Already without its leading receiver, Arizona State will be without a top DB for the first half against Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Already without leading receiver Jordyn Tyson (collarbone), fourth-seeded Arizona State will also be without starting nickel cornerback Shamari Simmons (targeting suspension) for the first half against fifth-seeded Texas in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Peach Bowl at 12 pm CT on Jan. 1.

Texas (12-2) is a 13.5-point favorite against the Big 12 champion Sun Devils (11-2).

Tyson, ASU’s leading receiver with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns who suffered an injured collarbone in the third quarter of a 49-7 victory at Arizona on Nov. 30, is not expected to play against Texas after having surgery to repair the injury on Dec. 3. Tyson’s absence could create playing time opportunity for Arizona State receivers  Jake Smith and Troy Omeire, who are two of six former Longhorn players now with the Sun Devils along with former Texas recruiting director Bryan Carrington, who is ASU’s cornerbacks coach.

Fifth-year senior nickel cornerback Shamari Simmons, ASU’s third-leading tackler, will miss the first half of the Peach Bowl against Texas because of a targeting suspension stemming from the Big 12 championship game against Iowa State.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, with Arizona State up 45-10 on Iowa State, Simmons raced untouched on a blitz and made helmet-to-helmet contact into the facemask of Cyclones’ quarterback Rocco Becht.

Simmons is a big-time playmaker who leads Arizona State in forced fumbles (three), including one in the third quarter against Iowa State that led to an ASU touchdown. Simmons had five tackles against ISU before getting ejected. 

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham’s appeal of Simmons’ targeting ejection was denied.

“It’d be unfortunate if a guy who’s put in all the work he’s had, who his senior year, who tried to do the right thing, he kept his eyes up – loses half of a game [in the College Football Playoff],” Dillingham said after the Big 12 championship. “That is something that he’ll remember for the rest of his life, that he’s worked his entire life for.”

Losing Tyson, an Allen (Texas) product, is a significant blow to the Arizona State offense, because he often commanded double coverage, helping to create room to run for star senior Cam Skattebo, who has 1,568 yards rushing (6.0 ypc) and 19 touchdowns this season.

“What makes it more difficult is that obviously he demands two people to cover him,” Dillingham said after Tyson’s injury. “So if people don’t have to commit two people, they can load the box [to help stop Skattebo]. You got to find more creative ways to win those one-on-one matchups.”

Without Tyson, Arizona State will likely look to throw more to Skattebo, the team’s second-leading pass-catcher with 37 receptions for 506 yards and three TDs. Skattebo had a 33-yard TD catch in the Big 12 title game against Iowa State.

The Sun Devils will also look to fifth-year senior wideout Xavier Guillory (6-2, 200), who has 19 catches for 320 yards and five touchdowns, including TD grabs of 21 and 8 yards against Iowa State in the Big 12 title game.

Fifth-year senior Melquan Stovall (5-11, 185), who has 17 catches for 253 yards, also stepped up in Tyson’s absence against the Cyclones in the Big 12 title game with four catches for 91 yards.

Former Longhorns Jake Smith, a senior who has six catches for 91 yards this season, and senior Troy Omeire, who has three catches for 19 yards, could also see more playing time against their former team.

In addition to Smith and Omeire, ASU’s list of former Longhorns includes safety Xavion Alford, the Sun Devils’ second-leading tackler with two interceptions; starting defensive end Prince Dorbah (2.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks); No. 4 defensive tackle Zac Swanson (2.0 TFL, .5 sacks), backup defensive end J’Mond Tapp; and Bryan Carrington.