Quinn Ewers came up huge in Texas’ CFP win over Arizona State
Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) warms up before a game against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Quinn Ewers has faced some criticism this season for seemingly regressing from last year, but he sure was on top of his game on Wednesday.
Ewers came up huge and led his Texas Longhorns to a 39-31 overtime win over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. Ewers went 20/30 for 322 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for a TD.
What was most impressive was watching Ewers play with the game on the line.
Texas was down 31-24 to Arizona State in the first overtime and got forced into a 4th-and-13 from their 28. The Sun Devils brought extra players up the middle to pressure Ewers. Rather than panic, Ewers set up his protection perfectly and got his offense into the right play. He calmly threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden.
Emmanuel Acho broke down the play perfectly:
If you do nothing else today, watch this.
4th & 13, potentially the last pass of Quinn Ewers college career and last play of Texas’ football season.
The details. The poise. The execution. Flawless.#AchoAnalysis | #TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/czzOhVk2qe
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 1, 2025
Longtime NFL quarterback Chase Daniel similarly praised Ewers for the way the Longhorns QB handled the play.
Quinn Ewers was THE difference maker in the game for Texas!
Biggest play of the game was when he checked to C-0 Beater on the 4th & 13 TD pass.
Checked to a post route and MAX protection…then slide the offensive line in the right way. Threw a dart with the season on the line
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 1, 2025
As if that weren’t enough, Ewers threw a touchdown pass on the next play and then hit Golden for a 2-point conversion to make it 39-31.
Ewers came up big when the game was on the line and finished as strongly as possible to bury Arizona State. He deserves recognition for the way he finished that quarterfinal game.
Texas has moved on to the CFP semifinals, and Ewers is a big reason why.