Sun Devil Football Postgame Notes - Kansas

THE AN ASU VICTORY...

• Ends ASU’s five-game losing streak after a bye week dating back to 2019 (the 2020 “bye week” was a month off while ASU dealt with COVID issues). ASU had two bye weekends in 2019 as well, losing after the second but winning the first game after the first. ASU is 2-9 in its last 11 games following a bye week.
• Is the first Big 12 Conference win and continues a trend of ASU performing well in its first HOME conference game of the season after the program went 27-17-1 in such games in the Pac-12 Era.
• Pushes the Sun Devils to a 4-1 start for just the 4th time since 2015.
• Gets Arizona State off to a 3-0 start at home for the first time since 2018.
• Gives ASU the first victory in the series with the Jayhawks.

QUICK HITS

• Jordyn Tyson hauled in two touchdowns in the passing game, enjoying a breakout performance. The last time an ASU player caught 2+ touchdowns was Jalin Conyers v. Colorado (3 Touchdowns) on Oct. 29, 2022. You have to go a little further back to find the last time a wide receiver accomplished the feat (Elijhah Badger, Oct. 8, 2022).
• Arizona State went 6-for-6 on third down conversions in the second half after going 0-for-4 in the first half.
• The Sun Devils are outscoring opponents 42-3 in the “middle eight” of games (final four minutes of 2nd quarter and first four minutes of the 3rd quarter), including a 7-0 advantage today.
• Kansas came into the game 15th in the nation averaging 224.4 yards per game on the ground. ASU held them to only 151 yards per game, 73 yards under their average.
• After putting together a seven play 75-yard scoring drive to open the game, the Sun Devils have now scored on the opening drive in four of first five games. It was also the first time Kansas has allowed a touchdown on an opening drive this season.
• A season-high 54,639 fans attended the game at Mountain America Stadium. It is the largest crowd since 59,385 fans attended the 2017 game against Arizona.

SAM I AM

• Sun Devil quarterback stepped up and delivered arguably his best performance so far this season.
• He finished with 157 passing yards and four touchdowns while adding a career-best 77 rushing yards on carries. 
• Sam Leavitt is the first ASU Quarterback to throw 4 Touchdowns in a game since Joey Yellen did so against vs. USC on Nov. 9, 2019.
  • Leavitt went 14-of-24, completing 50%+ of his passes for the fifth straight game.
• Leavitt’s four touchdowns mark the first time Kansas has allowed four passing touchdowns in a game since Brock Purdy of Iowa State on Oct. 2, 2021. 

STAYING BALANCED

• Tonight marks the first time the Sun Devils have ran for 300+ yards and threw for 4+ touchdowns in a game since Oct. 29, 2015 against Oregon.
  • It's also the first time since Sept. 30, 2023 that Kansas has allowed 300+ rushing yards. No. 3 Texas ran for 336 yards.

BELL COW

• Sun Devil running back Cam Skattebo was excellent once again, coming through for ASU when they needed him the most.
• He ran for 182 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, averaging over 7.2 yards per rush.
• He now has 15 total 100+ rushing yard performances in his career, with five coming at Arizona State.

CAM SKATTEBO SUN DEVIL 100-YARD RUSHING TILTS 
262 vs. Mississippi State, Sept. 7, 2024 (33 carries)
182 vs. Kansas, Oct. 5, 2024 (25 carries/1 TD)
121 vs. Washington State, Oct. 28, 2023 (11 carries/1 TD)
111 vs. USC, Sept. 23, 2023 (20 carries/1 TD)
108 vs. Arizona, Nov. 25, 2023 (17 carries/1 TD)

• Skattebo came into the game 9th among all active FBS AND FCS running backs in career rushing yards and now has 3,296 in his career.
• He now has eight games with 100+ all-purpose yards since arriving in Tempe prior to last year. 

GROUND AND POUND

• Arizona State had 313 yards rushing, eclipsing the 300-yard mark on the ground for the second time this season.
  • The last time ASU had two games of 300-yards rushing or more in a season was back in 2012 (vs. NAU & vs. Navy). 
• ASU had 50 or more rushing yards in each quarter and saved their most for the fourth quarter, gaining 116 yards on the ground.

SPECIAL TEAMS STEPS UP

• Kanyon Floyd became the first Sun Devil punter to complete a pass since Matt Haack had a 29-yard completion against Washington State on Nov. 7, 2015.
• Floyd also had two punts which both yielded 45+ yards and pinned Kansas inside their 15-yard line.
• Melquan Stovall matched a career-high with a 36-yard punt return at the end of the first half to set up a touchdown drive.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Running back Cam Skattebo is 10 receiving yards away from reaching 1,000 receiving yards in his career (currently at 990)
• Skattebo has now played in 41 games during his collegiate career
• Wide receiver Xavier Guillory is 259 receiving yards away from reaching 2,000 receiving yards in his career (currently at 1,741)
• Wide receiver Melquan Stovall is 58 receiving yards away from reaching 1,500 receiving yards in his career (currently at 1,442). Stovall appeared in his 50th career game tonight. He is 5 catches away from reaching 150 for his career (currently at 145)
• Linebacker Caleb McCullough is 4 games played away from appearing in 40 games in his career, all in an ASU uniform (currently at 36)
• Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott needs 26 tackles to reach 200 for his career (currently at 174)
• Defensive back Shamari Simmons reached 200 career tackles thanks to his seven-tackle performance against Texas Tech and now has 211 after adding eight more tonight.
• Simmons needs 2 more pass defenses to reach 30 passes defended in his career (currently at 28)
• Defensive back Myles Rowser went over the 150-career tackle mark after accounting for nine against Texas Tech and now has 157 after adding three more tonight.

HALL OF FAME WEEKEND 

• The Sun Devil 2024 Hall of Fame class was celebrated this weekend as seven individuals whose storied ASU careers have had a long lasting impact on the department were recognized at halftime.
• Within the class are five student-athletes from men’s diving, women’s track and field, softball, women’s golf and football, plus one former three-sport athlete and one head coach who is headed to the school’s Hall of Distinction.
• The 2024 inductees are Micky Benedetti, diving; Valerye Boyer-Wells, women’s track and field; Katelyn Boyd, softball; Roger Detter, baseball, men’s basketball and track & field ; Azahara Munoz, women’s golf; John Spini, Hall of Distinction, gymnastics and Will Sutton, football.