ASU's Cinderella season came to a crushing end yesterday with a double overtime 39-31 loss to the University of Texas Longhorns in the Peach Bowl.

Why it matters: The Sun Devils hoped to extend their season with a ticket to the College Football Playoff semifinals, but instead concluded their expectation-defying post-season run in Georgia.

The big picture: ASU started the fourth quarter down 24-8 but staged a dramatic comeback and nearly defeated the Longhorns.

• The game ended after ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt threw an interception in the second overtime.

1 big star: Senior running back Cam Skattebo showed up in unbelievable fashion with two rushing touchdowns, a two-point conversion and a passing touchdown — after vomiting on the sidelines.

• Skattebo was named the Peach Bowl offensive MVP — the first time a member of the losing team received the honor in 26 years, per Sports360az.

1 big gripe: Some college football fans — especially those rooting for the Sun Devils — took umbrage with referees refusing to call targeting on Texas safety Michael Taaffe who made helmet-to-helmet contact with ASU wide receiver Melquan Stovall at the end of the fourth quarter.

• Had the refs made the call, the Sun Devils would have had good field position, a fresh set of downs and an opportunity to secure victory in regulation.

The intrigue: ASU brought in head coach Kenny Dillingham in 2022 to rebuild the school's flailing football program.

• In only his second season, the Sun Devils won the Big 12 conference championship and made a profound splash in the College Football Playoff.

What's next: Skattebo is likely headed to the NFL draft, but many of Dillingham's Devils, including Leavitt, will return next season — with big expectations.

• The team's playoff run is expected to entice more transfers, including those who can help fill the hole Skattebo will leave on the offense.

The bottom line: This may be just the beginning for the Sun Devils.

Keep your chins up, Devils

One historic year looks to be paving the way for another.

Zoom in: Here are the biggest storylines we're watching in 2025.

Deportation impact: All eyes are on President-elect Trump, who's promised a large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants. Details of the plan remain hazy, but he's signaled he will take action immediately after his inauguration.

• Deportations would impact Arizonans with undocumented family members and could hobble local industries that rely on undocumented labor, namely the homebuilding industry.

Hobbs vs. Leg: Despite major campaign spending, Gov. Katie Hobbs was unable to secure a Democratic legislative majority — in fact, Democrats lost seats in the House and Senate.

• We'll be watching how Hobbs handles budget negotiations with an emboldened Republican Legislature and whether GOP leaders will try to work with the governor or find new ways to circumvent her.

Mayes vs. Trump: Attorney General Kris Mayes has positioned herself as Trump's main Arizona adversary.

• "I do not believe, in electing Donald Trump, Arizona voters voted to shred the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions. And if Donald Trump tries to do that, he'll have to go through me first," she told reporters in November.

Chips industry: Economic developers expect Arizona's semiconductor industry to keep booming in 2025, especially as the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company facility in north Phoenix is scheduled to begin chip production early this year.

• Yes, but: Trump and some GOP lawmakers have insinuated they may try to claw back CHIPS and Science Act funding that some manufacturers are relying on for new Arizona facilities.

Water wars, homelessness and more

Jimmy Carter defeated Arizona Rep. Mo Udall for the 1976 Democratic presidential nomination on his path to becoming the nation's 39th commander in chief.

• Carter didn't travel to his former rival's home state during his single term in office, but he visited Arizona several times in his post-presidential life.

The big picture: Carter, the nation's longest-living former president died at age 100 on Sunday afternoon.

Flashback: Carter came to metro Phoenix for book signings and speaking engagements over the past four decades.

• The Carter Center, the former president's nonprofit that works to advance democracy internationally, established a bipartisan network in Arizona in 2022 to counter disinformation about election fraud.

Of note: In 2017, Carter received the O'Connor Justice Prize, named after one of Arizona's most influential people — former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

• The honor recognizes exemplary leadership in rule-of-law initiatives.

Carter and O'Connor on SNL

I've never interviewed, met or interacted with Jimmy Carter in any way, but we nearly crossed paths in 2015 when I accidentally evaded his Secret Service detail without knowing the former president was even in the building.

Flashback: One Friday in 2015, I was waiting on the fifth floor of ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, waiting to tape Arizona Horizon Journalists Roundtable.

• I saw a student walking out the locked door that leads to the stairway to the sixth floor, where taping occurs. Since I'd been there dozens of times and knew where to go, I just went upstairs by myself.
• As I got to the top of the stairs, I saw two men in dark suits. Neither appeared to give me a second thought.

1 big surprise: I looked at the TV in the green room and saw Horizon host Ted Simons with Carter.

• I quickly realized I was watching a live feed of Simons interviewing the former president, and the men in suits at the top of the stairs were U.S. Secret Service agents. Apparently, there were several others who missed me as well.

Zoom out: It's still a great story all these years later.

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