College Football Playoff: 3 key Texas players vs. Arizona St

For the second time in under a month, No. 3 Texas football (12-2, 7-1 SEC) returns to Atlanta, GA and Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face the No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils (11-2, 7-2 Big 12) in the second round of the 12-team College Football Playoff on New Year's Day.

Texas football's depth and talent should help them win the day vs. Arizona State in the Peach Bowl quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff next week

The five-seed Texas is a double-digit favorite a little under one week away from facing the four-seed Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. It is the second straight year that the Longhorns ring in the New Year with a College Football Playoff game at a traditional site of a New Year's Six Bowl game.

In the Longhorns' first-ever appearance in the Peach Bowl, Texas is looking to get what is potentially one of three remaining Playoff games to advance past the quarterfinal vs. Arizona State.

Texas had major contributions from key players on the offensive side of the ball and from the defense to stifle the Clemson Tigers' ground game and get a crucial late-game stop to seal a double-digit victory at DKR in the first round of the Playoff.

Here are three key players for the Longhorns in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal in the College Football Playoff vs. Arizona State in Atlanta on Jan. 1.

Bill Norton, DT

Senior defensive tackle Bill Norton came up with a huge play for the Longhorns in the Playoff win last weekend against Clemson. Norton led a massive game-changing fourth-down stop on the goal line that helped to keep the Longhorns' season alive in the fourth quarter against Cade Klubnik and the Clemson offense.

Texas's defensive line stymied Clemson's already-hurting ground game in the first round of the Playoffs. The Longhorns held Clemson's ground game to a season-low four first-down conversions and just 76 total rushing yards in the 38-24 win.

But that wasn't the only massive play Norton made in the Longhorns win vs. Clemson. Norton also had a strip sack that resulted in a 14-yard loss forcing third and long for Klubnik and the Clemson offense in the second quarter.

Norton has come up big in key games for the Longhorns late in the season and the postseason in the SEC Championship and the Playoff victory over Clemson, with defensive stops in a season-high three straight games since the win over Texas A&M in the regular season finale (per PFF).

Texas's defensive line will need to come up big again this weekend when the Longhorns face one of the nation's best and most physical running games, led by All-Big 12 First-Team running back Cam Skattebo.

"He's got good speed. He's got good change of direction. He has really good contact balance. He's got, I think, 1,000 yards after contact through the course of the season."

Pete Kwiatkowski on Cam Skattebo

Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski paid his respects to the ability Skattebo brings vs. Texas's defense next week in the Playoff quarterfinal for the Arizona State physical ground game.

Skattebo has registered over 100 yards from scrimmage in nine straight games, and he's rushed for over 125 yards and multiple touchdowns in three consecutive contests. Texas's defense must be able to grab momentum in the trenches, especially against the big and physical Arizona State interior offensive line led by All-Big 12 First-Team 6-foot-2 and 315-pound center Leif Fautanu.