Jesse Palmer had the best view of any College Football Playoff game this month, being in the broadcast of the Peach Bowl between No. 4 Arizona State and No. 5 Texas.
The Longhorns were heavy favorites, and each of the previous playoff games hadn’t been particularly close – so the pressure was on the Sun Devils.
They ultimately delivered a classic, as the Longhorns needed double overtime to advance to the semifinals. However, Palmer himself still thinks there needs to be “some adjustments” to the ranking format.
“I think the conference champions should get in. I don’t think they should get an automatic bye, though, in the quarterfinals. It was just for me, as a college football fan, “To watch Oregon play Ohio State and watch Georgia play Notre Dame, those seemed like semifinal games to me and not necessarily quarterfinal games,” Palmer said in a recent interview with PK Press Club Digital.
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ESPN’s Jesse Palmer before the Texas Longhorns vs. Arizona State Sun Devils College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 1, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Now, Arizona State, to me, is one of the biggest stories of this year in all of college football. A team that was 3-9 last year and took all the punishment from the NCAA and everything she had to go through, a remarkable year, Cam Skattebo is easily one of the best players in college football… It was amazing how well they played on the field with Texas This doesn’t. no doubt…I still think there are some adjustments needed in the College Football Playoff format, but if you look specifically at Arizona State as a team in particular, they are easily talented and have nothing good enough to reach the. semi-final, without a doubt.
Ultimately, Texas dropped its semifinal against Ohio State on Friday night, but Palmer says Quinn Ewers faced many tough battles throughout the year.
“I give Quinn Ewers a lot of credit. It’s so hard for a quarterback not to look over his shoulder. There was so much hype around Arch Manning when he showed up, isn’t it? right? And Arch Manning played so well for two and a half games that Quinn Ewers was injured, and then all of a sudden, in the middle of the season, they lost to Georgia. of people who wanted a change of quarterback,” Palmer said.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers warms up before a first-round game against Clemson in the College Football Playoff Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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Palmer faced a similar situation in Florida, where he was on the same roster as Rex Grossman and top recruit Brock Berlin.
“I’m sitting there thinking, ‘If I throw an interception or we lose a game, I’m going to lose my job.’ And it’s a credit to Quinn Ewers, he just put his head down and he keeps playing,” Palmer said.
Now the national championship is a week away and the NFL playoffs are underway. Viewing parties are happening, and that’s why Palmer has teamed up with Helluva Good Dips to make sure football fans are eating well this time of year.
Former NFL player Jesse Palmer arrives for the 2017 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
“It’s my favorite time of year. It’s a time to get together with friends and family and watch the big games, and I’m thrilled to part ways with Helluva Good to truly uplift and keep the world alive. experience the big game watching the next level party,” Palmer said. “Helluva Good dips are a staple in my house, they have been for a long, long time and certainly at viewing parties too. And it will be no different this year. College Football Playoff, the big game coming up in the NFL. There will be chips, dips and beer, so there’s no better combination than that.
The dip brand has teamed up with Harpoon Brewery to make a French onion-flavored beer, which is right up Palmer’s alley.
“It’s like Jimmie Johnson, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin at the Super Bowl,” Palmer joked. “Onion dip is my favorite Helluva Good dip, so that’s that part, and Harpoon IPA happens to be my favorite flavor in beer, and it’s kind of like a combination of the two. And when people try this, they’re going to be blown away. It’s amazing.
In a few months, chips, dip and beer will be back for the NFL Draft, where right now it looks like Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward will be the top two selections. A lot can change, but Palmer doesn’t see anyone else sneaking into these picks, and teams will have to be aggressive if they want a quarterback.
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, #2, warms up before the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at the Alamodome. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
“Shedeur is incredibly athletic. I would say he’s incredibly accurate and probably a little more dangerous from the pocket. Cam is a guy who is a little better off schedule, but I think he’s just a natural passer and he’s got the X factor…” Palmer said. “There may be some movement and ammo needed to go up and catch one of these guys.”
