TEMPE - The Arizona State Sun Devils - defending Big 12 Champions and College Football Playoff quarterfinalists - return to action from a bye week and hit the road for a pivotal conference tilt against the Utah Utes on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Scheduled for a 7:15 p.m. AZT/8:15 local kickoff, the contest will be broadcast nationally on ESPN (Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Stormy Buonantony). The game will also be available over the local airwaves in Arizona on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst, Kevin Turner, Jeff Munn).

On the Utes

• ASU leads the all-time series against the Utes, 23-12, though Utah had won four consecutive games against the Sun Devils from 2019-23 before Arizona State knocked off a ranked Utes team in Tempe last season, 27-19.
• Utah has won three-straight games in the series in games played in Salt Lake City, including a 55-3 rout in 2023.
• The Utes are always a tough draw at home, where they are 121-42 (.742) in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-present) and is 93-31 in RES during the Kyle Whittingham era.
• The Utes are second in the FBS and lead the Big 12 Conference in third down conversion percentage (61%).
• Utah was a perfect 8-for-8 on third down in the first half last time out at West Virginia, building a 28-0 lead at the break on the way to a 48-14 win. The Sun Devils enter the contest with the FBS’ No. 34 third-down defense, allowing just a 33.3 conversion rate.
• The Utes will represent ASU’s fifth potent offensive attack in a row, entering the game 18th nationally both in scoring (39.0) and in total offense (469.2). All five FBS opponents the Sun Devils have faced this season entered the contest averaging over 450.0 total yards of offense per game with none ranking lower than 32nd in the FBS in the category.
• ASU has held its four FBS opponents to fewer points than they were averaging per game coming into the contest (Miss St. 24/34.0, Texas State 15/47.5, Baylor 24/38.0, TCU 24/41.7). Utah will represent the fourth- straight opponent averaging over 38.0 points per game.
• The contest pits the Big 12’s No. 1 and 2 teams in terms of time of possession with ASU averaging 33:51 minutes per game to Utah’s 33:21 (6th and 9th in the FBS, respectively).

Kicking off

• Jordyn Tyson has found his success despite facing press coverage on 77 of his 191 receiving snaps this season - the seventh-highest total in the FBS. His 351 yards out of press coverage are fourth-most in the FBS, as are his four touchdowns while his 19 first downs/touchdowns are second.
• Tyson has been nigh-uncoverable in man coverage this season, putting up a 92.6 grade on 50 man coverages this season - the highest grade among all FBS players. Facing man, Tyson has caught 18 (first in the FBS) of his 24 targets for 198 yards. He has four touchdowns and 13 receiving 1st downs/touchdowns against man - also first in the FBS.
• ASU now has 28 fourth down conversions since the start of last year, resulting in 18 touchdowns and three field goals on drives that included a one of them.
• ASU’s 46 fourth-down conversions since 2023 with Kenny Dillingham took the reins are the seventh-most in the FBS.
• Under Kenny Dillingham, ASU have 13 games eclipsing 200 rushing yards, going 10-3 in those.
• The Sun Devils are 10-0 when Sam Leavitt does not through an interception and 6-0 in games where he both rushes and passes for at least one score each.
• ASU’s exceptional work in harrying opposing quarterbacks is due in large part to ASU’s coverage down the field. The Sun Devils have an average time to force a pressure of 2.66 seconds, which is the 10th-LONGEST time to hurry a quarterback in the FBS - a credit to ASU’s secondary given Arizona State’s 19 sacks rank fourth nationally, despite blitzing at just 18.6 percent of the time (third-lowest rate in the FBS).
• The Sun Devils return 16 players in 2025 that started at least six games a year ago. The 16 returning starters are tied for the most among all FBS teams heading into this season. The total is notable as the Sun Devils had the second-most new players on the roster in the FBS (78) in 2022 and the ninth-most in 2023 (60). Arizona State had just 17 returning starters COMBINED entering the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

An ASU victory would...

• Mark ASU’s first official 3-0 start in conference play since 2012 in the Pac-12 (all ASU’s victories in a 3-0 Pac-12 start in 2021 were later vacated).
• Give ASU its second consecutive 5-1 start to a season, marking the first time the Sun Devils have done it in back-to-back years since the 2011 and 2012 campaigns.
• Notable about those campaigns, however, was ASU losing 6 of its final 7 in 2011 and suffering a four-game losing streak after its 5-1 start in 2012.
• Give ASU its ninth-straight victory over an opponent from the Big 12, which would match its longest streak since 1996-97 (all eight in ‘96 and the first of ‘97) - the longest as part of a Power Conference. ASU won 19 conference games in a row in the WAC in a stretch from 1969-71.
• Give ASU its fifth consecutive victory in a conference road game dating back to last season, which would be its longest since a six-game stretch between the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
• End Utah’s three-game winning streak against the Sun Devils in games at Rice-Eccles.

Milestone watch

• Running back Kanye Udoh is 203 rushing yards away from 2,000 career rushing yards (currently at 1,797).
• Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is 14 catches away from 150 career catches (currently at 136).
• WR Malik McClain, DL Justin Wodtly and LB Keyshaun Elliott are 1, 3 and 5 games played away, respectively, from 50 career games played (currently at 49, 47 and 45).
• Elliott is 17 tackles away from 250 career tackles (currently at 233).
• Linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu is four tackles for loss away from 20 career total (currently at 16).
• Defensive back Myles Rowser is 4 tackles away from 250 career tackles (currently at 236). Defensive lineman Prince Dorbah is 3.5 tackles for loss away from 20 career TFLs (currently at 16.5).
• Kicker Jesus Gomez is 19 points shy of 300 career points (currently at 281 career points).
• Defensive lineman Clayton Smith is two sacks away from 15 career sacks (currently at 13.0).

Making the grade (Notable PFF grades)

• Keth Abney is currently the third-highest graded corner on overall defense for the season in the Big 12 (81.7) and seventh-highest graded corner in the FBS. His 81.0 grade in coverage is third among Big 12 corners and 13th among FBS corners.
• Abneys 87.5 tackling grade and Javan Robinson’s 86.6 mark are third and seventh among all Big 12 players and ninth and 15th among FBS runnng backs.
• PFF tabbed Prince Dorbah as the highest graded defender in the entire country for the week with a 95.2 overall defensive mark (min. 25 snaps) in Week 5. It was the fifth-best single week grade for any defensive player in the FBS this season.
• Jordyn Tyson is the nation’s No. 7 graded wide receiver for overall offensive this season (84.5) and sixth-highest graded on receiving plays (86.2)
• Sam Leavitt is the nation’s No. 5 graded rusher, regardless of position, with his 88.2 score on rushing plays this season (min. 45 carries). That is second among FBS quarterbacks.

By the numbers

• ASU has held opponents to 30 points or less in 58 of 86 games since 2018 (67.4 percent). This is notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of the 43 previous games (74.4 percent) in a span from 2013- 17. ASU has accomplished this 24 times in 31 games (77.4) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward. Since 2018, ASU has held opponents to the 400 or less mark for total offensive yards on 51 occasions over 86 games (59.3 percent of the time). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013-2017. The team has accomplished the feat 22 times in 31 games (71.0 percent) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward.
• The Sun Devils are fourth in the FBS with 19 sacks this season (also fourth at 3.80 per game) and 11th with 42 tackles for loss (eighth at 8.4 TFLs per game). The sack total is especially notable as the team had just 24 TOTAL sacks a season ago. These numbers are a marked change in trend from the past couple seasons, where Arizona State finished in the lower half of the country in both categories (73rd and 70th in sacks in 2024 and 2023, 83rd and 96th in TFLS,). Overall, the team has 56 plays this season that have resulted in a tackle for loss or no gain, tied for 27th-best in the country. ASU has allowed an average of just 4.83 yards per play this season, a total good for 33rd in the country.
• Sam Leavitt has 16 rushes of 10+ yards this season fourth-most among all FBS quarterbacks. His 364 rush yards (removing quarterback sacks) are the 14th-most among FBS quarterbacks while his 268 yards AFTER contact are the fourth-most in the country and 42nd out of ALL players, regardless of position. His 5.8 yards after contact per rush are ninth among ALL FBS players. 50.0 percent of Leavitt’s rushes have resulted in a 1D/TD - second among FBS QBS (min. 25 attempts) and third-most among all players regardless of position. The sophomore is second among FBS quarterbacks with 280 yards on QB scrambles this year, also leading the group with 12.7 yards per scramble (min. 15 scrambles).
• Nine of Jordyn Tyson’s 21 career touchdown receptions have come in the final five minutes of either the first or second halves (with 10 total touchdowns in that criteria with a late punt return TD against ASU in 2022). Those nine touchdowns are the fourth-most of any FBS player in the last decade (since 2015) behind only SMU’s James Proche (14), LSU’s Kyren Lacy (10), and Alabama’s Devonta Smith (10). Tyson has recorded 10 touchdowns in the fourth quarter of games in his career (9 receiving, 1 punt return) - the most among active FBS players. It is the 10th-most of any player in the last decade (in FBS games played only). Of his 28 total receptions in the fourth quarter of games in his career, 18 have resulted in a first down or touchdown (64.3 percent).
• Keith Abney has played 202 snaps in coverage without allowing a touchdown - which are the 12th-most in the country without giving up a score. Abney has excelled in man coverage this season, holding opponents to just a 40.0 percent completion rate and a 54.0 NFL QBR when targeted in man. His 85.4 grade in man coverage is tops among Big 12 corners and third in the FBS (min. 35 snaps in man coverage). Abney has allowed just a 52.0 completion percentage against this season overall, tied for the 8th-lowest among Big 12 corners (min. 100 pass coverage snaps) while his 9.5 yards allowed per reception are ninth-lowest.He has been credited with just two completions allowed over 15 yards this season, tied for sixth-fewest in the league.
• ASU has not allowed a single touchdown in the first four minutes of the second half from the start of 2024 to the present. The Sun Devils have a 34.4 percent (11-of-31) offensive touchdown drive rate in the final four minutes of the second quarter dating back to the start of last season, the 15th-best percentage in the nation (does not include pick six against UCF last year). The 11 touchdowns are 10th-most in the FBS in that time. Conversely, ASU has allowed just two touchdown drives in the final four minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 (at Cincinnati last year, at Baylor this year) and held opponents to a 2-for-30 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (6.7 percent) that is seventh-lowest in the nation.

10Things (Twitter-friendly notes)

1. The Sun Devils’ net +0.207 difference between offense and defensive EPA is 26th in the FBS.

2. After an uncharacteristic three interceptions in his first two games this year, Sam Leavitt has been flawless on his 96 attempts over the last three games. ASU is 10-0 in games where Leavitt does not throw an interception.

3. Abney has excelled in man coverage this season, holding opponents to just a 40.0 percent completion rate and a 54.0 NFL QBR. His 85.4 grade in man coverage is tops among Big 12 corners and third in the FBS (min. 35 snaps in man coverage).

4. ASU has not allowed a single touchdown in the first four minutes of the second half from the start of 2024 to the present.

5. ASU has scored on 50.0 percent of its drives that had occured at any point in the final five minutes of the first or second halves this season (10-of-20), the 14th-best percentage in the FBS

6. ASU has allowed just two touchdown drives in the final four minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 (at Cincinnati last year, at Baylor this year) and held opponents to a 2-for-30 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (6.7 percent) that is seventh-best in the nation

7. ASU’s 19 sacks are 4th nationally despite the fact that the team blitzes judespite blitzing just 18.6 percent of the time, the third-LOWEST amount in the country.

8. Jordyn Tyson has been nigh-uncoverable in man coverage this season, putting up a 92.6 grade on 50 man coverages this season - the highest grade among all FBS players. His 18 catches, 4 TDs, 13 1D/TDs vs. man all lead the nation.

9. The Sun Devils are 7-1 in games of seven points or less in the last two seasons, going 5-0 in such games last year and 2-1 thus far this season. Those 7 wins are tied for the most in the FBS over the last two years.

10. Jordyn Tyson (163) and Malik McLain (146) rank 8th and 21st among all FBS receivers in run blocking snaps this season and the most among Power Four receivers. McLain’s 68.4 grade in gap blocking is 12th among FBS receivers.

Last time out - TCU

• The victory over the Horned Frogs two weeks ago ended TCU’s seven-game winning streak dating back to last season, which was tied for the second-longest active winning streak in the nation entering the weekend.
• The victory gave the Sun Devils their sixth win over a Top-25 program in a home Blackout game since the 2011 season.
• It got one monkey off Kenny Dillingham’s back, becoming his first victory as a head coach when trailing at halftime (was 0-10 in the category prior and trailed 17-14 entering the break against TCU). With ASU’s at one point trailing 17-0, it was the second-largest come-from-behind win against a ranked opponent at home in school history (rallied from 21-0 to defeat No. 6 Oregon in 2002 in Eugene.)
• Randomly, it was the first time the program has won with the exact same score in back-to-back weeks (2025, 27-24, 27-24) since 1963 (35-6, 35-6).
• TCU standout quarterback Josh Hoover was held largely in check in the contest. Hoover entered the game leading the nation in passing yards per game at 333.3 yards per game and 12 in the country with 11 passing touchdowns and just two picks.
• Hoover had thrown just two interceptions this season on 103 attempts before two on 32 attempts to the Sun Devils.
• Since becoming TCU’s starter in 2023 against BYU, Hoover had only had three games out of 22 where he had thrown for over 250 yards. It marked just the fourth time in his career he was held under that benchmark. It was just the fourth time in his 23 starts he had not thrown a touchdown.
• Hoover was sacked six times on Friday - three more than his previous career high mark of three sacks. Prior to the matchup, Hoover had been sacked just 26 times 25 games. Hoover had been sacked his 26 times on 931 career dropbacks - 2.8 percent of the time. He was sacked on 15.4 of his dropbacks against ASU (6-of-39).
• TCU entered the game averaging 174.7 rushing yards per game before finishing with just 10 on Friday night on 25 carries (.4 yards per rush). The 10 rushing yards were the 17th-lowest for a single game by an ASU opponent since the 1996 season and the lowest since holding
• UTSA to 2 yards in 2018 and the lowest against a current Power Four team since UCLA (-1 yards) in 2016. TCU’s 10 rushing yards were its third-lowest tally since the 1996 seasons – a span of 365 games with only a -7 yard effort against West Virginia in 2018 and -26 against Texas A&M in 2001.
• ASU recorded 13 tackles for loss, its most in a single game since recording 15 vs. UTSA in 2018. The team’s six sacks were the most since it also had six against Fresno State in 2023.
• A week after erupting for 254 yards and three touchdowns on eight catches in TCU’s 35-24 win against SMU, Horned Frog wideout Eric McAllister was held without a catch all night on against ASU. It was the first time in his career at TCU being held without a catch.
• TCU was 14th in the country in averaging 516.0 total yards of offense per game before being limited to just 269 total yards. On TCU’s first four drives, it recorded 17 points and 149 yards of offense. Over the ensuing nine drives, the Horned Frogs managed just 120 total yards and 7 points.

Six degrees of Sun Devil-ation

• Utah DE Logan Fano and ASU LB Tate Romney attended BYU in 2022
• ASU DB Chris Johnson II and Utah RB Raycine Guillory played together at Aledo HS in 2023
• ASU DL Rashad McKenzie and Safety Adrian Wilson played with Utah RB Wayshawn Parker at Washington State in 2024
• Utah LB Levani Damuni played at Stanford from 2019-2022 when ASU DL coach Diron Reynolds coached for the Cardinal
• Utah DE Lance Holtzclaw and ASU Jalen Klemm played together at Washington in 2023
• ASU LB Krew Jackson and Utah LB Trey Reynolds were on the Queen Creek High School football team together in 2020-2021
• ASU OL Xander Ruggeroli and Utah DT Sione Motuapuaka played together at Bishop Gorman High School from 2021-2024. Utah DT Jonah Lea’ea was also one of their teammates from 2021-2023.
• Utah TE Broderick Redden played with ASU LB Lee Fuimaono at San Clemente High School from 2022-2024.
• ASU offensive coach Marcus Arroyo and Utah assistant coach Jim Harding coached together at Wyoming from 2009-2013.
• Utah running backs coach Mark Atuaia and ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward worked together at Washington State in 2022

Veteran presence

• The Sun Devils return 16 players who started at least six games a year ago in 2024. The 16 returning starters were tied for the most among all FBS teams heading into this season. The total is notable as the Sun Devils had the second-most newcomers on the roster in the FBS (78) in 2022 and the ninth-most in 2023 (60). Arizona State had just 17 returning starters entering the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined.
• Eight Sun Devils started all 14 games last year, and seven returned. C.J. Fite, Josh Atkins, Ben Coleman, Max Iheanachor, Javan Robinson, Myles “Ghost” Rowser and Keith Abney II were 14-game starters. Center and second-team Walter Camp All-American Leif Fautanu is the only 14-game starter who doesn’t return in 2025.
• The Sun Devils have 23 players in their final year of eligibility, the 20th-highest tally among all FBS schools this season.
• The Sun Devil offensive line entered the 2025 season with 134 starts to its collective credit across the FBS/FCS level, good for the 12th-highest total in the nation coming into the year.
• Arizona State has six returnees from the 2024 All Big 12 Team returning next year, led by wide receiver and first team honoree Jordyn Tyson (Offensive Newcomer of the Year), second team honoree Sam Leavitt (Offensive Freshman of the Year), defensive back Xavion Alford (first), tight end Chamon Metayer (second), defensive lineman C.J. Fite (second) and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (second).

Air Jordyn

• Jordyn Tyson has a caught a touchdown in six consecutive games dating back to last season (all five this season and the Arizona game last year before missing the postseason with an injury). That is is the longest active streak in the FBS and no other player has more than a four game streak.
• Tyson’s 7 receiving touchdowns this season are tied for the most in the FBS. He is ninth in the country with 96.6 receiving yards per game (12th with 483 total receiving yards) and fourth with 7.80 receptions per game.
• Since the start of last season, Tyson is second among all receivers in receiving yards (1,584) and touchdowns (17) - despite Tyson not playing in ASU’s Big 12 Championship or College Football Playoff games.
• Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith is the only player ahead of Tyson in those two categories (1,778 yards and 21 touchdowns) but it should be noted Smith has done so in four more games of action than Tyson in that time. Tyson’s 93.2 yards per game since the start of last year leads all active players.
• Tyson’s 78 receiving first downs in that stretch are the most in the country, leading Smith by four.
• Nine of Tyson’s 21 career touchdown receptions have come in the final five minutes of either the first or second halves (with 10 total touchdowns in that criteria with a late punt return TD against ASU in 2022). Those nine touchdown receptions are the fourth-most of any FBS player in the last decade (since 2015) behind only SMU’s James Proche (14), LSU’s Kyren Lacy (10), and Alabama’s Devonta Smith (10).
• Tyson has recorded 10 touchdowns in the fourth quarter of games in his career (9 receiving, 1 punt return) - the most among active FBS players. It is the 10th-most of any player in the last decade (in FBS games played only).
• Of his 28 total receptions in the fourth quarter of games in his career, 18 have resulted in a first down or touchdown (64.3 percent).
• Tyson’s 27 receiving first downs/touchdowns (69.2 percent on 39 catches) this season are second in the FBS. His 205 yards after the catch are 21st in the FBS.
• Tyson has found his success despite facing press coverage on 77 of his 191 receiving snaps this season - the seventh-highest total in the FBS. His 351 yards out of press coverage are fourth-most in the FBS, as are his four touchdowns while his 19 first downs/ touchdowns are second.
• Tyson has been nigh-uncoverable in man coverage this season, putting up a 92.6 grade on 50 man coverages this season - the highest grade among all FBS players. Facing man, Tyson has caught 18 (first in the FBS) of his 24 targets for 198 yards. He has four touchdowns and 13 receiving 1st downs/touchdowns against man - also first in the FBS. 
• Tyson has been targeted on 39.2 percent of all ASU plays with an aimed pass this season - the 19th-highest ratio among FBS players. His 31.4 target percentage on his own receiving snaps is 21st in the country
• He has caught six of his 12 contested targets for the season, the 18th-best total in the FBS and his 112 yards on contested balls in 16th in the country.

Agent zero

• Jordyn Tyson (who wears No. 0) became the first Sun Devil to be named a Preseason First AP All-American entering this season. He was also named a Walter Camp Preseason All-American, and recognized on the Maxwell Award Awatch List, the Biletnikoff Award Watch List and a First Team Preseason All Big-12 selection.
• Tyson earned Third-Team Associated Press All American honors last and is one of 16 returners from those teams in 2025. He is one of five returning AP All Americans returning on offense along with center Jake Slaughter (Florida), wide receivers
• Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) and Eric Rivers (Florida International) and tackle Spencer Fano (Utah).
• Tyson has now eclipsed over 2,000 yards in his NCAA career. The wideout now checks in at 2,054 yards between his time at ASU and Colorado.
• Tyson has eight games in which he has eclipsed the century mark in receiving since becoming a Sun Devil. Over his last 7 home games, he has posted three 100-yard games and is averaging 108.0 yards per game.
• Tyson had a breakout season in 2024, with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns before getting injured in the second half of the Nov. 30 Arizona game and missing the postseason. He had five games of 100-yards receiving including 12 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns at Kansas State on Nov. 16.
• His efforts earned him Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
• The ten touchdowns last season tied him for sixth all-time in Sun Devil history, one of just 11 Sun Devils total to reach double digits in a season, and the most since Jaelen Strong had 10 in 2014.
• In his first six games as a Sun Devil, Tyson compiled 25 receptions for 369 yards and three touchdowns (61.5 ypg). Over the 11 games since, he has accounted for 88 receptions for 1,215 yards and 14 touchdowns (110.5 ypg)
• Tyson has emphasized wide receiver coach Hines Ward’s “No Block, No Rock” mantra as he was fifth among FBS receivers with 298 run-blocking snaps last season prior to his injury. His 163 run block snaps this year are 8th among FBS receivers and the second-most among Power Four receivers. 

Take it or Leavitt

• Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt now has six career games with at least one passing and one rushing score and the the Sun Devils are 6-0 in those games.
• He also now has six career games posting 300+ yards of total offense. He is averaging 262.8 yards of total offense per game this season, good for the Top 50 in the FBS.
• Leavitt has six career games with 150+ passing yards and 50+ rushing yards. That ranks him ninth among all FBS quarterbacks in the last two seasons achieving that feat.
• After an uncharacteristic three interceptions in his first two games this year, Leavitt has been flawless on his 96 attempts over the last three games. ASU is 10-0 in games where Leavitt does not throw an interception.
• Leavitt has set his receivers up for success, finding open players and hitting dudes in stride to the tune of 61.4 percent of his yards coming after the catch - ninth among FBS receivers. That tally was 58.6 percent last season- good for third nationally.
• Leavitt has 16 rushes of 10+ yards this season - fourth-most among all FBS quarterbacks.
• His 364 rush yards (removing quarterback sacks) are the 14th-most among FBS quarterbacks while his 268 yards AFTER contact are the fourth-most in the country and 42nd out of ALL players, regardless of position. His 5.8 yards after contact per rush are ninth among ALL FBS players.
• 50.0 percent of Leavitt’s rushes have resulted in a first down or touchdown - the second-highest percentage among FBS QBS (min. 25 attempts) and third-most among all players regardless of position.
• The sophomore is second among FBS quarterbacks with 280 yards on QB scrambles this year, also leading the group with 12.7 yards per scramble (min. 15 scrambles).
• Leavitt has picked up 80.0 percent of his scramble yards AFTER contact - 10th-most in the FBS. Leavitt’s 87.8 rushing grade on plays with a QB pressure is second most among all FBS quarterbacks.
• Leavitt has recored a 72.7 overall offensive grade when pressured this season, good for 10th in the country and fourth among the 89 QBs that have been pressured at least 40 times. His 56 dropbacks with a pressure are tied for the 34th-most in the FBS.
• Leavitt has recorded 14 first downs/touchdowns with his arm while under pressure this season, tied for 30th in the FBS.

Take it or Leavitt

• Sam Leavitt is 10-1 in Big 12 games as the starting quarterback and has won 15 of 18 career games as a starter.
• Leavitt is just the ninth Big 12 quarterback to win 15 of his first 18 starts since the 2003 season, joining a illustrious list that includes: Spencer Rattler, Baker Mayfield, Bryce Petty, Collin Klein, Brandon Weeden, Todd Reesing, Sam Bradford and Vince Young.
• Leavitt recorded his first career game with two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns against NAU in the opener. In doing so, it was just the third time since 1997 that a Sun Devil quarterback accomplished the feat with Taylor Kelly doing it twice in 2013. That game remains one of just 11 instances this season where a QB rushed for at least two touchdowns while throwing for at least two touchdowns.
• Leavitt finished his first year in Tempe as the school record holder for total offense by a freshman with 3,328 yards and second in program history in passing yards by a freshman at 2,885. The 3,328 total yards of offense with eighth in ASU season history.
• He was named the Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year.
• Leavitt was the nation’s second-highest graded freshman player (true or redshirt with 400 snaps) on either side of the football by PFF (88.9), behind only Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith (89.8).
• His 88.9 grade for the season is the eighth-best among all FBS freshman quarterbacks in the PFF era since 2015 (min. 400 snaps played). Of the seven players ahead of him, six started an NFL game last season (Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud and Spencer Rattler). His grade was higher than the freshman year grades of NFL starting quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Daniel Jones, Jordan Love, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels. The grade was good for 12th among all FBS quarterbacks in 2024
• After having just three touchdown passes in his first four games at ASU, he finished with 21 over his final nine games played with just four interceptions and now has a 28 TD-7 INT ratio in his last 12 games.
• Leavitt had eight passes for 50+ yards last year, most in Big 12 and tied for second most in the FBS for the season, only ASU player this century to have more in one season was Jayden Daniels in 2019.
• Among players with at least 300 dropbacks, Leavitt tied for third in the FBS with just five turnover-worthy throws on the season, according to Pro Football Focus .
• His six interceptions were tied for sixth-fewest in the FBS among those with at least 300 dropbacks.
• He was one of just four with 20+ touchdowns (24) with six or fewer interceptions (six) AND turnover-worthy throws (5) (min. 300 dropbacks).
• Only 20 of his passes were broken, good for the 20th-lowest total in the FBS. His four passes batted at the line of scrimmage at tied for 25th-lowest in the FBS (min. 300 dropbacks).
• Leavitt showed his ability to keep his composure under pressure, with 708 passing yards while pressured - good for 19th nationally despite missing a game. His 7.8 yards per attempt while under pressure were 12th-best in the country. His 5 under pressure touchdowns were 20th.
• His 74.8 NFL QBR while under pressure was 30th in the nation. He picked up a first down with his arm 41 times on 143 pressures - 13th-most in the FBS
• Leavitt rushed for 435 yards on 51 scrambles last year, good for the second-most among quarterbacks in the FBS. He picked up a first down or touchdown on 47.1 percent of those QB scrambles, good for 11th among FBS quarterbacks (min 25 scrambles). He had the nation’s sixth-best rushing grade when scrambling at 76.4. His 79.1 overall rushing grade was 18th among FBS quarterbacks.
• Leavitt became the first ASU quarterback to have six games in a season with threeor more touchdown passes (6) since Mike Berocovici in 2015 (6). The six games were tied for second-most this century behind only Andrew Walter’s seven in 2004. The last Big 12 freshman to have that many performances in a season was Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in 2007 (eight).
• Leavitt thrice earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week and also earned the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week honor following the K-State contest
• He was the first Sun Devil to post three consecutive games with three touchdown passes and no picks since Jayden Daniels did it three times in 2019.

Sprung a Leek

• Raleek Brown has had the opportunity to show Sun Devil fans how electric he can be while healthy this season, currently leading the Big 12 and ninth nationally with 101.2 yards per game and 12th in the FBS with 506 total yards.
• His 6.57 yards per carry leads the league and is the 18th-best mark in the country. His 135.80 all-purpose yards per game are 11th in the FBS and tops in the conference and he has reached the 100 all-purpose mark in all five games so far.
• The elusive back has forced 29 missed tackles on the year on run plays, the eighth-most among FBS backs.
• His 15 runs of 10 or more yards this season are 15th among FBS running backs.
• Brown’s 18 receptions this season are tied for ninth among FBS running backs and his 158 yards after the catch (including yards out of the backfield) are 11th among backs.
• Brown’s 12.0 yards per carry (144 yards on 12 carries) against Texas State were the fourth-most for an ASU running back that has cleared 125 rushing yards since the 1996 season. He is the only player in that time to reach 140 rushing yards on 12 or fewer carries.
• His 75-yard touchdown run was the longest run AND touchdown run for an ASU player AT HOME since Kalen Ballage vs. Texas Tech in 2016.

Skatte-who?

• The Sun Devil running back room of Raleek Brown, Kyson Brown, Kanye Udoh and Demarius Robinson have filled-in admirably for ASU as they look to fill the void left by 2025 Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Skattebo.
• The group has produced 966 of ASU’s 2,116 total yards of offense this season (45.7 percent). The group’s 781 rushing yards are 30th among any running back room in the FBS. They have forced 42 missed tackles on running plays, which is good for 10th in the FBS.
• The group’s 185 receiving yards are 24th among FBS running back rooms and their eight receiving first downs are tied for 29th.
• With Raleek Brown (110) and Kanye Udoh (105) going over 100 rushing yards against Mississippi State, it marked the second time in the last five games dating back to last year that two players went over the century mark in the same game. That’s notable as ASU had just five TOTAL instances of that happening between 2000-23.
• Kyson Brown accounted for 145 yards against NAU, racking up 70+ rushing and receiving yards in the same game for the first time in his career. He now has two games with 70+ receiving and three with 70+ rushing yards.
• Since 1996, Brown became just the 10th Sun Devil player to have 70+ rushing and receiving in the same game. Cam Skattebo accounted for two of those last year. Brown accomplished the feat on just 14 total touchdowns, the lowest of the group ahead of Rachaad White in 2020 (15) and Demario Richard in 2015 (19). All other instances came on 24 or more touches.
• Of those 10 instances, six have happened since Shaun Aguano was hired prior to the 2019 season.
• In the five games Kyson Brown has had at least eight touches in his career, he has averaged 106.2 total yards from scrimmage (66 touches for 531 total yards/8.05 yards per touch).

A strong finish

• ASU has scored on 50.0 percent of its drives that had occured at any point in the final five minutes of the first or second halves this season (10-of-20), the 14th-best percentage in the FBS. The 10 scoring drives in that span are 6th-most in the FBS.
• The Sun Devils were exceptional in closing out halves last season, scoring 17 touchdowns in the final five minutes of either the first or second halves - a tally good for fifth in the FBS.
• The team has a 30-10 advantage in the “middle eight” of games this year to give it a 117-29 advantage since the start of last season in the category (last four minutes of first half, first four minutes of second half). ASU outscored opponents 87-16 in the category last season.
• The Sun Devils have a 34.4 percent (11-of-31) offensive touchdown drive rate in the final four minutes of the second quarter dating back to the start of last season, the 15th-best percentage in the nation (does not include pick six against UCF last year). The 11 touchdowns are 10th-most in the FBS in that time.
• Conversely, ASU has allowed just two touchdown drives in the final four minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 (at Cincinnati last year, at Baylor this year) and held opponents to a 2-for-30 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (6.7 percent) that is seventh-best in the nation (drives that end at any point in the final four minutes of the half).
• ASU has not allowed a single touchdown in the first four minutes of the second half from the start of 2024 to the present.
• ASU outscored opponents, 163-84, in the second quarters of games last season heading into halftime.
• The Sun Devils allowed just 4.1 yards per third down play in the fourth quarter of games last season, the 24th-lowest total in the country. ASU has struggled in that same category this season - with opponents averaging 7.5 yards per fourth quarter third down this year - 113th in the country
• Third-and-fourth down defense were among ASU’s struggles at times last season, ranking 100th with a 44.7 conversion rate allowed. However, the team was markedly improved in that category in the 4th quarter of games, trimming it down to a 40.0 conversion rate - 59th in the FBS. ASU’s 2025 games have perhaps been more interesting than they should be due to opponents posting a 51.8 third-and-fourth down conversion percentage in the fourth quarter - which is 120th in the country.
• The Sun Devils have won five games in the past two seasons in which they were trailing or tied at some point in the fourth quarter - including its last two victories over Baylor and TCU.

Keep them in front of you

• ASU has allowed just 22 plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 85 games - 2nd-fewest in the FBS in that time behind only Washington (19). The FBS average in that span is 46.63 such plays. ASU ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 50+ yards played allowed each year from 2014-17, giving up a nation-leading 55 such plays in that span - 13 more than any other school in the FBS.
• ASU has allowed just 10 total 50+ yard plays in the Dillingham/Ward era.
• ASU has allowed just 14 catches for 50 or more yards since 2018, tied for the 3rd-lowest amount in the FBS in that time (Washington, 11/Penn State, 12).
• The team has allowed just seven in the Dillingham/Ward era.
• The Sun Devils allowed just 12 plays over 30 yards last season, tied for the 3rd-lowest total in the country. ASU allowed just 22 total plays over 30 yards in 2023, which was 35th in the FBS. ASU has allowed seven such plays this year, tied for 31st-lowest in the FBS.
• The 41 total plays allowed of 30+ yards in two-plus seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Ward are tied for the ninth-lowest total in the FBS.
• Since 2018, ASU has allowed just 121 TOTAL 30-plus yard plays (1.4 per game/86 games). That is the third-lowest tally in the FBS in that time behind Iowa (97) and Washington (116). (Kennesaw State excluded as they joined the FBS after 2018). For perspective, from 2014-17, ASU gave up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays each SEASON, respectively ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.

Rule of thirds

• ASU has held opponents to a third down mark of 33.33 through this season, good for 34th in the country after finishing 98th in the FBS last year (43.01)
• NAU went 2-for-15 on third downs (13.3%) in the opener, which was tied for the13th-lowest conversion percentage by a Sun Devil opponent since 1997.
• The defense allowed just 4.6 yards per third down to opponent offenses last season - the 21st-lowest total in the country after allowing 5.3 per third down play in 2023 (67th).
• ASU is allowing 4.6 yards per third down this season, tied for 48th in the FBS.

Playing the field

• The Sun Devils have an average starting yard line of their own 31.0 this season (vs. FBS teams, non-garbage time possessions), which is 26th in the FBS and the team’s +1.5 net field position tally is 48th.
• ASU’s average starting field position last year was its own 29.4 yard line while holding opponents to a starting average of their own 28.4 yard line. ASU’s average starting field position in 2023 was its own 25.3 yard line compared to opponents starting on their own 34.8. The -9.5 net field position yards ranked ASU dead last in the country (133 of 133), a discrepency that the Sun Devils cut down by 8 yards last year (+1.0) and ranking 62nd nationally.
• The field position battle was one ASU frequently lost in 2023, but showed marked improvement in 2024. ASU had just 12.8 percent of its offensive drives start inside its own 20-yard line last year - the ninth-lowest tally nationally compared to 21.9 percent of the team’s drive’s in 2023 - 105th in the FBS.
• It has been boom or bust in the category this season with ASU’s 21.4 percent short field drive (less than 60 yards to end zone to start drive) ranking as the 27th-highest in the FBS but the team’s 23.8 long field drive (80 or more yards from end zone to start drive) is the 109th-worst mark in the country.
• ASU is 36th thus far this season in picking up 55.7 percent of its available yards and 31st in limiting opponents to just 40.4 percent of theirs - a 15.0 percent net difference that is 28th in the FBS. The Sun Devils ranked 6th nationally in picking up 60.0 percent of the yards available on offense last year while limiting opponents to picking up just 45.2 percent of theirs. The net 14.8 percent difference was the 13th-best total in the FBS.
• ASU had a successful play percentage (40 percent of first down yardage, 50 percent of second down yardage, 3rd down conversion) of 39.2 percent last year, which was good for 26th in the FBS. The total was notable as ASU had just a 31.0 successful play percentage in 2023 that was 115th in the country.
• ASU currently ranks 30th with 54.8 percent of its drives ending with a touchdown or field goal attempt and 41st in allowing just 36.6 percent of opponent drives to do the same - a net 18.2 percent difference that ranks 27th in the country (*against FBS competition only).
• Reaching its own 40-yard line has been the key for the ASU offense this season. On drives where the Sun Devils start within 39 yards of its own end zone but reach the 40-yard line, the Sun Devils are scoring or recording a field goal attempt 76.7 percent of the time - ninth best nationally.
• Last season, 54.1 percent of Sun Devil offensive drives resulted in ASU scoring a touchdown or getting in range for a field goal attempt - good for 11th nationally. Only 40.7 percent of such opponent drives did the same, a net +13.4 percent difference that was the 21st-best in the nation. ASU ranked dead last (133rd) in the category in 2023 with a net -29.0 percent tally as only 28 percent of its drives resulted in a touchdown or field goal attempt (124th) compared to a 57 percent success rate for opponents (132nd of 133).
• ASU is 47th in averaging 2.57 points per drive this season on offense and also 46th in allowing just 1.98 point per drive on defense. The Sun Devils averaged 3.03 points per drive last season, good for 12th nationally while allowing just 1.99 points per drive on defense - 43rd in the country. The net +1.04 points per drive over opponents advantage was 14th in the country. In 2023, ASU was 130th nationally with a net -1.54 points per drive with the offense scoring just 1.40 points per drive (122nd) while allowing opponents to post 2.95 points per drive (123rd) - the latter compared to a 2.15 mark this season that is 58th.
• The Sun Devils are 27th in the FBS in allowing just .43 points per drive on opponent drives that start within 20 yards of their own end zone while the offense is 34th in scoring 2.10 points per drive on its long drives this year. territory, scoring points or attempting a field goal 80.0 percent of the time on drives where ASU passes its own 40-yard line during the drive (*not drives that start ahead of the 40) - good for the 12th best total in the country.

Abney Road

• Keith Abney has been exceptional this season for the Sun Devil secondary. The junior is currently the third-highest graded corner on overall defense for the season in the Big 12 (81.7) and seventh-highest graded corner in the FBS. His 81.0 grade in coverage is third among Big 12 corners and 13th among FBS corners. His 87.5 tackling grade is also second among Big 12 corners and ninth among FBS corners.
• Abney has excelled in man coverage this season, holding opponents to just a 40.0 percent completion rate and a 54.0 NFL QBR when targeted in man. His 85.4 grade in man coverage is tops among Big 12 corners and third in the FBS (min. 35 snaps in man coverage).
• Abney has allowed just a 52.0 completion percentage against this season overall, tied for the 8th-lowest among Big 12 corners (min. 100 pass coverage snaps) while his 9.5 yards allowed per reception are ninth-lowest. He has been credited with just two completions allowed over 15 yards this season, tied for sixth-fewest in the league.
• Abney’s 202 snaps in coverage without allowing a touchdown are the 12th-most in the country without giving up a score.
• Opponents have just at 49.4 NFL QBR when targeting Abney, fourth-best among Big 12 corners and 26th among all FBS corners.
• His 0.66 yards allowed per coverage snap is sixth-lowest among Big 12 cornerbacks and he has allowed just a 24.0 first down/touchdown percentage, 10th among league corners.
• He is second among Big 12 corners with five forced incompletions this year. Abney’s 11 forced incompletions last season (according to PFF) were the fourth-most among alll Big 12 players.
• After giving up two touchdowns in the first four games of the year, Abney was credited with just two allowed over the final 10 games of the season. He was targeted just once and did not allow a completion on 35 passing plays in a pivotal win over BYU late in the season.

No fly zone

• ASU currently ranks 10th in the FBS with 30 passes defending this year (26 PBUs, 4 INT). The 6.0 breakups per game are eight in the FBS. The Sun Devils were 16th in the nation with 69 passes defended last season and 14th with 16 interceptions.
• ASU’s exceptional work in harrying opposing quarterbacks is due in large part to ASU’s coverage down the field. The Sun Devils have an average time to force a pressure of 2.66 seconds, which is the 10th-LONGEST time to hurry a quarterback in the FBS - a credit to ASU’s secondary given the Arizona State’s gaudy sack and pressure numbers.
• Keith Abney and Javan Robinson have not been credited with a missed tackle on a pass play this season. The duo rank ninth and 15th among all FBS corners with their tackling grades of 87.5 and 86.6, respectively.
• After a forgettable Mississippi State contest in which PFF credited Robinson with 5 receptions allowed for 173 yards, the veteran has shown off the short term memory in the last two games, allowing just 5 total receptions the last three games. In fact, no reception was credited against Robinson in the Baylor game and he was only targeted twice.
• Robinson has allowed just a 61.9 completion percentage this season, good for 15th among Big 12 corners (min. 100 coverage snaps).
• Last season, Robinson was not credited with a touchdown allowed in ASU’s six-game winning streak at the end of the year and opponents had just a 68.3 NFL rating against him in that stretch that was 10th-lowest in the Big-12.
• Boogie Wilson has very quietly been a rock on the back end of ASU’s defense after filling in for starter X Alford in Week 3. Wilson is tied for second among all Big 12 players with just three receptions allowed (min. 100 coverage snaps) this season.
• Opponents have thrown Wilson’s way just five times, also the third-lowest total in the Big 12.
• The ASU defense allowed just 6.64 yards per passing attempt last season, the 40th-lowest total in the country - coincidentally the exact same 6.64 mark as the team is posting this season. The group was 88th in 2023 with 7.54 yards allowed perattempt.
• Since 2018, the Sun Devil secondary has allowed just 41 total passing plays over 40 yards - the 5th-fewest in the FBS in that time. For perspective, it had 12 alone in 2017, 22 in 2016 and 24 in 2015 – the latter two ranking second to last and last, respectively, in the nation.

Hold the line

• The Sun Devils are fourth in the FBS with 19 sacks this season (also fourth at 3.80 per game) and 11th with 42 tackles for loss (eighth at 8.4 TFLs per game). The sack total is especially notable as the team had just 24 TOTAL sacks a season ago.
• This is a marked change in trend from the past couple seasons, where ASU finished in the lower half of the country in both categories (73rd and 70th in sacks in 2024 and 2023, 83rd and 96th in TFLS,).
• Overall, the team has 56 plays this season that have resulted in a tackle for loss or no gain, tied for 27th-best in the country.
• ASU has allowed an average of just 4.83 yards per play this season, good for 33rd in the country. Removing Mississippi State’s three 40+-yard touchdown throws (153 yards), that number comes crashing down to 4.41 per play, which would rank 18th in the nation.
• Opponents averaged just 5.23 yards per play in 2024 - 40th-lowest in the country after being 93rd at 5.95 in 2023. Only 22.2 percent of opponent plays gained 7 or more yards, the 23rd-lowest tally in the country after ranking 105th in 2023 at 35.1 percent.
• ASU has limited opponents to a quality drive (a drive in which the opponent managed a first down inside the ASU 40-yard line) to just 36.4 percent of the time - 36th nationally - and has held teams to just 2.97 points per those drives.

In the trenches

• ASU’s defense has forced 70 total pressures, which are 48th nationally after finishing 80th last season.
• ASU’s defensive linemen have accounted for 49 QB hurries, which is fourth in the conference and 37th in the country while the group’s 70 total QB pressures are 42nd.
• ASU has had this success despite blitzing just 18.6 percent of the time , the third-LOWEST total in the country. The team has brought four or fewer pass rushers 193 times this year - the fourth-MOST in the country.
• Prince Dorbah’s -1.25 average depth of tackle on run plays this season in third most among Big 12 linemen while Clayton Smith’s 0.33 mark is seventh in the league. Dorbah’s mark is 14th among ALL FBS linemen.
• Smith is fifth among Big 12 linemen with 18 quarterback pressures this season and his 13 QB hurries are sixth in the league. Dorbah ranks ninth in the league with 14 pressures while his 83.9 overall pass rush grade is 24th among all FBS linemen (min. 100 pass rushes).
• Smith’s 0.80 sacks per game are tied for 18th nationally while Dorbah’s 1.30 tackles for loss per game are 24th in the FBS.
• Dorbah’s 4.0 tackles for loss in the TCU victory are tied for the second-most for any FBS player this season and he is the only Big 12 player to do so.
• He was first Big 12 player with 4.0 tackles for loss in a game since Amier Washington (TTU) in their 2023 bowl game and the first Big 12 player to do it against a conference opponent since Felix Anudike-Uzomah (KSU) against TCU on Oct. 30, 2021 (also 4.0).
• PFF tabbed him as the highest graded defender in the entire country for the week with a 95.2 overall defensive mark (min. 25 snaps). It is the fifth-best single week grade for any defensive player in the FBS this season.

Where's the beef?

• The Sun Devil offensive line entered the 2025 season with 134 starts to its collective credit across the FBS/FCS level, good for the 12th highest total in the nation coming into the year. Last year the group entered with a combined 156 career starts spread amongst them entering the 2024 season, the fifth-highest tally in the country.
• The experienced group did its part last year in protecting its quarterback and also paving the way for its rushers as the squad was one of the more improved lines in the country.
• Overall in 2025, ASU has a team pass blocking grade of 78.9 according to PFF, good for 12th in the FBS.
• The team has given quarterbacks 3.57 seconds to throw per play this year, tops in the Big 12 and sixth-most nationally. ASU’s quarterbacks had an average time to throw of 3.51 seconds last season, good for 14th-best in the FBS after ranking 128th in the country in 2023 at 2.48 seconds.
• ASU’s 2.66 seconds before allowing a pressure is second-best in the Big 12 and 17th-best in the FBS. The group was 33rd nationally with an average of 2.57 seconds before allowing a QB pressure last year. ASU was 117th in 2023 with a 2.37 mark before giving up a QB pressure.
• Sam Leavitt had less than 2.50 seconds to thow the ball on just 43.2 percent of his dropbacks this season, the 21st-lowest total in the FBS. That mark was 46.6 percent of his dropbacks last season, the 35th-lowest tally in the FBS (out of 94 QBs that had at least 50 percent of their team’s dropbacks). For perspective, in 2023, Trenton Bourguet had less than 2.50 seconds to throw the ball 65.9 percent of the time - the second-MOST of any quarterback in the FBS.
• Among centers with at least 150 pass blocking snaps this season. Ben Coleman’s three pressures allowed are tied for the 15th-lowest in the FBS. His 82.6 pass blocking grade overall is 12th among FBS centers and he has yet to be credited with a sack allowed.
• Max Iheanachor (5) and Josh Atkins (8) rank 5th and 32nd among right and left tackles in the FBS, respectively, in fewest pressures allowed.
• ASU’s offensive linemen received a 82.0 pass blocking grade from PFF as a group last season, the 23rd-best tally nationally.
• As a team, ASU was 40th in the country in only allowing 1.50 sacks per game last season after ranking 96th in 2023 with 2.50 allowed per game.
• Ben Coleman was the 21st-highest graded guard as a pass blocker in the FBS last season with his grade of 84.6 (min. 300 pass block snaps).
• Coleman was not credited with allowing a sack on the year, playing the 13th most pass block snaps (451) among the FBS guards to lay such a claim.

Middle of the lineup

• With the Sun Devils utilizing a 4-2-5 lineup on defense, the two linebackers on the field at any given time can easily get lost in the grand scheme of things but that room has been exception for the Sun Devils this season.
• Jordan Crook (231) and Keyshaun Elliott (215) have played just 66.4 and 61.8 percent of ASU’s defensive snaps this season. Despite that, the two lead the team with 40 and 37 tackles respectively - representing 24.5 percent of the team’s overall non-special teams tackles (77 of 314) this season despite being on the field less than 2/3rds of the time.
• The duo are ranked seventh and eighth among Big 12 linebackers on run defense grades of 83.5 for Elliott and 82.3 for Crook - 28th and 36th among all FBS linebackers.
• Elliott is 13th nationally in averaging 1.50 tackles for loss per game this season and has at least one TFL in each game this season and a sack in each of the last four and his .80 sacks per game are tied for 16th nationally.
• His eight tackles for loss or no gain on run plays this season are tied for second among all FBS linebackers.
• Jordan Crook has accounted for 13 defensive stops on 79 run defense plays this season, a 16.5 run stop percentage that is second among Big 12 linebackers and ninth among all FBS limebackers.
• Crook’s 2.12 yard average depth of tackle on runs plays is 30th among FBS linebackers.
• Crook was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after the Texas State game after he stuffed the stat sheet during a 12-tackle performance, credited with 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. His 12 tackles were the second-most in the Big 12 this week and fifth among all linebackers in the country. He made first contact on a play nine times according to PFF, the second-highest total in the Big 12 and tied for 14th-most in the country.
• The 3.5 tackles for loss were the most by a Sun Devil since Tyler Johnson had 3.5 against Stanford on Oct. 8, 2021.
• Martell Hughes has also quietly put up numbers off the bench for the Sun Devils, currently sitting fifth on the team with 21 tackles. 19 of those have come on just 102 total defensive snaps (18.6).
• On just 20 defensive snaps played against TCU, he recorded five tackles (25 percent of his snaps), two defensive “stops” on those tackles, a game-winning intercpetions and a pass breakup.

Getting defensive

• ASU’s defense continued to build upon a solid base in its second season under defensive coordinator Brian Ward, who was named a candidate for the 2023 Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.
• The Sun Devils are giving up just 321.0 yards per game this season, good for 42nd in the FBS. ASU allowed just 339.6 yards per game last season, good for 38th nationally after ranking 89th a in 2023 (396.8).
• ASU has allowed just 1.98 points per drive against FBS teams this season, good for 46th nationally. Team’s are scoring just .43 points per drive on drives starting inside their own 20-yard line against ASU, the 27th-lowest total nationally.
• ASU’s -0.111 EPA per play this season ranks 20th in the FBS. ASU’s defense ranked 21st in overall defensive EPA at -0.070. The teams +0.160 net EPA between offense and defense was 12th nationally.
• Only 76.47 percent of opponent drives that have reached the ASU red zone this season have resulted in points for the opponent - the 26th-lowest tally in the FBS.
• ASU is currently 31st in the country in allowing opponents to pick up just 40.4 percent of the yards available to them. The team allowed offenses to pick up just 45.2 of their available yards last season, the 48th-lowest total nationally. ASU was 124th in the country in 2023 in allowing 56.3 percent of available yards.
• Opponents are picking up just 52.5 percent of their available yards up to their own 40-yard line this season - the 10th-lowest total in the country - and just 50.2 percent of the yards to the ASU 40, which is 22nd. Last season, ASU was much improved in keeping opponents from getting across the 50, allowing other teams to pick up just 67.6 percent of their available yards up to their own 40-yard line - the 62nd-lowest total in the FBS while also allowing only 58.5 percent of opponent yards up to the ASU 40 - 51st nationally. ASU ranked 121st and 126 in those categories in 2023.
• 36.6 percent of opponent drives have resulted in a touchdown or field goal attempt this year, good for 41st in the country. Last year, only 40.7 percent of opponent drives resulted in a touchdown or field goal attempt, the 60th-lowest total in the FBS - notable after being 132nd (of 133) in the country in 2023 with a 57.0 clip.
• Since 2018, ASU has held opponents to the 400 or less mark for total offensive yards on 51 occasions over 86 games (59.3 percent of the time). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013- 2017. The team has accomplished the feat 22 times in 31 games (71.0 percent) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward.
• ASU has held opponents to 30 points or less in 58 of 86 games since 2018 (67.4 percent). This is notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of the 43 previous games (74.4 percent) in a span from 2013- 17. ASU has accomplished this 24 times in 31 games (77.4) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward.
• ASU has held its four opponents after the opener to fewer points than they were averaging per game coming into the contest (Miss St. 24/34.0, Texas State 15/47.5, Baylor 24/38.0, TCU 24/41.7) ASU was 11 for 14 in holding opponents under their season scoring average last year, following the season opener: Mississippi State (23/56.0), Texas State (28/41.5), Texas Tech (30/44.7), Utah (19/28.3), Cincinnati (24/31.0), Oklahoma State (21/30.5), UCF (31/33.2) Kansas State (14/31.2), BYU (21/31.6), Arizona (7/23.1), Iowa State (19/31.2).
• TCU was 14th in the country in averaging 516.0 total yards of offense per game before being limited to just 269 total yards. ASU held a Baylor offense that was averaging 517.3 yards per game to 357 total yards and the prior week held a Texas State offense that was averaging 530.0 yards per game to just 303 yards.

Gold rush

• ASU enters the weekend ranked 20th in the country in averaging 215.4 rushing yards per game. The Sun Devils ranked 20th in the FBS in averaging 199.9 rushing yards per game last year.
• The team has rushed for 200 or more yards 13 times under Kenny Dillingham, compiling a 10-3 record when it does.
• ASU is posting a first down or touchdown when it rushes the ball 31.3 percent of the time this year, good for 33rd nationally. ASU averaged a rushing first down or touchdown 31.0 percent of the time in 2024, good for 23rd nationally.
• The team ranks 32nd this season in averaging 3.5 yards after contact per rush. The rushing backs were especially efficient in punishing opponents last year earning 3.6 yards after contact per rush - 21st in the FBS.
• The Sun Devils have forced 57 missed tackles on running plays this year, good for seventh in the FBS. ASU forced 177 missed tackles on run plays last season, second-most in the FBS and were tied for third in the FBS in averaging 0.31 missed tackles forced per running play.
• ASU has received a team rushing grade of 95.3 from PFF since the start of 2023, good for 11th-best nationally. The team has averaged 3.3 yards after contact per rush in that time - tied for 26th in the FBS.
• The team’s 30.5 first down/touchdown percentage since 2023 is 28th in the FBS.
• Since 2018, ASU has rushed for 100+ yards in 68 of 86 games (78. percent).
• The Sun Devils have produced a 1,000-yard rusher 10 times in the last 14 seasons - with one of the lone exceptions being the shortened 2020 season. For comparison, from 1976-2010, ASU had just eight 1000-yard rushers over 34 years.

But also no rush

• ASU ranks 8th nationally in allowing just 78.2 rush yards per game this season. Opponents are averaging just 2.62 yards per rushing play this season, the seventh- lowest total in the nation.
• The Sun Devils held opponents to just 112.9 rushing yards per game last year, the 21st-best total in the country and tops in the Big 12. That came despite ASU playing four of the Top-15 teams in the nation last season in rushing offense (5. UCF/11. Kansas State/13. Kansas./15. Texas State). No other team in the Top-30 faced more than two such opponents in the regular season. ASU was 36th in the FBS in allowing just 133.5 rush yards per game to opponents in 2023.
• There have been 15 instances in 31 games that an opponent was held under the century mark on the ground since defensive coordinator Brian Ward took over in 2023. Between the 2018-2022 season, it had happened 13 times in 55 games. The 15 games are tied for 9th-most in the nation since 2023.
• ASU has held six of its last nine opponents dating back to last season under 100 rushing yards.
• ASU’s success has come by way of being incredibly sure handed tackling on run plays, missing just 18 tackles on running plays this season - fourth-lowest in the Big 12 and the 20th-lowest total in the country.

A hand in the cookie jar

• The Sun Devils have nine takeaways this season (4 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries) and a 1.00 turnover margin that is 16th in the country. The nine takeaways are 22nd in the FBS and the five fumbles recovered are 10th-most this season.
• The Sun Devils had 23 takeaways last season (16 interceptions, 7 fumble recovers), good for 23rd nationally after the program finished with only eight takeaways in 2023.
• The team ranked 6th in the FBS and tops in the Big 12 with a +1.00 turnover margin per game.
• ASU has outscored opponents 1006-561 in points off takeaways since 2012 - 29-0 this season and 77-21 last season.
• The Sun Devils were 129th in the nation in turnover margin in 2023 at -11, improving that mark to +14 last year and the No. 6 mark in the country. The 25-turnover swing was the largest turnaround by any team in the FBS this season, the 5th-best in the last 10 years and the 25th-best of any program since the 1996 season
• ASU recovered seven fumbles last season, good for 55th after ranking 110th in 2023 with just four. ASU already has four fumble recoveries this season, tied for seventh in the nation.
• ASU recorded four defensive touchdowns last season (2 pick sixes, 2 fumble returns), Top-10 in the FBS.
• Iowa State had lost just three fumbles during the entire regular season prior to losing two in the third quarter alone to the Sun Devils in the Big 12 Championship. The Cyclones had entered the contest 17th in the country with a +0.75 turnover margin per game prior to losing three in the third quarter to the Sun Devils.» The Sun Devils picked off Utah’s Cam Rising three times, matching the veteran’s career high for a game. Rising had 17 interceptions in his career (on over 750 career passes), of which the Sun Devils are responsible for six of them (35.3 percent). The three interceptions in the game were the most for an ASU team since having three against Stanford on Oct. 8, 2021.
• Taking out ASU’s COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, the Sun Devils had a streak of at least one pick six in 23 consecutive seasons (2000-2022) come to a close last season - ending what was the longest streak in the FBS. ASU immediately started a new streak with Zyrus Fiaseu’s 29-yard return in the opener of 2024. ASU would also pick up a scoop-and-score from Justin Wodtly later in the contest on a 6-yard fumble return, giving ASU an interception AND fumble return for a touchdown in the same game for the first time since UCLA in 2008.

Sweet baby Jesus

• Sun Devil Football kicker Jesus Gomez has already matched ASU’s total field goals kicked for the entire SEASON a year ago with his 11 made kicks this season - the fifth-most in the FBS.
• His 48 points this season are 17th-most among FBS kickers.
• Gomez became just the fifth FBS player since 2015 to make game-winning field goals in the final two minutes of regulation in back-to-back games and the first Big 12 player since Oklahoma State’s Ben Grogan in 2015 with his fields goals at Baylor and vs. TCU.
• He is the first to accomplish the feat since Kent State’s Matthew Tricket in Nov. of 2023.
• Gomez played hero in Arizona State’s dramatic 27-24 road win over Baylor. Gomez drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired, clinching a victory in ASU’s Big 12 Conference opener.
• The Sun Devils needed all four of Gomez’s made field goals as he set a new personal career-best mark for a single game. Gomez’s four field goals were the most by a Sun Devil since Carter Brown had four against NAU on Sept. 1, 2022. It was his seventh career game in which he has made three of more field goals.
• Gomez’s game-winner was ASU’s first walk-off field goal since Sept. 18, 2018 when Brandon Ruiz hit a 28-yarder to knock off Michigan State.
• It was the first walk-off field goal on the road by a Sun Devil kicker in regulation since at least 1964.
• He is one of only nine kickers to make four field goals in a game this season, which are tied for the third-most in a contest in the FBS this year.

The 100-yard landlord

• Xavion Alford dubbed himself the @100YardLandlord across his social media platforms and has made sure to become eponymous with the title this season as ASU’s last line of defense in the secondary.
• In 78 coverage snaps this season prior to his injury, Alford had been directly targeted just once and has not allowed a reception.
• Alford had the 10th-most snaps in coverage in the FBS (522) and allowed just 9 receptions last season, the 7th-fewest in the FBS despite posting 100 more coverage snaps than any of the six players ahead of him (min. 300 coverage snaps).
• Prior to the Bowl Season, opponents chose to throw his way on just 4.2 percent of coverage snaps, the 4th-lowest total among all FBS players. His 19 targets on the year are 14th-lowest in the FBS.
• He allowed just 90 yards in coverage prior to Bowl Season - 4th-lowest among all FBS players.
• He allowed just 0.20 yards per coverage snap prior to Bowl Season, the 2nd-lowest total in the FBS.
• Alford forced an incompletion 26.3 percent of the time when targeted, the 8th-best tally among all FBS players.
• Opponents had just a 34.9 NFL QBR when targeting Alford prior to the Bowl Season, 9th-lowest in the FBS.
• Alford was the 38th-highest graded defensive player in coverage prior to Bowl Season (87.5), 19th among safeties and 4th among Big 12 players. He was the 31st-highest graded safety in the FBS on overall defense (81.0), a total good for ninth among all Big 12 players.
• ASU’s last line of defense, Alford was sure-handed as well with the nation’s 24th-best tackling grade among safeties (82.1).
• He was credited with just 8 missed tackles this year with a 9.7 missed tackle percentage that was 37th among FBS safeties. Alford was second on the Sun Devils with 85 tackles.

Smart Devils

ASU will compete with 16 young men this season who have already earned their undergraduate degrees:

• Xavion Alford, BA Liberal Studies, 2024
• Coben Bourguet, BSE Engineering Management, 2024
• Ben Coleman, MA Communication, 2024
• Anthonie Cooper, BA Interdisciplinary Studies (Communication/Nutrition and Healthy Living), 2022
• Prince Dorbah, BS Communication, 2024
• Adama Fall, BA Liberal Studies, 2024
• Zyrus Fiaseu, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
• Cameron Harpole, BA Communication, 2025
• Max Iheanachor, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
• Chamon Metayer, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
• Elijah O’Neal, BA Liberal Studies, 2024
• Kyle Scott, BS Psychology, 2025
• Ian Shewell, BS Clinical Exercise Science, 2025
• Jeff Sims, BA Liberal Studies, Graduated SP24 (Nebraska)
• Clayton Smith, BA Liberal Studies, 2025
• Justin Wodtly, BA Liberal Studies, 2025