The Arizona State Sun Devils were eliminated from the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day after losing in double overtime to the Texas Longhorns by a score of 39-31. Following the matchup, Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham was quick to place the blame for the loss in the Peach Bowl upon himself.
The Sun Devils went down 14-3 early in the game before storming back to force overtime against the SEC powerhouse Longhorns. They kept the momentum rolling in the first overtime, scoring on their first possession. After forcing a long fourth down for Texas, ASU opted for a cover 0 defense, which Quinn Ewers carved up for a game-tying touchdown.
Texas won in the next overtime period with a game-sealing interception after scoring on its very first play in double OT.
What Did Kenny Dillingham Say About Difficult Loss?
Dillingham made clear that the loss was on him and not his players. He also added how he believed that his players did enough to win and performed at such a high level throughout the entire game to progress to the next round of the playoffs.
Kenny Dillingham takes full responsibility for ASU’s loss to Texas:
“Our guys played good enough to win. Our guys battled good enough to win. This game’s 100% on me.”@SunDevilSource pic.twitter.com/kq3AkaKPjm
— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) January 1, 2025
“Our guys played good enough to win. Our guys battled good enough to win. This game’s 100% on me,” he starkly outlined.
Arizona State Sun Devils Future Outlook Next Season
In addition to the difficult loss yesterday, the Sun Devils are expected to lose a key player, running back Cam Skattebo, to the NFL in next April’s draft.
In College Football Network’s recent 7-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft completed by Cam Mellor, Skattebo was selected No. 130 overall by the Buffalo Bills. Skattebo being drafted by Buffalo would present another dynamic offensive player for star quarterback Josh Allen to use.
Though the Bills already have a young star RB in James Cook, several teams have opted to use a committee approach in recent years. As a result, Skattebo to Buffalo could make sense for both the team and the player.
FOLLOW ALONG: Track Every Transfer Portal Entrant in our CFN Transfer Portal Tracker now!
Skattebo was the workhorse this season for the Sun Devils, having accumulated 1,711 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the campaign. He played a major role in the Arizona State football program coming back against the Longhorns as he had 242 total yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Though the program had an extremely successful season, one that saw them advance to the CFP quarterfinals as the No. 4 seed in the nation after an 11-3 regular season, it’s evident that the Sun Devils roster will look very different next year. Arizona State will need someone else to fill the hole left by Skattebo’s expected departure.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.