The expanded College Football Playoff finally delivered a classic.
Five-seed Texas (13-2) outlasted four-seed Arizona State (11-3), 39-31, in double overtime to advance to the CFP semifinals.
Here are five takeaways from a Peach Bowl thriller.
ASU picks the most brutal way to lose
Fourth-and-13. The Sun Devils needed one stop — on a 4th-and-13, no less — to shock the college football world and earn a trip to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
Early in the fourth quarter, Arizona State appeared like it would suffer the sixth double-digit loss of the playoffs after Texas extended its lead to 16, 24-8.
As bad as a blowout loss would have been, Arizona State picked an even worse way to lose. It stormed back to tie the game, send it to overtime and led 31-24 when Texas faced a fourth-and-13 on its first overtime possession.
It couldn’t get the stop, and the next time the Sun Devils offense took the field, it trailed by eight.
In a lopsided defeat, teams can simply say they played a better team or had an off-day. Arizona State’s loss is the kind that lingers for years.
Quinn Ewers makes plays in key situations
The embattled Texas quarterback started Wednesday’s game red-hot, completing his first two passes for 77 yards and a touchdown as Texas built an early lead.
While the Longhorns hit a lull offensively afterward, Ewers also had a key third-down completion on the touchdown drive that gave it a 24-8 lead.
In overtime, Ewers completed the fourth-and-13 pass for a touchdown and followed it with a 25-yard passing touchdown and two-point conversion on Texas’ next two scrimmage plays.
Ewers finished 20-of-30 for 322 yards (10.7 yards per attempt), three touchdowns and an interception. While fans have clamored for backup Arch Manning, Ewers’ clutch performance showed why head coach Steve Sarkisian trusts him to lead Texas to a national championship.
Cam Skattebo should have been a Heisman finalist
The outstanding Sun Devils workhorse back declared himself college football’s best back during media availability before the Peach Bowl. His claim is easier to justify after his phenomenal performance.
Skattebo had 30 carries, 143 yards, two rushing touchdowns, eight receptions for 99 yards and a 42-yard touchdown completion.
His Herculean effort nearly led to the first upset of this year’s CFP. While it’s a shame to see Skattebo’s season end, the bigger injustice is that he wasn’t a Heisman finalist. Skattebo belonged in New York. He’ll have to settle for proving Arizona State belonged in the playoff.
No one knows what targeting is
Late in regulation, the Sun Devils were robbed of an extended drive when referees declined to flag Texas junior defensive back Michael Taaffe for what looked like a clear targeting penalty.
