The Longhorns hope to build on their victory over Clemson in the first round.
When Big 12 champion Arizona State plays SEC runner-up Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal, that championship quality will be put to the test. All of the remaining teams in a conference were in the running to win the College Football Playoffs at this stage of the season.
With a 38-24 victory over Clemson, the Longhorns, the fifth seed in the bracket, advanced out of the inaugural CFP first round and were granted the opportunity to play in the Peach Bowl against Arizona State, the tournament’s fourth seed. Since defeating Iowa State to win the Big 12 championship in Dallas on December 7, the Sun Devils have not played well. After a hectic 11-win season, that has given Big 12 Coach of the Year Kenny Dillingham some time to regroup and get the squad focused on what it would take to add another game to the program’s inaugural trip at CFP.
It will be the second time that Texas and Arizona State have met; the last time was in the 2007 Holiday Bowl, when the Longhorns won 52-34. Additionally, it’s a new bowl venue for both programs. Arizona State’s sole Peach Bowl appearance was in 1960, when they defeated North Carolina 48-26 to wrap up an 11-0 season. Texas has never participated in the Peach Bowl.
Where to watch the live Peach Bowl
Date: January 1st, Wednesday Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Atlanta, Georgia’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium
TV: ESPN | Fubo live stream (free to try)
Arizona State vs. Texas: You should be aware that Steve Sarkisian has Texas peaking: Sarkisian took a while to get things going at Texas, but we’ve reached a stage where we can accurately say that the legendary Longhorns program is running almost at full capacity. Texas has lost five of its previous 30 games, all against top-12 opponents, and is now 25-5 overall. The Longhorns have made the College Football Playoff two consecutive years, are vying for championships (winning the Big 12 last season and finishing second in the SEC this season), and have done so despite losing a significant amount of production from their team from the previous season, only to replace it in 2024 without experiencing the typical decline.
