CFP quarterfinal takeaways: Quinn Ewers comes through when Texas needs him most

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 loseFourth-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 situationsThe 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 finalistThe 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 isLate 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.

“We definitely have a defenseless receiver and just as he’s turning after catching the ball, he gets hit in the head by the defender. I would not be surprised if this is called targeting from the booth.”

Despite what Matt Austin said, this was NOT called targeting. pic.twitter.com/rAfnDOHMI7

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 1, 2025

Taaffe led with his helmet and struck Arizona State wide receiver Melquan Stovall in the head.

Had referees correctly called targeting, who knows how the game would have ended? With a 15-yard penalty, the Sun Devils would have had the ball at the Longhorns’ 37-yard line with under a minute remaining. Considering the team’s kicking woes, a field goal and last-second win wouldn’t have been guaranteed. But that doesn’t change the fact Arizona State should have had that chance.

Is Texas an underdog in the CFP semis?After surviving by the skin of its teeth, Texas should be the underdog in its next game — either against No. 6 Ohio State (11-2) or No. 1 Oregon (13-0).

The team has a significant kicking problem, with Bert Auburn missing four field goal attempts in his last three games. The offense has also struggled to play complete games at times this year. Against Arizona State, Texas gained 66 yards between the second and third quarters combined.

As much as the SEC is given the benefit of the doubt, at least in Texas’ next game, the conference shouldn’t be favored in the hypothetical matchup.