Peach Bowl Buzz 🍑
Every game has an unexpected MVP. The Peach Bowl this year was an instant classic of a game between Arizona State University Sun Devils and the University of Texas Longhorns. Say what you will about the suspect ref calls, but no one can deny that there was a surprising amount of conversation about a man who hasn’t worn pads in decades: Jake Plummer, Arizona State University’s hall-of-fame quarterback from the 1990s.
Plummer was named an honorary captain for ASU by Kenny Dillingham, the head coach. He was there at the center of the field for the coin toss (photo by Michael Chow/The Republic):
And Jake was the beating heart of the positive energy coming from the ASU sideline, reacting to Every. Single. Play.
During and after the game, Jake became a topic of conversation all over social media. He still knows how to steal the show!
This is a collection of our favorite posts and conversations:
Legacy of The Snake
Jake Plummer’s role as honorary captain at the Peach Bowl was more than ceremonial—it was a reminder of ASU’s rich football history. Fans couldn’t help but draw parallels between the current team’s underdog grit and Plummer’s 1996 squad that came within moments of a national title.
For many, the comparisons between Jake Plummer and current ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt were readily apparent:
A pass play was called, a skinny post by Keith Poole, but when I hit my fifth step the pocket collapsed and I went into “Snake” mode. Dodging the defenders and my own lineman (great job dodging me Murph @warhogs56) I saw a path and seized the opportunity. It was all a blur in the… pic.twitter.com/12Dzct92Lp
— Jake Plummer (@snakestakes) January 3, 2025
A Spiritual Sideline Presence
Jake Plummer didn’t need a helmet to electrify the Peach Bowl. His animated reactions on the sideline—captured repeatedly by ESPN—made him a social media sensation. Fans loved his passion.
Love ESPN constantly updating us how Jake Plummer is doing pic.twitter.com/lv05WNlo2Y
— Jackson Didlake (@diidlake) January 1, 2025
The Athletic described Jake's presence this way: "Jake Plummer was everywhere last week. An honorary team captain, he visited the hall of fame, stopped by a pregame media conference and hung out on the sideline. In 1996, he was the star quarterback of an Arizona State team that lost to Ohio State in the final minutes of the Rose Bowl, an outcome that robbed the Sun Devils of a national title."
The buzz wasn’t just about football. Plummer's enthusiasm turned him into a living mascot of Sun Devil pride, uniting fans in a way that transcended the game itself.
Quotes like these permeated the pre-game commentary: "For them to continue to just find ways to win has been a testament to the coaching and the players on the field making plays. They're here now because they put in the work and they kept believing and they didn't listen to the preseason rankings or any of the supposed experts. Where are those experts now? They're still doubting ASU and that's okay. That's fuel to the fire that gives these kids extra motivation," Plummer said.
Functional Mushrooms Take the Field
These days, it can seem like Jake is more recognized as a wellness advocate than a football player. (He's okay with that.) This impression led to two of our favorite tweet exchanges, one of which already has 2.4 million views!
Caught me. I was on mushrooms.
— Jake Plummer (@snakestakes) January 4, 2025
870mg of organic cordyceps https://t.co/ny0JHmLFqS
Jake Plummer vs Matthew Mcconaughey is a powerful spiritual matchup
— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) January 1, 2025
Reminiscing About Jake's Playing Days
Pretty much any conversation about Jake will eventually lead to people reminiscing about his playing days, whether for ASU, the Cardinals, or the Broncos.
1/1/97 - With 1:33 left, Jake Plummer scrambled (19-35-201) for an 11yd TD and a #2 ASU 17-14 lead. However, two PI calls on #4 Ohio State's ensuing drive helped lead to a 5yd TD catch by WR David Boston (4-20) and a (kick blocked) made it 20-17 OU with 19sec left. #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/91XQPJKla8
— Arizona Sports History (@AZSportsHistory) January 1, 2025
Nothing but Optimism for the Future of ASU Football
The game didn't end the was ASU fans wanted. There were some suspect referee calls — to say the least. But the main takeaway about this Sun Devil team is that they are fantastic and there is nothing but optimism about what they can achieve next year.
"What came out of this last three days in Georgia was positive energy and good feeling for an athletic department that hasn’t had much juice injected into it’s veins in the last fifteen years." —Brad Cesmat, in Sports360AZ
And here are Jake Plummer's own thoughts on how the Peach Bowl played out:
