The first round of the College Football Playoff and the significant majority of FBS bowl season are already behind us. It's time for the best of the best teams in all of college football to shine over the next few short weeks.

Steve Sarkisian and his Texas Longhorns are set to match up against Kenny Dillingham and the red hot Arizona State Sun Devils in the Peach Bowl quarterfinals game of the College Football Playoff on Wednesday, January 1st at 1pm ET. Which team will ultimately win, earning them a spot in the semifinals of the first ever 12-Team College Football Playoff?

Texas boasts the best defense in the country, ranking first in adjusted EPA per play and yards per play allowed among all FBS teams. Outside of their only two losses–both to the two-seed Georgia Bulldogs–the Longhorns have looked nearly unstoppable. On the other side, Arizona State has become an offensive juggernaut, winning six games in a row, averaging over 37 points per contest in that span. The Sun Devils have now climbed all the way up to rank as the eighth most efficient offense in the nation on a per play basis.

Heading into this phenomenal quarterfinal matchup between Texas and Arizona State, media members of A to Z Sports who cover both teams decided to weigh in, sharing their predictions for this incredible playoff game. The picks are in. Enjoy!

Texas 34, Arizona State 20

The Texas Longhorns are the heaviest favorite to win among all quarterfinals teams in the College Football Playoff (12.5-point spread as of this writing) and for good reason. The Longhorns' number one defense, depth of playmakers and NFL talent on both sides of the ball, and advantages over the Sun Devils in key spots will likely prove too much for Arizona State.

Cam Skattebo may break off a few big chunk plays thanks to his ferocious running style and consistent dominance on the ground. He does have over 2000 yards from scrimmage on the year already, but Texas is allowing just 3.1 yards per carry on the ground. Arizona State is going to need quarterback Sam Leavitt to play out of his mind to even keep this one close, but that will be difficult to do now that he's without his lead wide receiver Jordyn Tyson who was injured in the last game of the regular season.

Quinn Ewers goes off through the air. Arch Manning shines in some creative Steve Sarkisian run packages. The Longhorns defense dominates. Texas wins easily. – Travis May

Texas 38, Arizona State 17

Younger Arizona State fans need a Google history lesson. Type in Jake “The Snake” Plummer. That was the last time a Sun Devil broke through on a national level the way Cam Skattebo has. True story: I sat at top of the Sun Devil Stadium press box waiting for the 1997 Fiesta Bowl to start between Texas and Penn State, and they put the Rose Bowl on the video board. The place went crazy watching Plummer and the late Pat Tillman battling Ohio State. Plummer had one incredible fan base. Is this 2024 team as good as that one? No.

This Arizona State team isn’t even the fourth-best team in the College Football Playoff. But Skattebo is legit, and so is coach Kenny Dillingham. He’s lifted ASU back into the limelight and has done a remarkable job. Still, Texas has a better run defense and better roster. Horns are moving onto the CFP semifinals. – Brian Davis

Texas 34, Arizona State 23

Texas is viewed as having an easy path to the semifinals with a hard fought 38-24 win over Clemson in the first round and a quarterfinals matchup against the lowest seeded team to earn a first round bye in Arizona State. However, this Sun Devils team shouldn't be overlooked. Quarterback Sam Leavitt and running back Cam Skattebo are a lethal combination, but the lack of star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson could loom large. It didn't end up mattering against Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game, but the Cyclones aren't nearly the same caliber of team as the Longhorns. This feels like a game that will be close for a half then the Longhorns take over and create separation. Texas 34, Arizona State 23. – Tyler Forness

Texas 34, Boise State 17

Arizona State is a great story, but it ends against Texas. The Texas run defense will need to be ready for star running back Cam Skattebo, and they should be. It could be tough sledding against the Longhorn defense. The Texas wide receivers should be a lot for the Sun Devil secondary to handle, and that should be the big difference in the end. – Ryan Roberts

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