ASU football thrust into national spotlight after 'exciting' Peach Bowl performance
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 07: Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Xavier Guillory (#1) celebrates a touchdown during the Big 12 championship football game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Iowa State Cyclones on December 7, 2023 at AT&am
PHOENIX - They may have lost the Peach Bowl, but the Arizona State Sun Devils won the hearts of the nation in a thrilling playoff game on New Year's Day.
Fans, experts, and commentators alike feel the best is yet to come for this program.
The dramatic game had a little bit of everything, enthralling the nation with the double-overtime nail-biter. And while the Sun Devils lost, they won new fans, new respect, and kicked off what many hope is the new era of Sun Devil football.
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"Best bowl game that you are going to see. I don’t think you’re going to watch anymore, I don’t think there’s going to be one more exciting than that," a fan said.
It was the closest game so far in the college playoffs with an incredible comeback, a thrilling fourth quarter, double overtime and a referee call that set social media ablaze.
"That was a bad call. It should have been targeting. And how they said it wasn’t, God only knows."
"It was definitely a blow to the head, absolutely. I think there was definitely some rough playing going on there."
Running back Cam Skattebo, already adored by ASU fans, became an overnight nationwide sensation, with football legends like Terrell Owens sharing praises on X, and sports analysts stunned by his incredible performance.
Despite the loss, it’s a game that some are dubbing one of the best ever in college playoff history. One that’s flipping traditional narratives on their heads.
"I think it shows that there is an even playing field now. The NIL has opened up a lot of different opportunities for people, so being able to have ASU on a big platform like that and playing with one of the largest football schools there is, all the way down to the wire, shows that there is competition that is evenly spread all the way across," a fan said.
ASU football is now in the spotlight.
"I think they put themselves on the map," a fan said. "A lot of people didn’t know who they were, but after yesterday, that wasn’t the case."
Even without Skattebo, fans think the future of next season and beyond remains bright under the leadership of Kenny Dillingham.
Season tickets are already on sale, ranging from $150 to over $1,000.