Penn State got the quarterfinals started with a 31-14 win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. With the Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl on Wednesday, there are two more semifinal spots up for grabs.
This is a fascinating matchup between two of the most creative offensive minds in college football. Kenny Dillingham has schemed an offense that has scored 53 TDs this season while Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will assuredly have a couple of new looks for the Arizona State defense. This may be a game that’s much more about the staying power of the ASU defense than the ASU offense.
How loose is Ohio State? The Buckeyes looked like a totally different team against the Volunteers than they did against Michigan. The offensive stats from the matchup between Ohio State and Oregon on Oct. 12 were almost identical. The big separator between the teams came via penalties and turnovers. Which team will come out on top in the rematch?
Cam Skattebo POWERS his way into the end zone for a 3-yard score one play after Sam Leavitt scrambled for a first down on 3rd-and-15. Sun Devils just making all the clutch plays here.
ASU 31, Texas 24
ASU gets ball first in OT
The Sun Devils have begun their possession in overtime. Spot in the CFP semifinal on the line. Here we go.
IT’S NO GOOD!
Texas kicker Bert Auburn pulls a 38-yard field goal left and it clangs off the upright as time expires.
ASU has life and we are headed to overtime!
Game-winning kick attempt coming
The Longhorns have moved the ball inside the red zone and Bert Auburn will have a shot at winning it in regulation.
Texas on the march
The Longhorns have moved the ball out near midfield after a couple completions by Quinn Ewers.
There’s 37 seconds left in the game.
ASU forced to punt it back
The Sun Devils couldn’t do too much with the ensuing possession and punted it back to Texas.
There’s just 1:03 left in the game.
Texas misses field goal!
After some curious playcalling by Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns were forced to settle for a 48-yard field goal attempt, which Bert Auburn missed to the right.
The Sun Devils will have the ball at their own 30-yard line with 1:39 left.
Texas on the march
Now the Longhorns are moving the ball with ease. They’re at the ASU 30 with a fresh set of downs as we hit the two-minute warning.
Skattebo converts on 2-point attempt!
WE ARE TIED! Cam Skattebo caps off the touchdown drive with a run on the two-point conversion and the Sun Devils are right back in this thing with 5 minutes to go.
What a comeback by Arizona State.
Texas 24, ASU 24
Touchdown ASU!
The Sun Devils are in the end zone and it’s Cam Skattebo! This time he runs it in, driving his legs and pushing through multiple defenders to get into the end zone.
Skattebo catches long ball!
Is there anything this guy can’t do? After throwing for a TD pass on the last possession, now he’s caught a deep ball from Sam Leavitt and the Sun Devils are all the way down to the Texas 8-yard line.
That’s a 62-yard catch and run by Skattebo.
Interception ASU!
The Sun Devils have it right back! Texas QB Quinn Ewers put a little too much air under the ball and ASU’s Javan Robinson came down with it.
Buckle up folks!
Touchdown ASU!
The Sun Devils are finally in the end zone and it comes on a trick play pass from Cam Skattebo! The star RB lofted a ball up there and Malik McClain came down with it and ran it in for a 42-yard score.
The 2-point conversion was good, so it’s now a one-possession game!
Texas 24, ASU 16
ASU moves past midfield
The Sun Devils are past the 50 after a chunk run from Cam Skattebo, but they’re running out of time and desperately need a touchdown on this drive.
Touchdown Texas!
It’s Quinn Ewers scrambling for the touchdown! What a play by the quarterback to get into the end zone for the score.
Texas 24, ASU 8
Texas nearing end zone
The Longhorns are closing in on another score after this dime from Quinn Ewers to Matthew Golden put them inside the 10-yard line.
Texas on the march
The Longhorns are now giving a little bit of a reprieve to their defense and have moved the ball past midfield as the fourth quarter begins.
ASU controlling possession with little to show for it
The Sun Devils have had control of the ball for nearly 33 of the 44 minutes played so far. Unfortunately for them, it hasn’t resulted in many points.
ASU stuffed again, settles for FG
The Sun Devils made it to the red zone before the Longhorns buckled down and held strong. Carston Kieffer makes his second field goal of the game to cut into Texas’ lead.
Texas 17, ASU 8
Skattebo breaks off long run
Arizona State’s star running back just broke several tackles during a 33-yard run to put his team right back in the red zone. We’ll see if the Sun Devils can finally find the end zone.
Safety by ASU!
The Sun Devils force a fumble that’s recovered by Quinn Ewers in the end zone for a safety! What a wild turn of events in Atlanta.
Texas 17, ASU 5
ASU stuffed at goal line!
The Sun Devils had a chance to cut into Texas’ lead, but instead the Longhorns held strong with a goal-line stand! ASU had 2 cracks from the 2-yard line and couldn’t get it in the end zone.
That’s three turnovers on downs for ASU this game.
ASU’s Leavitt scrambles for long run
A great read by Sam Leavitt results in a 31-yard run into Texas territory. The Sun Devils are in the red zone now.
Texas goes 3-and-out to start 2nd half
The Longhorns open the first half with the ball, but ASU’s defense steps up and stops them on third down.
Nice start for the Sun Devils.
Halftime: Texas 17, Arizona State 3
The Longhorns are mostly dominating so far, but things slowed down after two quick TDs in the first quarter.
ASU FG BLOCKED!
Arizona State’s 36-yard field goal attempt is blocked by Carston Kieffer in the closing seconds of the first half!
Texas maintains a 17-3 lead.
ASU converts on a fake punt!
Arizona State goes with a VERY bold fake punt toss on 4th-and-9 from its own 21-yard line.
Punter Kanyon Floyd threw it to Blazen Lono-Wong for a 32-yard gain and ASU is in business!
Texas goes 3-and-out
Arizona State quickly gets the ball back after a nice defensive stop.
Arizona State turns it over on downs
Rather than trying a long field goal, the Sun Devils went for it on 4th-and-10 at the Texas 34-yard line, but Sam Leavitt was sacked by Trey Moore
Texas gets the ball back.
Texas adds FG
The Longhorns had another solid drive going, but it fizzled out short of the end zone and they settled for a short Bert Auburn field goal to take a 14-point lead.
BREAKING: The Sugar Bowl has been postponed following the deadly attack in New Orleans, where investigators are still combing the crime scene and working to secure the French Quarter.
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge has the latest on the game which was set to kickoff tonight. pic.twitter.com/lzE9gn4pxW
Texas held strong on fourth-and-2 and got the stop, tackling Cam Skattebo short of the line to gain.
End of 1Q: Texas 14, ASU 3
The Sun Devils are facing a fourth-and-short at the Texas 25 when the second quarter begins.
ASU on the march
Cam Skattebo is starting to get some positive momentum and the Sun Devils are nearing the red zone now.
Texas punts it back
ASU gets its first stop of the day when it desperately needed one. The Sun Devils will take over at their own 31-yard line with just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter.
ASU punts again
The Sun Devils are punting it right back to Texas. They’re struggling to move the ball since their first possession of the game.
Touchdown Texas!
ASU couldn’t do anything with its ensuing possession and punted the ball away to Texas’ Silas Bolden, who just returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.
What a start for Texas!
Texas 14, ASU 3
Touchdown Texas!
And just like that, the Longhorns have scored on a deep pass! One play after Matthew Golden had a long catch and run for 54 yards, Quinn Ewers finds DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 23-yard score.
ASU nails FG for first score of game
The Sun Devils are on the board first in the Peach Bowl after Carston Kieffer made a 39-yard field goal.
ASU 3, Texas 0
ASU gets first down on punt attempt
The Sun Devils were trying to punt the ball away when a Texas defender came free and had a chance to block it. But he couldn’t make contact with the ball and was called with a running-into-the-kicker penalty, which results in a first down for ASU.
We are underway in the Peach Bowl!
Arizona State will start off with the ball.
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No. 6 Penn State moves on to semifinals with 31-14 Fiesta Bowl win over No. 3 Boise State
Police: Sugar Bowl to go on after truck attack kills 10, injures 35 in New Orleans
We still have about 45 minutes until the Peach Bowl kickoff between Arizona State and Texas, so here’s what’s happening around the sport as the new year begins.
Good morning folks and welcome to our live tracker for the 3 remaining College Football Playoff quarterfinals!
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