The 38 points and 292 yards rushing Texas posted in their 38-24 opening-round playoff win over Clemson were not outliers but just another day at the office for the Longhorns. ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward described that group as exhibiting an NFL style of play that presents plenty of diverse looks to examine when assembling a game plan to combat that Texas group.

“What makes this offense so unique is they don’t run the same plays over and over again,” Ward said. “You’ll see teams have an explosive play and not get back to that play for two or three series, whereas they guys run the same play type, but they’re not going to get it on the same look. It’s almost like you have to be one step ahead and anticipate what could happen.”

For the Sun Devils, deviating from the approach that has brought them success during this 11-2 season to date would be ill-advised. Texas has the physical advantage, yet Ward knows that winning the margins and methodically slowing the Texas offense can be the recipe for success in the Peach Bowl.

“You can’t change what you do,” Ward pronounced. “We got 13 weeks of playing good football, and you learn as much from your failures as you do from your successes. We have to focus on being fundamentally sound and making sure everybody is on the same page. From there, the rest will take care of itself.”

The Longhorns are third in the SEC in total offense (449 yards) with a balanced rushing and passing attack. They have a quarterback duo in junior Quinn Ewers and redshirt freshman Arch Manning that present different skill sets, but both are equally effective. The two quarterbacks are surrounded by a plethora of talented playmakers who have executed an explosive offense, averaging 38 points.

“They do a great job getting the ball in space,” Ward mentioned. “They try to get the ball into their playmaker’s hands so they can make people miss tackles and be able to use their speed in space. Their quarterback does a great job of throwing guys open, and to be a great quarterback at this level, you gotta have a great offensive line. When quarterbacks are comfortable, they’re really effective and efficient.”

While the offense for ASU receives a majority of the national recognition, the defense has continued to show up and provide extra opportunities for the offense to put points on the board. Ward believes more in the importance of his players making impactful plays, with or without the recognition, as long as it translates to team success.

“Our guys feel like they’re playing good football,” Ward expressed. “They feel we’re clicking together, and they’re having a lot of fun out there, and that’s what matters the most. This group is unaffected by twists and turns, and I’ve never been around a group like this that’s been able to respond to getting hit in the mouth like this group does. At the end of the day, it’s still been complementary football.”

The Sun Devils have played the underdog role to perfection this season, completing the “worst to first” story in the Big 12 after being picked to finish last in the preseason and winning the Big 12 Championship. Still, they’re 13.5-point underdogs in the Peach Bowl against Texas, but the players have since embraced the doubt they’ve received.

“No matter what we do every week going forward, we’re going to have doubters,” redshirt senior linebacker Caleb McCullough noted. “At this point, we just have to be the best we can be and not really focus on what other people have to say. We won a Big 12 Championship, and people still have stuff to say. We just have to keep doing what we’re doing and winning because we’re going to have doubters.”

Head coach Kenny Dillingham has completely flipped the program after finishing his first year 3-9. It is now 11-2. Ward, who coached at 12 schools at different levels before arriving in Tempe, has seen his fair share of different coaches and the energy they bring to a team. However, Dillingham is unique when it comes to the buy-in from the entire program.

“He trusts in his coaches and his players,” Ward proclaimed. “There’s a focus on the process, not winning or losing. I think there are a lot of head coaches who lose sight of what really is important. Everything’s not going to go according to plan, but you have to continue to move forward regardless. There’s going to be hills to climb, but Kenny has kept it about the players and their development.”

McCullough arrived at ASU before a majority of the players and staff and has seen the highs and lows of ASU football. From beating Arizona 70-7 in 2020 to back-to-back 3-9 seasons, his experience has proved valuable to the team’s success this year. This season has rewarded him and his loyalty to the program, something that will stay with him forever.

“I learned to run my own race,” McCullough recalled. “I had some teammates leaving, and it kind of made me want to leave, but you gotta understand that everybody’s journey is different. To play in a game like this in my fifth year and do all of this means everything to me. It’s what you work for your whole life, and you dream of playing in games like this.”

With all the narratives and hype surrounding the Peach Bowl, the staff and players are consistently reminded to continue to steer the course. Sophomore defensive lineman C.J. Fite grew up in Texas watching the Longhorns become a staple of college football culture, and he now has the opportunity to beat his hometown team.

“It's all about sticking to the process,” Fite observed. “We just need to make sure we do our job and not let the platform get in our heads. We’ve played a lot of good teams this year, and we just did what we needed to do. We just have to play as a team together and stick to the culture we’ve built here.”

Fite’s journey to Tempe was a roller coaster of emotions, as he originally committed to play for Herm Edwards at ASU. When Edwards was fired, Fite decommitted from ASU and opened his recruiting back up, but signed back with the Sun Devils after Dillingham was hired. Fite’s journey helped him appreciate the process of college football, and now he’s reaping the benefits.

“It was all a part of God’s plan,” Fite admitted. “Everything that happened in the recruiting process was all for a reason. I appreciate where I’m at right now and what it took to get here and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. To see that I was appreciated and to have support from the staff made me want to come back and commit here.”

ASU’s defense has prided itself on forcing turnovers, as they came up with at least one turnover in eight straight games. They forced three turnovers to open the second half of the Big 12 Championship against Iowa State, completely flipping the momentum and shutting down the Cyclones. The defense has adopted that identity, something that can continue with Ewers throwing 10 interceptions this year and four in the last three games.

“It goes down to just talking about our fundamentals,” Ward commented. “Ball disruptions are a big deal for us every day in practice, and that’s one of the reasons we’re here right now. We’re going to continue to emphasize this: it doesn’t change anything in terms of our mentality. I hope we can continue to exploit that and continue to have confidence getting after the ball.”

The defense will be missing one of its top players in the first half of the game. Graduate nickel Shamari Simmons will have to sit out the first 30 minutes of the game due to a targeting penalty in the second half of the Big 12 Championship. Redshirt freshman Montana Warren will take his place, with Simmons watching on the sidelines and coaching him every step of the way.

“I just need to be a great supporter,” Simmons voiced. “Montana is going to play my spot, and I’m fully confident in him. He hasn’t got that many snaps this season, but I just know with his work ethic and the way he prepares, he’s going to have a great game. Everybody knows how I play, so the second half is all about not missing a beat and being able to help the team win.”

Simmons is confident in Warren’s abilities, as he’s witnessed his growth over the course of the season. The two have watched the same game film while sharing their thoughts throughout the session, and Simmons has seen how Warren’s mind works. Once Simmons graduates, the redshirt freshman will be a key part of the defense next year, and this game is a glimpse of what’s to come.

“We’ve been going over what we’ve been doing throughout the year,” Simmons recalled. “Montana is my backup, so we’ve had a process of talking over what we see throughout the game. He’s very on the sideline during the game telling me what he sees, so I just have to play his role in the first half. I’m excited to see what he can do, and he’s going to show us what the future holds.”

Junior safety Xavion Alford is one of the players most familiar with the Longhorns. A Texas native, Alford grew up watching them and even played for them his freshman year after committing to Texas out of high school. After transferring to USC, he played at ASU and has been a key contributor to the defensive unit.

“I signed there and played for them, but I’m viewing it as just another game,” Alford expressed. “Being a Texas kid wearing that jersey and playing against it is two different things, but I’m just excited to be playing in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. It just so happened to be against Texas; I got some guys over there I’m close with, but I’m focused on winning the game.”

Alford has earned the respect of his teammates on and off the field, handling the pregame speech duties and backing them up with his passionate playstyle. His raw emotion fuels his fire as his journey has come full circle, playing against the team that was once his dream school. While he fulfilled his childhood goal, Alford will look to display his growth and topple the burnt orange that he once longed to represent with pride.

“My speeches before the games aren’t planned; they’re just pure passion,” Alford stated. “I feel like I’m made for games like this, and it’s coming against my dream school growing up. I went there and fulfilled my dreams, but now I’m the dream killer. We’re all competitors and we’ve been doubted, but we believe in ourselves and our team to go out there and do what we do.”

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