The damper on Arizona State’s 49-7 rout of their in-state rival was the injury to its start sophomore receiver and top pass-catcher Jordyn Tyson, who will be out indefinitely. This week in the Big 12 Championship Game and for the rest of the postseason, redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt will turn to the rest of the Sun Devils receivers to fill the enormous void Tyson left behind.

With receivers like senior Xavier Guillory, graduate Melquan Stovall, and junior tight end Chamon Metayer, Leavitt didn’t convey any apprehension that his teammates would be able to exhibit an effective 'next man up’ mentality.

“I’m not worried one bit,” Leavitt said. “We’re out here today, and everybody’s making plays left and right. I just have to put the ball up there and trust my guys, let them make some plays, and show who they are. We got some guys, so when the ball comes their way, I have nothing but faith in them, and they’ve proved it to me since fall camp and throughout the season.”

Still, Tyson’s absence will no doubt be felt. He and Leavitt have become a top duo not only in the Big 12 but in the country, as Tyson hauled in 7 receptions for 1,101 yards and scoring ten touchdowns. The two weren’t always close but connected on and off the field more and more as the season progressed. Leavitt and Tyson will continue to build their bond by the time Tyson gets healthy again, no matter the outcome of this year.

“Jordyn’s special,” Leavitt expressed. “I thought he was a little prima donna when he first got here, but I was completely wrong. He puts his head down and works really hard, he’s always at the facility, he blocks his *ss off in games, and when the ball comes his way, he makes plays. To see his growth throughout the season, especially with me, has been pretty special.”

The Sun Devils will face Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship game this week, a matchup that senior running back Cam Skattebo is licking his chops at. The Cyclones are ranked 14th in the Big 12 in rushing defense, allowing 173 rushing yards per game. Skattebo won his fifth Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 177 yards and three touchdowns against Arizona and will look to duplicate that performance.

“He plays a little more on the emotional side than me,” Leavitt noted. “He’s a super smart player, tough, physical, and the ball of the team. That’s all the stuff on our wall in the meeting room, and he’s the best example of that for our entire team. He brings the juice to practice and always keeps me on my ‘A’ game, and he never lets me slack.”

On the flip side, Iowa State has the best pass defense in the conference, giving up 156 passing yards per game while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 52% completion rate. Leavitt will be faced with a challenging defense, especially without his top target. His ability to scramble out of the pocket and make plays with his legs will likely play a large role in his success on Saturday.

“They’re really tough,” Leavitt explained. “They’ve been in the system for a while, and they know the ins and outs. Their coach has run the defense for a while, and everybody stems from him. It’s a team that knows where they’re going to be, and they’re going to play downhill and be physical and tough. I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Guillory is one of the leaders of the receiver room and has delivered in key moments down the stretch this year. His 61-yard touchdown against BYU ended up being the winning score, and his 31-yard catch last week against Arizona shut the door on any comeback attempt from the Wildcats after scoring their first touchdown of the game to open the second half.

“When one of our guys goes down, somebody’s gotta step up,” Guillory recognized. “We don’t want to fall off, but we’re all capable of stepping up. We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t, and we’re excited to be able to showcase our abilities. We all have pride in ourselves, and everybody just has to do their part.”

Although he and Leavitt haven’t connected often, whenever they do, it’s been electric. Four of his 17 catches have been for more than 20 yards, and Leavitt will likely look his way often on Saturday. Along with Stovall and Metayer, the trio will be the players that Leavitt will need to perform well if the Sun Devils want any chance of walking away with the trophy in their hands.

“When that ball comes to you, you have to make a play,” Guillory mentioned. “It’s part of the receiver position. Sam has been playing great all year, and he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the country. You just have to wait for your opportunity, it’s something that eventually all receivers have to go through, just being ready when it comes.”

A transfer from Idaho State, Guillory isn’t used to the success the team has had this year. He was part of the 3-9 team from last year, and his three years at Idaho State before that saw the Bengals have a combined record of 4-24. Guillory is certainly taking it all in during his last year in college football, but he also understands the journey is far from over.

“It feels weird playing this late,” Guillory admitted. “I never made the playoffs in the FCS, and I’ve never played into December in my life. It feels awesome to be playing meaningful football around this time of year and playing it with these guys. I would never want to be with another team; it’s an honor to be here.”

After his touchdown against the Wildcats, Guillory’s touchdown celebration was a tribute to his Native American heritage. He put two fingers behind his helmet and shook them while tucking his head into his arm. As a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, Guillory welcomes any opportunity to display his love for not only his tribe but also Native Americans across the country.

“It’s like two feathers in the back of your head and just covering your face like a warrior,” Guillory explained. “It’s kind of like my little warrior dance, a nod to Native Americans all over the country. It’s something I take pride in, and I love getting the chance to represent my tribe and my indigenous people.”

Many players have talked about their faith as Christians over the course of the season, and more players mirrored that this week, wearing “Jesus Won” shirts. Junior safety Xavion Alford wore this shirt after the game on Saturday, but this isn’t the first time people have seen it in college football. Earlier in the year, players from Ohio State wore the same shirt in their team’s colors, a movement that has reached both ends of the country.

“I’m so proud of the guys on the team being open with their faith,” Guillory expressed. “I love football, but it’s not everything. Our faith means a lot more than anything, and it’s something that a lot of the guys on the team are really open about. I think it’s part of the reason why we had a lot of success and we aren’t afraid to express our faith. It’s something that we’re going to continue to do, and I’m really proud of the guys that are open about it and not afraid to show it.”

As a Texas native, sophomore defensive lineman C.J. Fite has the chance to play for a Big 12 Championship in front of a hometown crowd, as do the other 21 players on the roster from Texas. The “Texas to Tempe” connection has reached an all-time high for ASU, and over 22,000 ASU alumni from Texas have the chance to see their alma mater win a conference championship in its inaugural season.

“Growing up, these are the games you watch,” Fite mentioned. “Being able to have this opportunity has been big. These are the games you live for, so we’re just trying to take it day by day, enjoy the process, and do what we’ve been doing every week.”

Traveling from Texas to Tempe was difficult for many players, as moving over 500 miles is obviously difficult. For Fite and many other players, having so many players from the same area brought a familiarity that made the transition much easier and brought many of the players even closer together than they already were.

“There’s a sense of comfort,” Fite commented. “There are people around you from the same place; you share certain cultures and ways of life. It’s good to have that comfort when you’re away from home, so knowing you have so many people like that around you is big.”

For Iowa State’s offense, the Cyclones bring a balanced attack between passing and rushing. Both ranking in the top 10 in the Big 12, the Sun Devils will be tasked with playing both conservatively while also not giving up too much on either side. Fite mentioned that, based on film, the Cyclones bring things to the table that the defense has seen flashes of before in other opponents.

“They’re kind of a mixture between UCF and Kansas State,” Fite noted. “Obviously, we had to change some things up when playing both teams, so we’re just trying to bridge the two games and continue to do what we do and dominate.”

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