At long last, the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff are within reach. The first round of the first ever 12-team playoff wasn't exactly a slate of thrilling games, in part because the No. 3 Longhorns ran roughshod over the ACC champion Clemson Tigers, beating them 38-24.
That means Texas will now travel to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl, where they'll face off against the No. 12 Sun Devils. Arizona State has had ample time now to scout and prepare for Texas, hoping to emerge victorious in their first ever CFP game. It'll be a tough task, to say the least, as Arizona State is currently the biggest underdog in the quarterfinal round.
Of course, this isn't new territory for Arizona State. They've been underdogs in five games this year, with a handful more being favored within a field goal. The Sun Devils have been overlooked most of the year, and they've seemingly relished that role en route to a magical season.
That said, Texas is a different beast. The Longhorns have been one of the best teams all year long. They started the season ranked fourth in the nation and never once dropped out of the top five. They spent four weeks as the No. 1 team in the polls before losing to Georgia. They then climbed back up to second before losing again to Georgia, this time in overtime.
Outside of the Bulldogs, who will be playing without their starting quarterback for the entire playoff, nobody has been able to top the Longhorns this year. They sit at 12-2 coming into this season and have the fourth best point differential in the FBS, tops in the SEC.
Their offense is run by head coach Steve Sarkisian, who calls the plays. The head coach has evolved into one of the best play callers in college football, and Texas has been on a tear lately. Quarterback Quinn Ewers has missed some time due to injuries, and exciting backup Arch Manning has stepped in for him at various times, yet the offense has never missed a beat.
The Longhorns have surrounded both quarterbacks with elite talent. Five different receivers have over 400 yards on the year; running backs Tre Wisner and Jaydon Blue both have 700+ rushing yards; and the offensive line is loaded with future NFL players. Among Power 4 teams, only nine other lines have given up a lower pressure rate than the Longhorns.
Perhaps the only thing that's posed a real challenge for this offense it itself. Texas is 25th in the FBS for most offensive penalties, frequently backing themselves up and putting themselves in longer distances. Even then, they've been able to overcome their mistakes more often than not.
As good as the offense has been, though, Texas has dominated this year because of their defense. The Longhorns are third in yards and second in scoring, stifling opposing offenses left and right. Even their two losses featured two of Georgia's three worst offensive performances of the year.
Their pass defense has performed better than the run defense, but Texas is still 10th in total rushing defense and tied for ninth in yards per carry on the year. Arizona State is a run-first team, to say the least, and especially since losing star receiver Jordyn Tyson for the year.
Cam Skattebo has powered the Sun Devils offense all year, and he's been one of the nation's best running backs. That said, Texas has faced some great backs too; of the 25 top rushers by yards, Texas faced off against four of them. They also locked up run heavy offenses like Michigan, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma.
That said, Skattebo is the best running back they'll have faced this year. Sam Leavitt also figures to be one of the best quarterbacks they'll face as well. Leavitt has grown in his confidence all season long, and is playing at a high level coming into this game.
The heavy favoritism for Texas in this game is absolutely warranted. They've arguably been the best team all year long, dropping two close games to the same opponent. But Arizona State has been at their best all year long when opponents overlook and underestimate them.
It's been a while since the Sun Devils were a true underdog, as they caught the nation by storm in the final few weeks of the regular season, but it's likely a welcome return to mindset for Kenny Dillingham's crew. The smart money is still on the Longhorns, but if there's any team that can take Texas by surprise, it would be the scrappy Sun Devils.