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Arizona State’s season ends in Peach Bowl: 3 takeaways from historic run

© Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Let the tears run. Feel the pain of defeat. Remember what happened at the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl. But no one in The Valley — coach, player or fan — should hang their head in disappointment after one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history.

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No. 12 Arizona State Football (11-3,7-2) generational run through the college football season came to an end in double-overtime 39-31 loss to No. 3 Texas (13-2,7-1) in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on Wednesday.

After trailing the Longhorns for the majority of the game, unable to get anything from its senior running back Cam Skattebo for two and a half quarters, the Sun Devils’ offensive leader led a valiant attempt at a comeback that took one of the best teams in the country down to the wire.

Texas bombarded ASU with points early in the first quarter, following ASU’s game-opening field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Carston Kieffer with a two-play drive resulting in a Longhorn senior quarterback Quinn Ewers 23-yard passing touchdown to sophomore wide receiver Deandre Moore Jr. that was quickly followed by a 75-yard punt return touchdown by senior wide receiver Silas Bolden to give Texas a 14-3 lead. The Longhorns would close out the first half with a field goal.

ASU seemed to find a little bit of life after a graduate student defensive back Shamari Simmons safety and another Kieffer field goal. But Ewers would take the wind out of the Sun Devils sails with a fourth quarter rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 24-8… well at least he thought he did.

The stifled Skattebo arose from the Sun Devils’ ashes like a phoenix and was stunted no longer. He responded to Ewers touchdown with a 42-yard pass to senior wide receiver Malik McClain for a touchdown and then added a two-point conversion with a run for good measure. The defense matched Skattebo’s energy with an interception that he didn’t let go to waste. After bringing down a 62-yard pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, Skattebo rolled into the end zone for a two-yard rushing score and another two-point conversion. Texas had two opportunities to put points on the board with field goals — including with two seconds remaining after a controversial missed targeting call in favor of Arizona State — and missed both, sending the team into overtime.

ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham went right back to his workhorse to get the first of two extra periods started, seeing Skattebo barrel his way in to the end zone for a three-yard score. Arizona State was on the brink of finishing off the Longhorns, until Ewers found junior wide receiver Matthew Golden on 4th & 13 for a 28-yard score to send the game into a second OT.

Texas played no games in the final period, as Ewers connected with senior tight end Gunnar Helm on the first play for a 25-yard score and found Golden shortly after for the two-point conversion. Arizona State’s season would come to an end in a hard fought drive that ended in a Leavitt interception.

It’s not the way anyone in The Valley would’ve wanted to see the Sun Devils’ year come to an end, but who would’ve thought this is where they would be when the season first started?

As the year comes to an emotional close, there are nothing but good memories to look back on and a bright future ahead for Arizona State. Here are three takeaways from ASU’s historic season:

Cam Skattebo is the best running back in college football this year

I truly do love Boise State junior running back Ashton Jeanty’s game and believes he deserves every bit of recognition he got all season. But now that it’s all said and done, and both had the opportunity to play on the biggest stage against the best opponent’s, I have to say it: Cam Skattebo is just better.

Compare the numbers, Jeanty takes the cake. That can’t be denied. But how they did it and where they did it has to be taken into consideration. I hate conference strength arguments because a good player should always just be respected as a good player, but not this time.

Skattebo took home the Peach Bowl Offensive MVP loss to a team that is undeniably one of the best team’s in the country and almost beat them. He rushed for more yards by himself (143) than most teams have against Texas all season.

Jeanty just eclipsed the century mark in Boise’s 31-14 VRBO Fiesta Bowl loss to No. 4 Penn State Tuesday and had no shot at winning. Despite the Longhorns and Nittany Lions being separated by one spot, I promise Penn State can’t touch Texas.

Arizona State and Skattebo played in a Big 12 conference that was significantly better than Boise State’s Mountain West Conference all season.

The schedule was tougher. The stakes were higher, and when all eyes were on both All-American running backs, Skattebo was just better.

Skattebo claimed he was the best running back in the country at the end of the Big 12 Championship, and without thinking twice about it, I’m going to stand on it and agree.

Kenny Dillingham should have won AP Coach of the Year

Dillingham not receiving Coach of the Year was another Arizona State postseason award snub. If you don’t believe me, just look at what happened to winner Curt Cignetti and his Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff.

Arguably the weakest matchup of the playoffs was between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 8 Notre Dame. It’s not that Notre Dame is bad, but again, they’re just not Texas. The Hoosiers had no shot at beating the Irish. Not to mention, they didn’t win their conference or receive a bye into playoffs.

There is no disrespect by any means from me for Cignetti or Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman — Freeman’s actually my favorite coach in college football. But it’s more an argument of respect for Dillingham who turned an Arizona State program that was an absolute dumpster fire into a legitimate national championship contender in just one year.

The world may not give him his credit, but Arizona State has, extending the 34-year-old Arizona native for five more years just a day before the Peach Bowl.

Arizona State is just getting started

While The Valley waves goodbye to its hero in Skattebo, there is so much more on the way.

Dillingham already filled the void by signing Army transfer running back Kanye Udoh, who has already proven he knows how to tote the rock. The need to replace a long list of graduating wide receivers was fixed with notable additions like Clemson transfer Noble Johnson and Class of 2025 four-star signee Cameron Dyer, the No. 1 high school senior in New Mexico. And did you forget Big 12 Newcomer of the Year redshirt sophomore Jordyn Tyson didn’t even play due to injury? It’s scary hours on the offensive side of the ball.

Arizona State addressed its lingering kicking problem with efficient Eastern Michigan transfer kicker Jesus Gomez and replaced an alarming number of transfer defensive backs with former Washington State safety Adrian Wilson to join an experienced defense next season.

The work has been done and the moves have been made to continue to capitalize on an unbelievable season.

They say what doesn’t kill you make you stronger. The Sun Devils may have lost the Peach Bowl, but Arizona State’s Dillingham era is just coming to life.

Cam Skattebo makes Peach Bowl, ASU single-season history

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Reporter Jordyn Bennett covers the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State, Phoenix area sports and sports related topics. You can follow him on his X account, @j_bennett_live

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