Texas vs. Arizona State: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Prediction and College Football Playoff Betting Lines

Things haven’t gone well so far in this new College Football Playoff for the outliers.

SMU, Indiana, Boise State – cute stories all. Lots of fun for the fans, interesting chatter for the talking heads, and three layups for the big boy favorites in all three games.

Texas is a big boy favorite. It won the Big 12 title two years ago, lost the SEC Championship this year, and now it’s time to get back to the CFP final four and exorcise the demons of last season when it gacked away a shot at the national title to Washington.

Arizona State is a cute story. It went from nothing to replacing Texas the champion of the Big 12, but there’s nothing cutesy about this team. It’s smashmouth, tough as nails mentally and physically, and it’s going to run out there and bash away.

Here’s the difference between ASU and those other three outliers. This team has a real attitude. There’s no pressure here. It’s not going to buckle. Texas is the team that goes Texasing everyone time it has a chance at really nice things.

It’s the first game of a massive New Year’s Day of College Football Playoff games. And it’s going to wake everyone up.

Texas vs Arizona State: How to Watch the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CFP, Game Preview

Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Game Time: 1:00 pm ET
How To Watch: ESPN
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Teams: Texas (12-2), Arizona State (11-2)

Texas and Arizona State Bowl History

– Texas lost in the CFP last year, dropping the Sugar Bowl 37-31with a comeback that fell short. It defeated Clemson in the first round of this year’s CFP, giving it five wins in the last seven years of postseason games. The program has a postseason record of 32-26-2.

– Arizona State has a strong bowl history,But not recently. It is 15-17-1 all-time, but it is 1-4 in its last four bowl games, with the most recent loss coming in 2021 in Las Vegas to Wisconsin – the Sun Devils had some Jayden Daniels guy who did not do much.

Texas vs Arizona State Weather Forecast

It will be sunny and about 47% by game time tomorrow. It will not matter because the game is being played inside a dome.

Texas vs Arizona State All-Time Record

This is only the second meeting between the two teams. Texas won the first time out in 2007, 52-34.

Why Arizona State Will Win

It is just that simple. Arizona State must hold up on the lines.

Texas has an offensive front to attack, while the defensive front is a brick wall. Clemson could not run against it, but QB Cade Klubnik settled into a rhythm, found time to work, and went for 336 yards in the first round loss. Arizona State has the right balance to keep things moving in a variety of ways.

It all starts with Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Skattebo. He not only sets the tone, but he can also power his way to good runs, resulting in easy third down opportunities, which is why ASU leads the Big 12 in money downs and time of possession.

Sam Leavitt is a tough quarterback who can run and is accurate enough, but the Sun Devils need Skattebo to perform. The team has a 6-0 record when it reaches 200 yards rushing. That may be asking too much, but as long as the O keeps the clock ticking, the Sun Devils will stay in this. However …

Why Texas Will Win

Texas has yet to allow 200 rushing yards this season, and Florida, with 197, is the only team to surpass 150.

Yes, Arizona State is tough, nasty, and physical, and the Texas lines are superior. The Longhorns can run just as well, Quinn Ewers is playing like a quarterback who wants to show everyone what they are going to miss when he is benched, and the team speed is unlike anything ASU has seen this season.

Arizona State has had a great season, but it only beat four teams that advanced to the bowl game. BYU, Kansas State, and Iowa State all won their respective bowls, while Texas State has yet to play.

The Cougars won by defeating fellow Big 12 team Colorado; Iowa State loses if Cam Ward does not tap out for Miami; and Kansas State was annihilated by Rutgers. So …

Texas vs Arizona State: Who Will Win?

Expect a shootout.

Texas will need a drive or two, but the Arizona State defense, which is terrible on third downs and struggles to generate pressure behind the line, will not be able to get to Ewers in time to slow the quick Longhorn passing attack.

It is Texas, so it will do everything in its power to ruin what works. Following that, and after a brief Sun Devil surge, the Longhorns will take control, with the pass rush gaining traction.

Give it another week, and Texas will return, but for now, it will be too fast and too good.