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Key ASU Player Earns Suspension Days Before College Football Playoff

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Audilet | Last updated Dec 7, 2024 3:26 PM ET

Arizona State notched a dominant victory in the Big 12 Championship Game, taking down the Iowa State Cyclones with a 45-19 final score and punching their ticket to the 2024 College Football Playoff.

While the Sun Devils cruised to victory at AT&T Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the program suffered a key loss during the second half.

Senior defensive back Shamari Simmons delivered a huge hit on Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, sacking the Cyclones signal caller on an unblocked blitz.

Simmons was called for targeting and ejected from the game. As a result, he'll be suspended for the first half of the Sun Devils' first-round matchup in the College Football Playoff.

Suspended for the first half of the College Football Playoff because you’re good at football and can hit hard

Sport is so soft bro pic.twitter.com/FfcKDrfID9
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 7, 2024

Shamari Simmons was ejected because of this hit.

He will now miss the first half of Arizona State’s first playoff game.

Soft call?

pic.twitter.com/LbGW0loJ7b
— Covers (@Covers) December 7, 2024

Simmons is a key player for Kenny Dillingham's secondary. Through 12 regular-season games this season, the Alabama native logged 65 total tackles, 6 tackles for loss, one interception, three passes defended and two forced fumbles.

Arizona State has the option to appeal this targeting call on Simmons. Earlier this year, Ohio State won its appeal on a second-half targeting call against Arvell Reese.

The Sun Devils earned their berth in the College Football Playoff with a 10-2 regular-season record and Saturday's dominant Big 12 Championship victory over Iowa State. This spectacular campaign came after the program was projected to finish dead last in the conference.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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