The expanded School Soccer Playoff lastly delivered a traditional.
5-seed Texas (13-2) outlasted four-seed Arizona State (11-3), 39-31, in double time beyond regulation to advance to the CFP semifinals.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from a Peach Bowl thriller.
ASU picks essentially the most brutal approach to lose
Fourth-and-13. The Solar Devils wanted one cease — on a 4th-and-13, no much less — to shock the faculty soccer world and earn a visit to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
Early within the fourth quarter, Arizona State appeared like it might endure the sixth double-digit lack of the playoffs after Texas prolonged its result in 16, 24-8.
As dangerous as a blowout loss would have been, Arizona State picked a fair worse approach to lose. It stormed again to tie the sport, ship it to time beyond regulation and led 31-24 when Texas confronted a fourth-and-13 on its first time beyond regulation possession.
It could not get the cease, and the following time the Solar Devils offense took the sector, it trailed by eight.
In a lopsided defeat, groups can merely say they performed a greater workforce or had an off-day. Arizona State’s loss is the sort that lingers for years.
Quinn Ewers makes performs in key conditions
The embattled Texas quarterback began Wednesday’s recreation red-hot, finishing his first two passes for 77 yards and a landing as Texas constructed an early lead.
Whereas the Longhorns hit a lull offensively afterward, Ewers additionally had a key third-down completion on the landing drive that gave it a 24-8 lead.
In time beyond regulation, Ewers accomplished the fourth-and-13 move for a landing and adopted it with a 25-yard passing landing and two-point conversion on Texas’ subsequent two scrimmage performs.
Ewers completed 20-of-30 for 322 yards (10.7 yards per try), three touchdowns and an interception. Whereas followers have clamored for backup Arch Manning, Ewers’ clutch efficiency confirmed why head coach Steve Sarkisian trusts him to steer Texas to a nationwide championship.
Cam Skattebo ought to have been a Heisman finalist
The excellent Solar Devils workhorse again declared himself school soccer’s finest again throughout media availability earlier than the Peach Bowl. His declare is simpler to justify after his phenomenal performance.
Skattebo had 30 carries, 143 yards, two dashing touchdowns, eight receptions for 99 yards and a 42-yard landing completion.
His Herculean effort practically led to the primary upset of this yr’s CFP. Whereas it is a disgrace to see Skattebo’s season finish, the larger injustice is that he wasn’t a Heisman finalist. Skattebo belonged in New York. He’ll need to accept proving Arizona State belonged within the playoff.
Nobody is aware of what concentrating on is
Late in regulation, the Solar Devils had been robbed of an prolonged drive when referees declined to flag Texas junior defensive again Michael Taaffe for what regarded like a transparent concentrating on penalty.
