Texas see off Arizona State in double OT to reach College Football Playoff semis
Texas avoided the first major upset of the College Football Playoff, hitting a fourth-and-long touchdown pass to keep the game going and beating Cam Skattebo and Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime when an interception by Andrew Mukuba finally ended a Peach Bowl . quarter-final classic Wednesday.
Skattebo led the Sun Devils back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter and put his team ahead for the first time all day with a three-yard touchdown run to start overtime against No. 4 Texas (13- 2).
No. No. 10 Arizona State was on the verge of winning when Texas faced fourth-and-13 on its first possession of overtime. But Quinn Ewers saw Matthew Golden break free behind two defenders and run in a 28-yard touchdown.
After moving to the other side of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, on the next play, Ewers threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helms, followed by a two-point conversion pass to Golden.
The Longhorns finally put Arizona State (11-3) away when Mukuba picked off Sam Leavitt’s pass at the 3 to end the game.
After some lopsided results through the first five games of the expanded 12-team playoff, the format finally produced a classic that sends Texas back home for a Cotton Bowl semifinal Jan. 10 against No. 1 Oregon or No. .6 Ohio State. who faced each other in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
Despite being dominated on the stat sheet for most of the game, the Longhorns had a seemingly comfortable 24-8 lead after scoring two early touchdowns and getting a five-yard scoring run from Ewers with just over 10 minutes remaining to go.
But Skattebo and the Sun Devils were just getting warmed up.
The running back who calls himself the best in the country, Skattebo backed up his bravado with a performance for the ages, showcasing every facet of his all-around game.
First, he took a throw on fourth-and-2 and threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Malik McClain who gave the Sun Devils a chance when they made the two-point conversion.
Then Skattebo broke loose down the sideline and hauled in a 62-yard throw from Leavitt – getting his helmet ripped off at the end of the play, which seemed like the only way to take him down.
That set up a two-yard touchdown run by a back’s bowling ball, and it was only fitting that Skattebo also chipped in for the two-point conversion that tied the game at 24 with 5 minutes left.
Texas had a few chances to win in regulation, but Bert Auburn was wide right on a 48-yard field goal attempt and rammed one in from the left upright from 38 yards out as time expired.