while Arizona State is here largely due to the strength of their conference. Texas is the superior team; let’s take a closer look at how these two match up.
Arizona State is often overlooked as a team from a Big 12 conference that has been less than stellar. The Sun Devils earned their spot by winning their final six games, culminating in a commanding 45-19 victory over Iowa State. Their two best wins came against top-20 opponents: BYU and Iowa State. The Sun Devils were led by standout running back Cam Skattebo, who amassed 1,568 yards while averaging an impressive 6 yards per carry. Quarterback Sam Leavitt had a breakout season, completing 63.5% of his passes with a 24-5 TD-INT ratio.
Despite their successes, Arizona State’s defense has shown vulnerability, allowing 28 or more points three times against unranked teams (Texas State, Kansas, and UCF). The Longhorns bring an offense far superior to anything ASU has faced this season. To compete, Arizona State will need to rely heavily on their running game and establish a balanced attack.
TEXAS
Texas enters this College Football Playoff matchup as a powerhouse team, with their only two losses coming against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Longhorns couldn’t have asked for a more favorable path to the semifinals, facing Clemson and Arizona State. Texas boasts a dominant run defense and is expected to neutralize Skattebo, holding him well below his 6-yard-per-carry average. This Texas defense is an excellent matchup against Arizona State’s offense.
On the offensive side, the Longhorns average 173.5 rushing yards per game, which will set up QB Quinn Ewers for success. Ewers has posted a 26-10 TD-INT ratio, although his performance has regressed slightly in recent games. Despite this, he is unlikely to face significant pressure in this contest, as Texas is expected to control the game from start to finish.
While tougher challenges await Texas later in the playoffs, this game should be a relatively straightforward victory. Expect the Longhorns to handle Arizona State with ease, even more decisively than their 38-24 win over Clemson.
PREDICTION
TEXAS 38, ARIZONA STATE 14
