There's Still A Chance: Texas' Title Hopes Stay Alive As CFP Finally Gets Exciting With 2OT Quarterfinal

ATLANTA - The first five games of the 12-team College Football Playoff - all played in 2024 - provided as much intrigue as a mid-afternoon nap. Once the calendar switched to 2025, though, the script flipped in a big way. 

Texas defensive back Andrew Mukuba picked off Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt in the bottom half of the second overtime period to ice away a 39-31 win in the Peach Bowl national quarterfinal in an instant classic.

ATLANTA - Andrew Mukuba #4 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Longhorns players stormed the east end zone of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, nearly knocked over their own cheerleaders and a mob scene ensued right in front of the Texas section. The moment was incredible. The moment was what college football was all about. The ups and downs, including the incredible play of Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, took a toll on everybody’s emotions.

ATLANTA - Xavier Filsaime of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Instead of excitement or jubilation, the sense inside the stadium from the Texas faithful, players and coaches once the confetti settled felt more like relief and exhaustion. At least for now, their team still has a chance to win the national championship.

Let’s be real … Texas got out-played, out-coached and out-worked by the Sun Devils, but managed to keep them at arm’s length until the fourth quarter, when the Longhorns defense wore down and the Sun Devils scored 16 straight points to send it to extra frames.

Don’t get me wrong, Texas deserved to win this game. DeAndre Moore Jr.’s touchdown catch from Ewers on the Longhorns’ second offensive play got the game started, and Silas Bolden’s 75-yard punt return for a touchdown gave the Longhorns some distance that Arizona State had a hard time narrowing for the majority of the game. Good teams do that.

Do great teams do it, though? I’m not so sure.

ATLANTA - Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns celebrates after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025.  (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Quinn Ewers had a very pedestrian 125 passing yards through three quarters and Texas, as a team, tallied only 16 rushing yards through the first three frames. The Longhorns essentially went through a New Year’s Day afternoon snooze … something that has plagued them throughout the season. That’ll cut it against teams with lesser talent levels. It won’t, however, cut it when the rubber hits the road starting next week in the Cotton Bowl national semifinal. Simply put, the ceiling for this Texas team is not high … at least, for a full four quarters.

ATLANTA - DeCarlos Brooks #25 and Cam Skattebo #4 of the Arizona State Sun Devils embrace after losing to the Texas Longhorns 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025.  (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)

Skattebo won the game’s offensive MVP award after posting 284 total yards and three total touchdowns (one passing). Think about that … the primary takeaway from the game is the play of a superstar in a losing effort in a comeback that fell a hair short. That doesn’t speak volumes towards Texas’ upside.

Lloyd Christmas was given a one-in-a-million chance to win the heart of Mary Swanson (Samsonite?) in Dumb and Dumber. That worked out for him. Texas will need that kind of luck if it wants to win the College Football Playoff National Championship inside of the same stadium that it stumbled to a win over Arizona State on Wednesday.