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The first game of 2025 will take place in Atlanta when a former Big 12 team in its first year in the SEC will take on a former Pac-12 team in its first year in the Big 12. Did you get all that? Welcome to the 2024 College Football Playoffs.
(More CFP: Ohio State vs. Oregon | Boise State vs. Penn State | Notre Dame vs. Georgia)
Date: January 1 | Time: Noon ET | Television: ESPN | Line: Texas -12.5 | Total: 51.5
How did these teams get here?
Texas: The Longhorns defeated No. 12 Clemson 38-24 by going over, around and through the Tigers. Jaydon Blue’s 77-yard touchdown run put the Tigers away in the fourth quarter as Texas ran 46 times for 295 yards before the kneel-downs were necessary to end the game.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils are the Big 12 champions in a season that came out of nowhere. After a lackluster final season in the Pac-12 during Kenny Dillingham’s inaugural year with the team, ASU surged in the second half of 2024. ASU won six straight games after a 24-14 loss at Cincinnati on October 19. wins over Kansas State, BYU and then Iowa State in the Big 12 title game.
How QBs Compare
Sam Leavitt transferred to Arizona State after playing four games as a freshman at Michigan State in 2023. He won the starting job over Jeff Sims before the season and emerged as an effective passer in his first full season as a starter. Leavitt completed 192 of 304 passes for 2,663 yards and 24 TDs with just five interceptions. He also rushed for 383 yards and five touchdowns.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Tigers on December 21. Ewers threw for 2,867 yards in 2024 and is completing 67% of his passes.
Players to watch
Isaiah Bond, Texas WR: The Alabama transfer missed the CFP game against Clemson due to injury, but will return against the Sun Devils. Bond had one reception for 22 yards against Georgia in the SEC title game and also had a costly drop that led to an interception. For the season, he has 33 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns and has rushed four times for 98 yards and a score. Matthew Golden and Gunnar Helm are Texas’ top two receivers and rookie Ryan Wingo has emerged, but Bond still adds a much-needed downfield element to the Texas offense. He is tied with Golden for the team lead with 16.1 yards per reception.
Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo: The fifth-place finisher in the Heisman race is the man driving ASU’s offense. Skattebo has 263 carries for 1,568 yards and 19 TDs and also serves as Arizona State’s second-leading receiver with 37 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns. He’s even more of a focal point with leading receiver Jordyn Tyson also out for the season. While players like Xavier Guillory and Melquan Stovall faced Iowa State, Arizona State’s offense will go through Skattebo.
game key
This is a fascinating matchup between two of the most creative offensive minds in college football. Dillingham has masterminded an offense that has scored 53 TDs this season, while Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is sure to have a couple new looks for the Arizona State defense. Sarkisian clearly saw a weakness in Clemson’s run defense in the first round and frustrated it again and again. Can he find a vulnerability against Arizona State? The Sun Devils have allowed more than 2,800 yards passing this season and are giving up 5.2 yards per play. This may be a game that has a lot more to do with the staying power of the ASU defense than the ASU offense.