Texas Longhorns Beat Arizona State, Advance To Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State

The Texas Longhorns defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Texas will now face the Ohio State Buckeyes after beating the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) and head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrate the Longhorns 39-31 double overtime win over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 1, 2025. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes are battling for a date with the Texas Longhorns on the College Football Playoff Semifinals. Texas won a double-overtime thriller over the Arizona State Sun Devils, 39-31. 

Now the Longhorns will await the winner of the Rose Bowl, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Texas Outlasts Arizona State

Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden (2) catches a pass while defended by Arizona State defensive back Xavion Alford (2) for a two-point conversion in double overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In one of the closer games of this year's College Football Playoff, Texas beat an upstart Arizona State Sun Devils team 39-31 in double-overtime. 

Texas looked to be in control off the game and had a 24-8 lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Sun Devils got life from a trick play where running back Cam Skattebo threw a 42 yard touchdown pass to Malik McClain. Arizona State converted the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 24-16 with 6:31. The Arizona State defense immediately forced a Quinn Ewers interception. 

Three plays later, the Sun Devils were back in the end zone with a Skattebo touchdown and tied it up at 24-24 on the two point conversation with 5 minutes to go. 

Each team had chances at the end of regulation, but a two missed Texas field goals and a failed 3rd down for ASU took the game to overtime.

In the first overtime, Arizona State scored an opening touchdown to take a 31-24 lead. The Longhorns were on the ropes and faced a 4th and 13, needing a score to extend the game. ASU sent a blitz, but Texas picked it up and Ewers delivered a touchdown pass to an open Matthew Golden to send the game into a second overtime.

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In the second overtime, Texas immediately scored on a Gunnar Helm touchdown catch. ASU now needed a touchdown to send the game to another overtime. It was not to be, as Texas picked off Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt to end the game. 

The Longhorns will now head back to Texas for the Cotton Bowl and face the Buckeyes.

Ohio State Dominates First Half vs. Oregon

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) sacks Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) in the third quarter in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It is shaping up to be a Texas vs. Ohio State matchup in the College Football Playoff Semifinal. Ohio State roared out to a 34-0 lead in the first half vs. the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl. It was a shocking half to say the least. These two teams played in a close 32-31 game won by Oregon in October. 

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