The Texas Longhorns nearly squandered a 24-8 lead in their CFP Quarterfinal matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils—a disastrous collapse that could have cost Steve Sarkisian not only his job but also a significant financial bonus. Luckily for him, Quinn Ewers stood up in the biggest moment and led the Horns to victory.
What a wild ride it was for Texas during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. In the blink of an eye, the Longhorns jumped to a 14-3 lead and extended it to a 24-8 advantage in the fourth quarter. However, drama ensued. The offense stalled down, and Arizona State got right back in the mix. Led by standout Cam Skattebo, the Sun Devils evened the score and even took the lead in overtime.
With their backs against the wall, Quinn Ewers came through in the clutch, delivering a pinpoint pass on 4th-and-13 while trailing 31-24 in overtime. Texas needed 13 yards, instead they got 28 and scored the game-tying touchdown. Ewers then caught fire, leading the Longhorns to a 39-31 lead and leaving fate in the hands of the defense. Andrew Mukuba rose to the occasion, snagging the game-sealing interception.
Celebrations erupted, and Texas moved on to the College Football Playoffs Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl. Thanks to this victory, Steve Sarkisian earned a generous $250,000 bonus. So far in the season, Sarkisian racks up $900,000 in bonuses. He will get a shot at another $250,000 bonus with a win against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns celebrates during the trophy presentation after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sarkisian sends message to Ewers
It wasn’t Ewers best showing against the Sun Devils. He was inconsistent throughout the course of the game, and the offense struggled in key moments. However, when the game was on the line, the senior QB delivered, showcasing his best attributes, and an enviable accuracy.
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“Quinn’s a G, man. He is,” Sarkisian said of Ewers, per On3. “Like I know he doesn’t always exude that, like in his body language and his demeanor because I say it about him about this all the time, like he’s a steady sea. He never gets really high. There’s flashes of that emotion. He never gets too low.
“Sure, there’s moments of frustration that we all have, but the guy recalibrates so quickly, and he’s so calm that it allows me to lean on him, you know, in the most critical moments, especially tonight, man.“
Warning message from upcoming rivals
Ohio State will be next up deck for Sarkisian and the Longhorns, in their race for the NCAA National Championship. After watching the Buckeyes total domination and dismantling of No. 1 Oregon, the Longhorns better sleep with an eye open ahead of the semifinal clash at the Cotton Bowl.
Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has had his fair share of meetings with Sarkisian’s Longhorns, as he previously played four seasons of college football for the Kansas State Wildcats. However, Howard didn’t fare too good against Texas while in Manhattan, Kansas, and he is certainly eager to get revenge on January 10.
Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns holds the trophy after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils 39-31 during the second overtime in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“There was one team that I never beat in the Big 12, and it was Texas,” Howard confessed after the Rose Bowl, via ClutchPoints. “So I’m really looking forward to this game, man. I played them four times, you know, definitely have some feelings about them. And you know the way that we lost last year, we lost in overtime down there, I’m excited to get a crack at these guys, man.”
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NCAAF News: Buckeyes QB Will Howard issues strong warning to Quinn Ewers, Longhorns
Following Howard’s performance against the Ducks, the Longhorns defense will need to put in some extra hours of preparation for an offense that appears a notch above any other in college football.
