ASU football controls its destiny in Big 12 title chase with win over BYU, Colorado’s loss to Kansas
Nov 23, 2024, 5:59 PM | Updated: Nov 25, 2024, 9:36 am
TEMPE — The path to the Big 12 Championship Game is now clear for ASU football after a 28-23 win over BYU along with Colorado’s 37-21 loss to Kansas.
A win over the Arizona Wildcats in next week’s Territorial Cup is all it will take to get the Sun Devils to Arlington, Texas, with the exception of one specific tiebreaker scenario.
All this comes in Kenny Dillingham’s second season on the job, which has featured outstanding campaigns from tailback Cam Skattebo, redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, his favorite target.
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Skattebo has had one of the best seasons of any Sun Devil, and he entered Saturday as the only player in FBS with over 1,000 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards.
The quick turnaround from consecutive three-win seasons earned new extensions for Dillingham’s coordinators, Marcus Arroyo and Brian Ward, who deserve immense credit for the team’s play.
Arroyo’s connection with Leavitt cannot be overstated, dating back to a recruiting visit prior to the quarterback’s transfer from Michigan State that lasted several hours.
Arroyo was Justin Herbert’s offensive coordinator at Oregon, and he has drawn comparisons between the now-Los Angeles Chargers quarterback and Leavitt on how the two prepare.
Tyson has also lauded Leavitt’s preparation, telling the Sparky’s Den Podcast on Wednesday the quarterback is more often over-prepared. Constant communication between quarterback and receiver has led to strong chemistry down the stretch this season.
Ward’s efforts can’t go overlooked, as his defense has improved by nine points per game from Year 1 to Year 2, and their ability to steal possessions away from opponents has allowed the Sun Devils to play complementary football.
Dillingham has said his priorities were extensions for his assistants and NIL compensation for his players before worrying about his own contract, which will almost certainly be extended at some point given the season’s success.
ASU is also one win away from its first 10-win season since 2014, when Todd Graham led the Sun Devils to back-to-back 10-win seasons.
Here’s a look at the Big 12 standings for the Sun Devils after ASU’s Week 13 win.
ASU football standings in the Big 12
| Team | Conference | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| No. 21 Arizona State Sun Devils | 6-2 | 9-2 |
| No. 14. BYU Cougars | 6-2 | 9-2 |
| No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones | 6-2 | 9-2 |
| No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes | 6-2 | 8-3 |
| Baylor Bears | 5-3 | 7-4 |
| Kansas State Wildcats | 5-3 | 8-3 |
| TCU Horned Frogs | 5-3 | 7-4 |
| Texas Tech Red Raiders | 5-3 | 7-4 |
| West Virginia Mountaineers | 5-3 | 6-5 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | 4-4 | 5-6 |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | 3-5 | 5-6 |
| Houston Cougars | 3-5 | 4-7 |
| UCF Knights | 2-6 | 4-7 |
| Arizona Wildcats | 2-6 | 4-7 |
| Utah Utes | 1-7 | 4-7 |
| Oklahoma State Cowboys | 0-8 | 3-8 |
The Sun Devils will travel to Tucson for the Territorial Cup against Arizona on Nov. 30 at 1:30 p.m. Watch the TV broadcast on FOX. The game was one of many Big 12 matchups placed on a six-day selection, meaning the time and TV will be announced later.
***Editor’s note: This story originally said ASU would make the Big 12 Championship game with a win over Arizona. That remains the case except for one of 256 outcomes from the final week of regular season play. Read more on tiebreakers here.
