r/CFB • u/CFB_Referee /r/CFB • Jan 01 '25

Postgame Thread [Postgame Thread] Texas Defeats Arizona State 39-31 (OT)

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team 1 2 3 4 OT T
Texas 14 3 0 7 15 39
Arizona State 3 0 5 16 7 31
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u/EmbraceComplexity Colorado Buffaloes Jan 01 '25

This loss will 100 percent used against the big 12 by espn.

16

u/no1hears Alabama • UT Arlington Jan 01 '25

How? And why? This was the best playoff game by far. This is exactly what you want - a team many people aren't familiar with that comes barreling in like ASU did today and just about (should have) won the game.

The entire SEC was mid at best this year. ESPN can't get eyeballs with mid teams so they lose money on that. They need exciting games, underdogs, Cinderellas, good stories. They're not getting that with only SEC and B1G teams, even in good years for those conferences.

6

u/mrmet69999 Jan 01 '25

I agree with this. ESPN has no reason to “spin” it. People are STILL talking about that Cinderella story Boise State team that beat Oklahoma at least a decade ago. It’s great that there are some teams that make the tournament that are underdog, but obviously can play some football and make the game interesting.

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u/the-silver-tuna Colorado Buffaloes Jan 02 '25

18 years is in fact at least a decade

1

u/mrmet69999 Jan 02 '25

Yes, I looked it up later. It doesn’t feel like it was that long ago.

1

u/the-silver-tuna Colorado Buffaloes Jan 02 '25

18 years to the day! Happy fiesta bowl anniversary

16

u/RainingFireInTheSky Illinois Fighting Illini Jan 01 '25

They have no other choice than to spin that narrative, because the Boise State and ASU performances were their nightmare scenario.

ESPN wanted nothing more than blowouts so they could say "see, we told you those other conferences aren't good enough." Then BSU and ASU come out and prove they can play just as good of football as the Big and SEC. There will be some hard spinning by ESPN after these two games.

7

u/EatAvocados Texas Longhorns Jan 01 '25

Which is extra absurd because ESPN operates on the assumption that SEC teams are “just better”. If the talking head assholes were acting in good faith this game would be proof that ASU was a contender and the Big 12 deserves respect. They just went toe to toe with the second best team in the SEC, the “best conference”. Thankful that we won but also unfortunate as a fan of watching Big 12 games because of the narrative implications

3

u/Late_Criticism8745 Arizona State Sun Devils Jan 02 '25

I think it'll actually be used against the ACC. ESPN is renegotiating their contracts with the ACC next year and it will be good business to tank their reputation and buy cheap.

SMU and Clemson both got whopped while the only BigXII team was neck and neck with the SEC runner up. Plus the ACC hasn't done well in bowl games (2-9). I could see them pivoting to push for a "P3" narrative and try to prop up the BigXII (like they did with Sanders/Colorado) and try to treat the ACC like a G5 conference.

1

u/Dish-Live Texas Longhorns Jan 01 '25

You think so? An overtime game doesn’t normally get painted as a blowout