Arizona State Sun Devils vs Texas Longhorns Picks and Predictions January 1st 2025

Arizona State Sun Devils vs Texas Longhorns January 1st 2025

ESPN will be covering the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, where the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils will face off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kick-off is set for 1:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st. The Longhorns are the -14-point favorites, and the over/under line is currently 52 points. The Longhorns come in with a 12-2 record, while the Sun Devils are 11-2 this season.

Texas vs. Arizona State Key Information

• Teams: Longhorns at Sun Devils
• Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta
• Date: Wednesday, January 1st
• Betting Odds TX -613 | ARZST +427 O/U 52

The Longhorns Can Win If…

Texas enters the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with a 12-2 record. They are 7-1 at home and 5-0 on the road this season. The Longhorns have been favored in 13 of their 14 games, going 12-1 as the favorite.

Against the spread, Texas is 8-5, with a +20.6 average scoring margin. They are 5-3 ATS at home and 3-2 on the road, covering 8 times as the favorite this season.

The over/under line for this week is 52 points. Texas games have averaged 47.2 points, with their over/under record at 5-7-1. Their average over/under line has been 52.2 points, and they’ve finished an average of 5 points below the line.

Texas has leaned on their passing game this season, ranking 8th in passing yards, with 275.3 per game. They are also 8th in completions, averaging 22.4 per game, and 14th in passing attempts. Quinn Ewers has thrown for 2,867 yards, completing 66.5% of his passes, and has 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 101.

Overall, Texas is 21st in scoring, averaging 33.9 points per game, and we have them 17th in our offensive power rankings heading into this week. On the ground, they average 174.6 rushing yards per game. Quintrevion Wisner leads the team with 973 rushing yards. Matthew Golden is the top receiver, with 787 yards and eight touchdowns.

Texas’s defense has been impressive this season, ranking 4th in the nation by allowing just 13.3 points per game. They’ve also held opponents to 156.7 passing yards per game, the 7th-lowest in the country, and a passer rating of 57.9, which ranks 3rd.

In their recent game against Clemson, Texas allowed 24 points but limited the Tigers to 76 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Clemson threw the ball 43 times, gaining 336 yards through the air, while Texas’s defense also came up with an interception.

• Over their last three games, the Texas Longhorns have gone 2-1 straight up. In addition, their ATS record over this stretch is 2-1 while posting a 1-2 over-under mark.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Texas has a record of 8-2. The team’s record vs the spread was just 4-6, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-7-1.

The Sun Devils Can Win If…

Arizona State enters the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl with an 11-2 record, going 7-0 at home this season. They’ve been favored in seven games, winning all of them, and are 4-2 as underdogs. The Sun Devils have a +11.8 average scoring margin this season.

Against the spread, Arizona State is a perfect 7-0 at home and 11-2 overall. They’ve covered in all seven games as favorites and are 4-2 ATS as underdogs.

Their over/under record stands at 8-5, with an average line of 52.9 points. This week’s total is set at 52 points, while their games have averaged 54.4 points per contest.

Arizona State’s offense has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 12th in rushing attempts and averaging 205.2 rushing yards per game, placing them 15th nationally. Cam Skattebo has been the standout performer, rushing for 1,572 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns, while averaging 6 yards per carry. Overall, the Sun Devils are 26th in scoring, with 33.1 points per game, but they are ranked 7th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 1.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt has thrown for 2,663 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 110. Arizona State ranks 8th nationally in passer rating and converts 46.5% of their third downs, which is 16th best. Jordyn Tyson leads the receiving corps with 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns on 75 catches.

Arizona State’s defense has been solid this season, ranking 31st nationally by allowing just 21.3 points per game. In their recent win against Iowa State, they gave up 19 points, while holding the Cyclones to 127 rushing yards on 32 attempts and forcing one interception.

Opponents have averaged 120.5 rushing yards per game on 29.9 attempts against Arizona State, which ranks 38th in the country. Through the air, the Sun Devils have allowed 215.4 passing yards per game, with quarterbacks completing 58.1% of their passes and posting a passer rating of 74, the 25th-lowest in the nation.

• The Arizona State Sun Devils have posted a 3-0 record in their previous three games. In terms of betting, the team went 3-0 ATS in these matchups. Their over/under record in these matchups is 3-0.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Arizona State Sun Devils have gone 8-2 straight up. Across these games, their ATS record was just 8-2, while posting an over-under record of 8-2.

The Lean

Our pick for the over/under line of 52 points in this week one matchup between Texas and Arizona State is to take the over. We have a projected final score of 30-26 in favor of Texas, which would put the combined points at 56.

Even though Arizona State is the +14 point underdog, we like their chances to cover the spread while Texas pulls out the win. For a point spread pick, take Arizona State to cover as the home underdog.

Peach Bowl Showdown: No. 4 Arizona State Faces No. 5 Texas for CFP Glory

The Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day is set to deliver an electrifying College Football Playoff quarterfinal as No. 4 Arizona State takes on No. 5 Texas in Atlanta. For the Sun Devils, this game is the latest chapter in a season filled with surprises, while the Longhorns aim to maintain their status as perennial contenders.

Arizona State: Defying the Odds

The Sun Devils (11-2) began the season with little fanfare, projected to finish last in the Big 12. Fast forward to now, and they’re riding a six-game winning streak and fresh off a dominant 45-19 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship.

Arizona State’s high-octane offense, which averages 34.5 points per game, is fueled by:

• Sam Leavitt (QB): The dual-threat quarterback has thrown for 2,663 yards and accounted for 29 total touchdowns this season.
• Cam Skattebo (RB): A dominant force in the backfield, Skattebo has rushed for 1,568 yards and 19 touchdowns.

However, the Sun Devils face a challenge in overcoming a 24-day layoff since their last game. “We were playing our best football,” Dillingham said. “The break is tough, but we’re ready.”

Texas: Aiming for the Top

The Longhorns (12-2) are no strangers to the College Football Playoff, making their second straight appearance. Texas secured their Peach Bowl spot with a commanding 38-24 victory over Clemson in the first round, powered by a relentless rushing attack that amassed 292 yards.

Texas boasts one of the nation’s best defenses, allowing just 13.3 points per game, while their offense thrives behind key players:

• Jaydon Blue (RB): Rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson.
• Quintrevion Wisner (RB): Added 110 yards and two touchdowns in the same game.
• Quinn Ewers (QB): The sophomore has thrown for 2,873 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, providing balance to Texas’ offense.

“We need to run the football to win in the playoffs,” Sarkisian said. “That’s what it takes to keep advancing.”

Key Matchups to Watch

1. Arizona State’s Offense vs. Texas’ Defense:
   • The Sun Devils’ potent attack, led by Leavitt and Skattebo, will face Texas’ elite defense, ranked second in points allowed nationally.
2. Texas’ Ground Game vs. Arizona State’s Front Seven:
   • Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner were unstoppable against Clemson. Can Arizona State find a way to slow them down?
3. Coaching Battle:
   • Kenny Dillingham has crafted a Cinderella season for Arizona State, while Sarkisian brings playoff experience and a disciplined approach.

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What’s at Stake?

The winner of the Peach Bowl advances to the semifinals, where they’ll face either No. 1 Oregon or No. 8 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

For Arizona State, this is a chance to solidify their Cinderella story and make program history. For Texas, it’s an opportunity to move closer to a national championship and cement their place among college football’s elite.

“We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to do,” Dillingham said.

Final Thoughts

Arizona State’s incredible run has captivated fans, but they face their toughest test yet against a battle-hardened Texas squad. The Sun Devils’ explosive offense will need to shine, while the Longhorns’ defense looks to dominate in the trenches.

Will Arizona State’s fairytale season continue, or will Texas’ experience and depth prove too much to handle? The Peach Bowl promises to be a thrilling battle with everything on the line.