Cam Skattebo produced an iconic performance to back up his bold claim that Texas could not contain him as Arizona State almost scored a huge upset win in the Peach Bowl.
The Longhorns were a double-digit favorite at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on New Year’s Day, but they needed two overtimes to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 39-31 victory thanks to Andrew Mukuba’s interception. Texas had raced into a commanding lead, only to allow a Sun Devils resurgence inspired by their superstar running back in the fourth quarter.
Skattebo scored rushing and passing touchdowns, as well as converting a two-point conversion to drag his team back from 24-8 down in the fourth quarter. A fourth-down trick play sparked the comeback, with the senior connecting with Malik McClain for a 42-yard touchdown pass.
On the ensuing drive, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw a backbreaking interception. Arizona State capitalized on the sudden change, with Skattebo hanging onto a 62-yard dime from quarterback Sam Leavitt to get into the redzone. With five minutes on the clock, Skattebo bulldozed into the endzone for a two-yard touchdown run, and he repeated the trick on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 24-24.
Both teams had chances to win it in regulation, with Texas kicker Bert Auburn missing two field goals inside the final two minutes, including a 38-yarder as time expired. Arizona State also had a late drive come up without points, with a controversial no-call for targeting going against them.
Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the first session of overtime, with Skattebo being dragged into the endzone by an offensive lineman for a three-yard score. Ewers and the Longhorns replied with a got-to-have-it touchdown pass to Matthew Golden on fourth-and-13 to tie it up.
Texas had the ball to start the second overtime and they quickly pulled ahead with Ewers firing a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gunnar Helm. Golden snagged the two-point conversion.
An iconic game would end moments later, with Leavitt’s pass picked off by Mukuba, sparking wild celebrations from the Longhorns’ players and fans. But the star of this game was Skattebo, who was seen vomiting on the sidelines moments before he sparked Arizona State’s comeback such was his incredible commitment to try to lead his team to one of the greatest wins in program history.
Ahead of the game, Skattebo who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting said Texas, or anyone, would be foolish to think they could limit his production. And after finishing the game with 143 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards, 42 passing yards, three touchdowns, and a two-point conversion, no one could dispute the fact he was right to be so confident in his abilities
“They continue to keep saying that people are going to try to stop me,” he claimed in his pregame media availability. “There’s nobody out there that can stop me. We played in 13 games, and I’ve been the target on each one, so I’m not too worried. We’re going to play our game and play ball and see what happens there.
“If they’re studying hard, there’s a reason. I have full respect for them, because they understand what they’re playing against, and that’s why I love playing in games like this, because they constantly look at me as a threat, and that’s something I’ve always wanted to be.
“And if I’m a threat on the football field against an SEC team that was the runner-up to win their conference, then I think I’m in a pretty good position.”
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