It was a game for the ages.
No. 5 Texas pulled off a dramatic 39-31 double overtime victory over No. 4 Arizona State in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal, keeping its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
After squandering a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers stepped up and made the biggest play of his career as the junior threw a strike to wide receiver Matthew Golden for a 28-yard touchdown on fourth-and-13 to tie the game and force a second overtime.
From there, safety Andrew Mukuba sealed the win with an interception of Sam Leavitt’s pass at the 3-yard line, sending Texas (13-2) to a Cotton Bowl semifinal against Ohio State. It was a heart-stopping ending to a thrilling contest that saw the Sun Devils (11-3) nearly pull off an upset for the ages. Texas came in as a two-touchdown favorite.
Arizona State had its first lead of the game when running back Cam Skattebo powered in a 3-yard touchdown run to start overtime. Skattebo, who had a spectacular all-around performance, was responsible for much of the Sun Devils’ comeback, including a 42-yard touchdown pass to Malik McClain and a 62-yard catch-and-run to set up another score.
But Ewers wasn’t done yet. On the next play, he tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm and followed with a 2-point conversion to Golden, putting Texas up for good. Mukuba’s interception in the final moments of overtime sealed the win and ended Arizona State’s valiant effort.
“This team is resilient,” said Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. “When our backs are against the wall, our best shows up time and time again. I’m really proud of the way these guys handled the pressure today.”
Despite being outgained 510 yards to 375 and dominated in time of possession (Arizona State held the ball for 37:54 to Texas’ 22:06), the Longhorns seemed to be in control for much of the game. Ewers had given Texas a 24-8 lead with a 5-yard touchdown run with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game. However, Skattebo and the Sun Devils weren’t done.
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After McClain’s touchdown reception, Skattebo took over with a 62-yard reception from Leavitt and followed that up with a 2-yard touchdown run and a 2-point conversion to tie the game at 24 with 5 minutes left.
Texas had two chances to win in regulation, but kicker Bert Auburn missed a 48-yard attempt wide right and a 38-yard attempt off the left upright as time expired.
“We weren’t at our best, and it felt like one of those March Madness games with all the emotional swings,” Sarkisian said. “But I’m proud of these guys because not every game is going to be perfect.”
In a game that featured dramatic momentum swings and a late-game collapse, Texas held on, but not without drama. They’ll now face No. 6 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, after the Buckeyes cruised past top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl.
