1 p.m. | ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia
SERIES HISTORY
Overall Record ……………………………………………………… Texas leads, 1-0
In Austin ………………………………………………………………………………… 0-0 Away……………………………………………………………………………………… 0-0 Neutral…………………………………………………………………. Texas leads, 1-0
Dillingham vs. Texas ………………………………………………………………. 0-0
Sarkisian vs. Arizona State………………………………………………………. 1-4
Current Streak ………………………………………………………………. Texas, W1
Last Meeting ……………………………….. Texas 52, Arizona State 34 (2007)
Longest Texas Streak…………………………………………………….. Texas, W1
Longest Arizona State Streak…………………………………………………….N/A
Largest Texas Win……………………………………Texas 52, Arizona State 34
Largest Arizona State Win ………………………………………………………..N/A
• The Peach Bowl and College Football Playoff Quarterfinal will feature two programs who have one each of the last two Big 12 Championships in Texas and Arizona State. • The matchup will be just the second-ever in history and first since the 2007 season. Texas and Arizona State last squared off with each other on the gridiron in the 2007 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Calif. The Longhorns won, 52-34. • Steve Sarkisian is familiar with the Arizona State program having played the Sun Devils on five different occasions during his head coaching stints at the University of Washington (2009-13) and USC (2014-15). • Texas and Arizona State have one mutual opponent this season: Mississippi State. The Sun Devils took down the Bulldogs, 30-23, in Starkville, Miss., on Sept. 7. Texas cruised to a 35-13 win against Mississippi State at home on Sept. 28.
Texas Longhorns Notes
THE CFP QUARTERFIAL AT THE CHICK FIL-A PEACH BOWL
• No. 3 and fifth-seed Texas Football advances to the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 57th annual Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to take on No. 12 and fourth-seed Arizona State at Noon C.T. Wednesday, Jan. 1, inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will broadcast on ESPN with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst), Katie Georgia (reporter) and Taylor McGregor (reporter) on the call. • Texas is 12-2, marking back-to-back 12+ win seasons for the first time since 2008-09. It’s also the fifth 12-plus win season in program history. • Texas is making its second College Football Playoff appearance in as many years after earning the three seed in the 2023 College Football Playoff, making a semifinal appearance against the No. 2 Washington Huskies at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. • Texas is the only team with back-to-back CFP appearances in 2023 and 2024. • The Horns will be making their first-ever appearance in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan. 1. • The Longhorns have 11-consecutive top-10 CFP rankings, dating back to Oct. 31, 2023. Texas debuted at No. 5 in the first CFP rankings on Nov. 5 this season – which doubled as the program’s highest-ever spot in the first week of CFP rankings. Texas has been in the top-25 in each of the last 15 rankings and has 27 overall appearances in the rankings with its highest being No. 2. UT checked in at No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls that were updated on Dec. 8. • The Longhorns are 12-1 at home over the last two seasons. • Head coach Steve Sarkisian has now led his programs to eight postseason appearances in his 11 seasons as a head coach. He led Washington to four-straight bowl games following the 2010-13 seasons and guided USC to the Holiday Bowl in 2014. His Washington team played in the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl, a game he did not coach in after taking over the Trojans’ program. Sarkisian was the head coach for the Huskies’ Alamo Bowl appearance against Baylor in 2011. • Texas finishes the 2024 regular season as the only SEC team with one loss. • Last time out, Texas defeated No. 16 and 12th-seed Clemson, 38-24, inside DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in the CFP First Round on Dec. 21. • Of the six non-original members of the SEC (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Texas A&M), Texas is the only program to clinch an SEC Championship game berth in its first season as a league member. • Texas is the only team in the nation with nine wins vs. bowl eligible opponents. • Texas is among two teams that have at five wins vs. opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of game. Notre Dame is the other team. • In its first season as an SEC member, Texas has clinched conference championship game berths in back-to-back seasons after winning the Big 12 Championship in 2023. • Texas’ 11-consecutive true road wins (not including neutral site contests) is the longest streak for the Horns since winning 15-straight road games from 2003-06. It also doubles as the longest active streak in the FBS. • The Longhorns have held 10 of 14 opponents to 17 points or less this season. • UT boasts the fourth-most wins (960) in NCAA history. Texas holds a record of 960-394-33. The Longhorns’ 960 wins are the second most by an SEC program following Alabama’s 974 victories. • Following Texas’ 56-7 win over UTSA on Sept. 14, Texas moved to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time since Oct. 26, 2008. The Longhorns spent four weeks this season at No. 1 and have 49 overall appearances at No. 1 in the AP Poll.
BOWL HISTORY
• Texas will be making its Texas is making its 60th all-time bowl appearance this season, the third-most in the country behind only Alabama and Georgia. • The Longhorns have a record of 31-26-2 (.542) in bowl games. • This year’s appearance in the Peach Bowl will be UT’s first-ever appearance in the game. • With a win at Peach Bowl, Texas would be the first team to win all six NY6 Bowl Games. • Texas will be making its third trip to the Peach State. Texas first played in Georgia in 1957 when the Horns defeated the Bulldogs, 26-7, in Atlanta. Texas last played in Georgia in the 2024 SEC Championship Game vs. Georgia (22-19 OT loss) on Dec. 7. All three of UT’s games played in Georgia will have been played in Atlanta.
A TEXAS WIN WOULD …
• Send UT to the CFP Semifinals for the second-consecutive year. The winner between Texas and Arizona State will move onto the 89th annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and face the winner between No. 1 Oregon and No. 6 Ohio State. The Cotton Bowl will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. • Clinch Texas’ first 13-win season since 2009 when the Longhorns finished 13-1 overall with a BCS National Championship appearance. • Claim the program’s third 13-win season (2005, 2009). • Give Texas its first-ever Peach Bowl win in its first appearance. • Grant Steve Sarkisian a single-season career-high 13 wins. • Record Sarkisian’s second CFP victory. • Mark Texas’ second neutral site victory of the season. • Be Texas’ 961st all-time victory, the fourth-winningest program in college football history. • Secure Steve Sarkisian his 85th victory as a head coach and 38th at Texas in his 135th career game as a head coach. • Move Texas to 2-0 all-time against Arizona State.
HORNS STREAKS
• Texas has forced at least one turnover in an FBS leading 22-consecutive games. UT has forced multiple turnovers in eight-straight games entering Saturday vs. Clemson. • Texas has won 12+ games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2008-09. The Horns had nine-consecutive 10-win seasons from 2001-09. • 2024 marked the second-straight season in which UT played in a conference championship game. • The Texas defense gave up just four passing touchdowns through 12 games this season during the regular season – the fewest in program history since giving up four in 1972 (10 games). It also tied for the fewest by an FBS team during the regular season (tied with Ohio State). Texas held its opponent to under 350 yards in its first 13 games of the season, becoming the first FBS team to do so in 13 consecutive games in a single season since Alabama in 2011. The last team to do so in 14 straight games in a single season was another Alabama squad (2009). • Texas led Texas A&M 17-0 at halftime on Nov. 30 and posted first-half shutouts in three of its last four conference matchups to close out the regular season. • Texas has recorded 11-straight road wins – the most since 2003-2006. Texas’ 11-consecutive true road wins is the longest active streak by an FBS squad. • The Longhorns started the season 6-0 for the first time since 2009. • Texas’ point differential (+221) through six games was its best since 1915 (+288). • Texas’ 259 points through six games were its most since 2005 (274). • The Longhorns are 18-3 at home over the last three seasons with their only three losses being to No. 1 Alabama (20-19) in 2021, No. 4/4 TCU in 2022 and No. 5/4 Georgia on Oct. 12. • The Horns have earned a Top-10 ranking for 30 weeks in a row.
Arizona State Sun Devils Notes
THE GAME –
The Big 12 Champion Sun Devil Football program returns to action in the postseason, making its debut in the College Football Playoff and squaring of against the Texas Longhorns in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Scheduled for a 11 a.m. AZT/1 p.m. local kickoff, the CFP quarterfinal contest between the fourth-seeded Sun Devils and fifth-seeded Longhorns will be broadcast nationally on ABC (Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George, Taylor McGregor). The game will also be available over the local airwaves in Arizona on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst, Kevin Turner, Jeff Munn). The game will also be available on ESPN National Radio (Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra).
ON THE CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL/COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF –
This will be Sun Devil Football’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff. It is the team’s second appearance in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, though it hasn’t played in the game since 1970 – a 48-26 victory over North Carolina to cap off an 11-0 season. Texas is making its second consecutive appearance in the CFP, the only team in the 2024 field to do so despite the expansion to 12 teams this year.
ON THE LONGHORNS
• This will mark just the second matchup in history between the Sun Devils and the Longhorns, with Texas getting the better of ASU in the 2007 Holiday Bowl, 52-34, in the only other contest. • The Longhorns were the runners-up in the SEC Championship and the No. 5 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, entering the game ranked No. 4 in the AP. • Texas and Arizona State were two of just five FBS teams in the regular season with four wins against teams ranked in the AP Top-25 at the time of the game (joining Georgia, South Carolina, Notre Dame). • One of the elite defenses in the country, Texas has held opponents to just 12.5 points per game prior to the CFP and to 17 points or less in 10 of 13 games in that stretch. ASU scored less than 17 points just once this season (14 at Cincinnati). • Texas has forced a turnover in and FBS-leading 22 straight games and is tied for first in the FBS with 29 takeaways this season. Meanwhile, ASU is tied for second in the FBS with just eight turnovers lost. • Texas was first in the FBS pre-bowl season in allowing just 143.1 passing yards per game. The team allowed just four passing touchdowns in the regular season while ASU has thrown for 3 or more in 5 of its last six games. • In its last six games, Texas has allowed just 20 total first half points. ASU is averaging 22.6 points per first half in its last six games. Texas has outscored opponents 108-24 in the first quarter of games while ASU has outscored teams 106-58 in the opening frame. • Texas’ offense is sixth in the FBS with 20 plays of 40+ yards this year. ASU is sixth in the FBS in allowing just five 40+ yard plays this year.
KICKING OFF
• ASU’s 11-2 record marks and 7 1/2 game improvement in the win/loss column from a year ago, tied for the seventh-best single-season turnaround in program history. A win this week would move ASU into a tie for second-best all-time. With a win, ASU’s nine-game improvement in the win column alone from a year ago would mark just the seventh time in FBS history a team has accomplished the feat. • With ASU vacating its wins in the 2021 season, the 11 wins this season easily surpass the team’s combined win tally from 2020-2023 (8 wins). • Sam Leavitt’s 903 grade on overall offense for the season is seventh-best among all FBS freshman quarterbacks in the PFF era since 2015 (min. 500 snaps played). Of the six players tied or ahead of him, five have started an NFL game this season (Trevor Lawrence, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud and Spencer Rattler). He ranks ahead of the freshmen seasons of 2024 NFL starters Brock Purdy (89.4), Sam Darnold (85.0) and Justin Herbert (77.2). • Leavitt has thrown at least three touchdown passes in six games this year, most among FBS freshmen. The last Big 12 freshman to have that many performances in a season was Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in 2007 (eight). • Cam Skattebo is the first FBS player to record 150+ scrimmage yards and 3+ scrimmage touchdowns in three straight games since Boise State’s Jay Ajayi in 2014 (four straight). • ASU was one of only 13 teams to go undefeated in the month of November (5-0). Of those 13 teams, only 7 were from a Power 4 conference (including Notre Dame). ASU was one of only four teams the FBS to go 5-0 in the month of November. • ASU is 5-0 in games decided by seven points or less and 6-1 in games decided by one score (8 points or less). The 5-0 record is second behind Arkansas State’s 7-0 mark in games of seven points or less and the six wins are tied for third behind only Syracuse and Arkansas State’s for most wins in one-score games.
AN ASU VICTORY WOULD…
• Give ASU an 8 1/2 game improvement from a season ago, which would be tied for second-most in FBS history (Tulane, +9 in 2022). The team’s current 7 1/2 game improvement is tied for ninth-best in FBS history. • Give the Sun Devils a nine-game improvement in the win column alone, marking ASU as just the seventh program in FBS history to accomplish the feat. • Improve the Sun Devils to 2-0 in the Peach Bowl (victors of the 1970 Peach Bowl) • Give ASU 12 wins in a season for just the second time in program history (1975 team went 12-0). • Improve ASU to 5-0 against AP-ranked opponents this season. It would match ASU’s most wins against Top-25 teams in a single season in program history (5 in 1986). • Give the Sun Devils their first victory over a Top-10 team in a neutral-site game since defeating #4 Michigan in the 1986 Rose Bowl campaign. It would additionally be ASU’s first victory in the month of January since that 22-15 victory. • Be Arizona State’s first victory over a Top-10 team overall since defeating No. 6 Oregon in 2019. • Improve ASU to 2-0 over the SEC this season, notable as the program has not defeated an SEC team in history entering the year.
LAST TIME OUT – DR PEPPPER BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
• ASU earned the program’s first outright conference championship since 1996 (co-champion in 2007) with its 45-19 rout over #16 Iowa State in the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship • ASU won 11 games in a season for the first time since 1996 (11-1) and just the sixth time in program history (Frank Kush four times, Bruce Snyder once). • Cam Skattebo accumulated 208 all-purpose yards, putting him over 2,000 for the season (currently at 2,074) to become just the 100th player in FBS history to accomplish that feat. Skattebo passed Wilford White’s program record of 2,065 all-purpose yards in a season set back in 1950. • Skattebo also broke ASU’s school record for most scrimmage yards (Eno Benjamin, 1,905). He has 2,074 all-purpose yards this season. • His 140 first half yards were the most in a half in his career. It was also the first time a running back ran for over 100 yards in the Big 12 Championship Game since Adrian Peterson for Oklahoma in 2004. It was the most in a half in the championship game since Kansas State’s Darren Sproles in 2003. • Skattebo was named the Most Outstanding Player after accounting for 18 points and three touchdowns, both tying the record for the most at the Big 12 Championship. Last was in 2008 by both Chris Brown and Mossis Madu of Oklahoma. • He was the fifth player with 150+ yards and 2+ rush TDs in Big 12 CC history and first since Adrian Peterson in 2004. • Sam Leavitt became just the second player with 3+ pass TDs and 1+ rush TDs in a Big 12 Championship Game, joining Texas’ Vince Young in 2005 • Leavitt was the first FBS freshman to throw for 3+ touchdowns and rush for 1+ in a conference championship game since Florida State’s Jameis Winston in 2013. • Iowa State entered the game allowing 156.9 pass yards per game this season – third-best in the FBS. Arizona State passed for 147 yards in the first half alone. • The 35-0 run for the Sun Devils matched the largest in Big 12 Championship Game history and the first since Texas over Colorado in 2005. • Sam Leavitt’s 63-yard pass to Melquan Stovall on 4th-and-1 in ASU’s own territory in the first quarter was the most yards gained on a 4th and 1 play for Arizona State in the last 15 years (63) and the sixth-most yards gained on a 4th-and-1 in the FBS this season.
FINISH STRONG, TOO
• The Sun Devils have been exceptional in closing out halves this season, scoring 16 touchdowns in the final five minutes of either the first or second halves – a tally good for fifth in the FBS. • ASU has outscored opponents 87-16 in the “middle eight” of games (last four minutes of first half, first four minutes of second half). • ASU is outscoring opponents, 156-74, in the second quarters of games this season heading into halftime. • The Sun Devils are allowing just 3.4 yards per third down play in the fourth quarter of games this season, the 11th-lowest total in the country. • Third-and-fourth down defense have been among ASU’s struggles at times this season, ranking 100th with a 44.7 conversion rate allowed. However, the team has been markedly improved in that category in the 4th quarter of games, trimming it down to a 37.0 conversion rate – 44th in the FBS. • The Sun Devils have won three games this season when trailing or tied at some point in the fourth quarter.
KEEP THEM IN FRONT OF YOU
• ASU has allowed just 20 plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 79 games – 2nd-fewest in the FBS in that time behind only Washington (18). The FBS average in that span is 44.53 such plays. ASU ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 50+ yards played allowed each year from 2014-17, giving up a nation-leading 55 such plays in that span – 13 more than any other school in the FBS. • ASU has allowed just 12 catches for 50 or more yards in that span, good for the 3rd-lowest amount in the FBS in that time (Penn State, 10/Washington, 11). • The Sun Devils have allowed just 11 plays over 30 yards this season, tied for the 6th-lowest total in the country. ASU allowed just 22 total plays over 30 yards last season, which was 35th in the FBS. • The 33 total plays allowed of 30+ yards in two seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Ward are tied for the 9th-lowest total in the FBS. • Since 2018, ASU has allowed just 121 TOTAL 30-plus yard plays (1.5 per game/80 games). That is the 3rd-lowest tally in the FBS in that time behind Iowa (93) and Northwestern (118) (Kennesaw State and Sam Houston State excluded as they joined the FBS after 2018). For perspective, from 2014-17, ASU gave up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays each SEASON, respectively ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.
