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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas defense seems to have built a big burnt orange wall at the goal line.
Late-game goal-line stands have helped keep the Longhorns moving toward a possible national championship. The latest was Saturday night in Texas' 34-28 win over Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
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“We’ve got big people, and they know how to play a physical brand of football,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “When we get challenged like that ... I think that's part of our identity.”
So here comes Cam Scattebo, Arizona State's 5-foot-11, 215-pound All-American wrecking ball of a running back to try to knock it down.
Texas' win over Clemson sent the No. 5 seed Longhorns (12-2) to the quarterfinals against the Big 12 champion and No. 4 seed Sun Devils (11-2) in the Peach Bowl on New Years Day.
Skattebo put on a show the last time the Sun Devils were on the field. He scored three touchdowns, had 170 yards rushing and 208 all-purpose yards in Arizona State's 45-19 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game.
Skattebo bounced off tacklers, ran through others and outraced some more. He struck the Heisman Trophy pose a few times, then had a few things to say about it all afterward.
“Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. And I’m going to stand on that,” he said after the game. “I’m going to keep proving people wrong. And whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem.”
Skattebo brings some gaudy numbers to Atlanta to back it up.
The AP All-American's 19 rushing touchdowns and 22 overall are both tied for school records. He needs 75 yards to break the program's single-season rushing record of 1,642.
He was twice the AP national player of the week. The first time was for his career-high 262 yards rushing amid his 297 all-purposed yards in Week 2 against Mississippi State. The second was for his game against Iowa State.
Texas players say they are ready for the Sun Devils' battering ram.
“Yeah, I’m excited,” Longhorns defensive tackle Barryn Sorrell said. "My time being here, I feel like I’ve heard that a lot, that a team is going to come in here and run the ball on us, and I’d like to say there was a different result a lot of those times.
“Just looking forward to that challenge again,” Sorrell said.
Sorrell was in the middle of fourth-quarter goal line stands that helped save wins against Texas A&M and Clemson.
Texas was clinging to a 17-7 lead in College Station when the Longhorns stuffed four consecutive runs inside their own 5. The win sent Texas to the SEC championship game.
Clemson had a chance Saturday to get within a touchdown in the final 8 minutes. A touchdown could have completely swung momentum their way.
But after reaching the Texas 1, two straight runs failed to reach the goal line. Sorrell was in on the tackle that stopped Clemson's Keith Adams Jr. just short of a touchdown on fourth down.
“We take pride in not letting guys score or get in our paint,” Texas safety Andrew Mukuba said.
Texas is not perfect at the goal line, however. Georgia won the SEC championship in overtime when Trevor Etienne bowled into the endzone from the Texas 4.
But they've been close enough to it to keep charging deep into the postseason.
“It’ll be an amazing challenge,” Texas All-American cornerback Jahdae Barron said of facing Skattebo. “He’s a hard downhill running back.”
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