Jake Plummer to serve as ASU’s honorary captain at Peach Bowl

College Football Hall of Famer Jake Plummer will serve as the honorary captain for Arizona State football at the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day, event organizers announced on Monday.

For Texas, former Longhorns defensive back Aaron Ross will represent his alma mater as its honorary captain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Plummer and Ross will join current ASU and Texas captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss, a Peach Bowl tradition that honors legends from its participating schools.

Wednesday’s Peach Bowl is arguably the biggest stage for an ASU football game since the 1996 Rose Bowl with Plummer manning quarterback, so it is fitting to bring him back on the field nearly 30 years later.

“I’m extremely honored and humbled,” Plummer told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Tuesday. “Obviously I get to go out there as Jake Plummer, but I’m going out there also to represent all my guys I played with on that squad. For those four years, we worked hard to get to where we got to back in ’96, to put ourselves in position to be national champs, to go to the Rose Bowl, to play Ohio State.

“I’m there for Terry Battle, for Keith Poole, for Shawn Swayda, for Derek Smith, for Jason Simmons, I’m there for all my guys, and that’s who they’ve chosen to represent it, and I’m very honored.”

Plummer was an All-American that year and finished third in the Heisman Trophy race. He won Pac-10 Player of the Year after leading ASU to a conference title. Plummer has been an outspoken fan of Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt, who said he is going to prove on Wednesday that he is the best quarterback in the matchup.

Plummer said being out on the field moments before kick-off is the closest he gets to being back in the game, which is an exhilarating feeling.

“That energy is building and it’s tremendous,” Plummer said. “For me to be on the field and feel that, and to look in the eyes of these young men that are going to go out there and represent ASU with that PT42 on their chest, I’m hyped to be out there.”

Ross played for Texas from 2003-06 and won the 2005 BCS national championship after the Longhorns beat USC at the Rose Bowl. The 2006 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year winner went on to play seven years in the NFL.

Arizona State received a bye after winning the Big 12 championship game over Iowa State and has not played since Dec. 7. Texas defeated Clemson 38-24 in the first round after falling to Georgia in the SEC title game.

Plummer said his X factor for ASU to pull the upset, for as much deserved attention running back Cam Skattebo has received, is Leavitt’s performance.

“I tell you the real difference maker is Sam Levitt and what he’s done this year already with making some really big-time throws from the pocket,” Plummer said. “What he does outside of it, his scrambling ability, his ability to break tackles, to not get sacked and extend plays is going to be so big in this game.

“Being smart with the ball is one thing, but also being fearless with the ball too. You can only be so smart and conservative when you’re sitting on the doorstep of the semifinals, you’re going to have to pull the trigger, young man. And I’ve watched him do it all year.”

ASU and Texas square off in the Peach Bowl at 11 a.m. MST on Wednesday. Listen to coverage on 98.7, with pregame coverage beginning at 8 a.m.

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