ASU was forced to overcome formidable adversity on the road against Texas State after conceding a 21-point unanswered run. The Sun Devils did respond in a forceful way outscoring the hosts 24-7 the rest of the contest en route to a resilient 31-28 victory. This game marked the first time since 2019 that ASU boasted a 3-0 start, and the newcomers in this outing played significant roles in every facet of Thursday's game.
(Note: all transfer players, true freshmen, redshirt freshmen regardless of if they played last year, and other players, regardless of class, who redshirted last year are the ones mentioned in this article series)
Offense
Thursday’s showdown in Texas proved to be a major step in redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt’s progression. After throwing for just 69 yards against Mississippi State, the signal caller flourished, completing 19-30 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, he was just as effective scrambling for a touchdown and running for a 40-yard gain in the third quarter, resulting in a subsequent Cam Skattebo touchdown. Leavitt, on the night, had 40 yards on 11 carries and a score, a stat that was skewed by the three sacks that the Bobcats recorded.
Leavitt’s most notable play came when Arizona State was in a 21-7 hole with just five minutes to play in the first half. His 52-yard touchdown to sophomore wideout Jordyn Tyson, coupled with his own seven-yard rushing touchdown in the following drive, equalized the contest just seconds before halftime. In sharp contrast to last week, Leavitt was making the most of his opportunities under the bright lights in his third-ever start at the collegiate level and first-ever start on the road.
“Coming into the game, Coach Dillingham talked about not getting too high or too low,” Leavitt said. “That’s exactly what happened. We responded really well with two quick touchdowns (in the second quarter) that ultimately put us back in the game. All week, we were just harping on that, and we did a great job of being emotionally stable.”
Texas State did, however, do a fantastic job limiting the Sun Devils' rushing game. After putting up 346 yards on the ground last Saturday, ASU managed just 101 rushing yards. USC transfer and sophomore Raleek Brown played his first snaps this season as he was recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in fall camp. Brown’s impact was minimal, rushing twice for just one yard.
Conversely, the passing game saw more than a couple of newcomers outing their imprint on the game. Texas State effectively stacked the box, forcing Leavitt to throw the ball, an approach that ultimately worked well in this road win.
Tyson’s trademark explosiveness playmaker was on full display, leading the team with six receptions and 120 receiving yards, including his 52-yard touchdown reception from Leavitt and multiple big plays in crucial points of the game. As a bona fide deep ball threat, Tyson had a total of three receptions for 20 or more yards, constantly occupying the Texas State secondary and opening opportunities for his teammates.
Tight end Chamon Metayer had his best game in an ASU uniform, hauling in five receptions for 57 yards. The Colorado transfer provided an outlet option for Leavitt when, with consistency, something he’s noted in the past about his importance to the team. Fellow tight end San Diego State transfer and junior Cameron Harpole had a key 17-yard reception to place the Sun Devils on Texas State’s 7-yard line, and a play later, his stout blocking sprung senior running back Cam Skattebo for a touchdown to tie the game in the third quarter.
“My job is to make sure my quarterback feels safe,” Metayer said in a previous interview. “Just being that little dump down for him when he needs me and making sure he’s comfortable with everything.”
Defense
Texas State’s offensive line gave ASU its toughest battle up front thus far, yet the Sun Devil defensive line played better in the second half and set the tone for a period where the Bobcats scored only seven points. Senior and Louisville transfer Jeff Clark ended the night with four total tackles and a quarterback hurry. Junior defensive tackle and Cincinnati transfer Justin Wodtly dived on a fumble from Ismail Mahdi (which was caused by nickel back Shamari Simmions) and recovered the ball deep in Bobcat territory late in the fourth quarter, which led to ASU's field goal drive that was the difference on the scoreboard.
Standout linebacker Keyshaun Elliot continued his remarkable start of the season for the Sun Devils, finishing with 12 total tackles and half a tackle for loss. The New Mexico State transfer had a key play, combning with senior linebacker Caleb McCullough for tackle for a two yard loss that forced a fourth down the hosts were not able to convert. Elliot was naturally celebratory after that play but also suffered a calf cramp as a result. Nonetheless, his high level of performance, which was evident ever since spring practice, has been monumental for this ASU defense.
Some of the most crucial defensive plays on Thursday were produced by defensive backs. New Mexico State transfer and junior safety Myles Rowser paced his team with 13 total tackles. His consistency was immaculate, making multiple stops in every quarter and minimizing numerous big plays with his pursuit and technique. Lady luck was on his side as he came close to a targeting play that would have ejected him, but the officials’ booth ruled in his favor.
USC transfer and sophomore safety Xavion Alford had a significant play with five minutes left in the game, springing high in the air for a well-timed interception on McCloud, who attempted to connect with his receiver on a deep ball on third down, as Alford’s pick was spotted on ASU's 25-yard line. While Alford struggled like the rest of his teammates in the first half, he certainly redeemed himself with that turnover.
“Our standard is getting turnovers,” Alford noted after the game. “So, in the second half, you saw us come out and play our football.”
Special Teams
This group of newcomers had a solid outing on Thursday night. Ohio State placekicker transfer and junior Parker Lewis blasted four of his five kickoffs for touchbacks, and his one kickoff, which was returned 28 yards, ultimately did not end in a scoring drive for Texas State.
True freshman punter Kanyon Floyd composed his best performance as a Sun Devil and recorded a new career high of 56 yards. He sent two punts inside the Bobcats’ 15-yard line during the fourth quarter, leading to a challenging field position for the hosts, who attempted to tilt the scales back in their favor. Floyd averaged 43.4 yards on five punts.
Resilience through adversity has been the staple of this ASU win, and sophomore kicker Ian Hershey exemplified this. A missed 51-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter that was followed by a successful conversion of a 22-yard attempt to give ASU the go-ahead three-point lead, which was also the margin of victory, and the last points scored by either team with 06:29 to play.
Full Newcomer Participation List for Texas State
QB Sam Leavitt
WR Malik McClain
WR Jordyn Tyson
WR Jake Smith
TE Chamon Metayer
TE Cameron Harpole
TE Coleson Arends
TE Douglas Markeston
OL Joey Su’a
OL Ben Coleman
DL Roman Pitre
DL J’Mond Tapp
DL J.P. Deeter
DL Justin Wodtly
DL Jeff Clark
LB Keyshaun Elliott
LB Zyrus Fiaseu
LB Martell Hughes
LB Krew Jackson
LB K’Vion Thunderbird
DB Javan Robinson
DB Rodney Bimage Jr
DB Xavion Alford
DB Myles Rowser
DB Montana Warren
DB Adama Fall
DB Keontez Bradley
DB Kamari Wilson
DB Tony-Luis Nkuba
DB Kyan McDonald
K Parker Lewis
K Ian Hershey
P Kanyon Floyd
Number of games played by Freshmen
LB Martell Hughes - 3 games
P Kanyon Floyd- 3 games
DB Rodney Bimage - 2 games
DB Kyan McDonald - 2 games
RB Jason Brown - 1 game
DB Tony-Luis Nkuba - 1 game
DL Albert Smith – 1 game
Freshmen who haven’t played yet this year
OL Terrell Kim
OL Champ Westbrooks
OL Semisi Tonga
WR Zechariah Sample
TE Jayden Fortier
TE James Giggey
DL Ramar Williams
DL Salesi Manu
DB Plas Johnson
DB Chris Johnson II
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