Andrew Mukuba had an argument to be the defensive MVP
Balancing having to cover star running back Cam Skattebo in pass coverage assignments and sticking to receivers downfield covering while quarterback Sam Leavitt was buying time from the pocket and rolling out to find his open targets at wideout was a tough challenge for Texas's secondary.
The combination of the Longhorns having to help defend the run game from Skattebo and the Sun Devils and having to be on the field on defense for nearly 38 minutes wore down the Texas secondary and front seven in the second half.
Despite squaring a tricky Arizona State offense for head coach Kenny Dillingham, the Longhorns held the Sun Devils quarterback Leavitt to under 230 passing yards, no passing touchdowns, and one interception.
What mattered most was the fact that the Texas pass rush and the secondary made clutch plays when it needed to win this game against Arizona State. Freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons and redshirt junior Trey Moore were pressuring Leavitt and the Sun Devils' offensive line in pass pro relentlessly in this game.
Simmons and Moore combined for three sacks and over a dozen quarterback pressures.
In the secondary, Mukuba and senior cornerback Jahdae Barron made big plays on money downs and in the second half and overtime to help the Longhorns win the game in double OT. Barron had a third-down stop and a money-down pass breakup for Texas's defensive secondary.
Mukuba was Texas's highest-graded cover DB against Arizona State (per PFF), thanks to two forced incompletions and the game-winning interception that won the game for the Longhorns. The transfer portal from last offseason showed its value in this game, with Mukuba coming up with possibly the contest's biggest play for his fifth interception of the 2024 campaign.