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Arizona State's Shamari Simmons ejected for targeting, will miss first half of College Football Playoff opener

Matt Connollyby: Matt Connolly12/07/24MattConnollyOn3
Shamari Simmons
(© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Arizona State defensive back Shamari Simmons was ejected for targeting for his hit on Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Big 12 Championship Game.

With Iowa State facing a fourth-and-3 to open the fourth quarter, Shamari Simmons came on a blitz and leveled Becht. The play was not initially called targeting. However, after review, Simmons was called for targeting and ejected. He will miss the first half of Arizona State’s College Football Playoff opener.

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Shamari Simmons recorded 5 tackles, a tackle for loss, 2 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble prior to being ejected. He entered Saturday’s Big 12 title game fourth on the team in tackles with 65, to go along with an interception and two forced fumbles.

While Arizona State will miss Simmons in the College Football Playoff, the Sun Devils should have no problem finishing off Iowa State. ASU was leading 45-10 win Simmons was ejected from the game.

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You can watch the hit by Shamari Simmons on Rocco Becht below.

Becht stayed down for several seconds after the hit, but he was eventually able to walk off under his own power and returned to the game.

ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin felt like the targeting call on Simmons was correct.

“This is definitely a hit that needs to be out of the game,” Austin said. “He’s a defenseless player, so you can’t hit him in the head or neck area, which he definitely does. … He does lower his head.”

ESPN college football analyst Jesse Palmer spoke about the ejection of Simmons and what it means moving forward as he will miss the CFP opener.

“That would be a big loss,” Palmer said. “This is a leader in the back end. Kenny Dillingham doesn’t agree with it, but that is a big loss, whoever they have to play in the playoff, whatever round they play in the playoff, to not have No. 7 in the back end, that’s not good.”