Sun Devils: CFP quarterfinal performance shows we belong - ESPN

ATLANTA — Kenny Dillingham, Cam Skattebo and Sam Leavitt tried their best to hold back tears as they attempted to process what their Arizona State squad had just endured. A day-long roller-coaster ride of highs and lows ended in heartbreak with a 39-31 loss in double overtime to Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, abruptly concluding their College Football Playoff run.

After coming up one play short of a stunning upset, Dillingham said he had plenty he'd like to change about how the Sun Devils' New Year's Day finale played out. But the second-year coach knows his players left no doubt they deserved to compete with the best of the best.

«I think a lot of people were questioning that,» Dillingham said, «and I don't think any person questions if we belonged on the field.»

The Sun Devils, predicted to finish last in the Big 12 in the league's preseason poll in July, achieved a remarkable turnaround from 3-9 to 11-3 in 2024 and earned the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye as the Big 12 champion despite finishing No. 12 in the final CFP committee rankings.

They looked overmatched early on in their first playoff game, quickly falling behind 14-3. But from that point forward, Arizona State did almost everything it needed to do to outplay and outlast the Longhorns.

The Sun Devils outgained their foe 510-375 in total offense. They wore down Texas' defense, controlling the ball for nearly two-thirds of regulation. They shut down Texas' powerful run game. They got a legendary performance from Skattebo in the final game of his college career. And in the end, they furiously rallied back from a 16-point deficit in the game's final seven minutes to force overtime.

«We gave everything we had,» Skattebo said.

They had their chance to win,