Sun Devils Focused On Remaining Unbeaten With First Big 12 Contest Ahead

(Photo: Spencer Barnes/WCSN)

The sentiment around Arizona State Football (3-0) entering week four is apparent to all involved. ASU has flipped a switch. By this time last season, the Sun Devils were still in year one of head coach Kenny Dillingham’s term in charge. They had already lost their starting quarterback to injury, had yet to score 30 points in a single game, and were entering conference play hot off the heels of a shutout loss against Group of Five opponent Fresno State in Week 3. The offense was nearly stagnant.

The team would end the season with three wins and tied for second-to-last in the Pac-12. That season gave the media little trust in the program entering the Big 12 conference in 2024. ASU was picked to finish last in the Preseason Big-12 media poll. Voting members possibly expected a season similar to last in which ASU would struggle offensively out of the gate.

The media was wrong.

For the first time since 2019, ASU football has started a season 3-0 already matching its previous win total from last season. The offense is statistically one of the best in the nation ranking 25th in scoring offense averaging 39 per game. The last time the program scored 30 or over in the three opening games was in 2016.

In year two of the Dillingham era and with Michigan State transfer redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt under center, the focus entering Big 12 play has shifted from catching up in 2023 to staying ahead and unbeaten in 2024.

“Last year obviously they weren’t super successful here as a program,” Leavitt said. “It’s about how can you respond to success. Keep coming to work with the same mental focus and grind every single day is what’s going to make the difference.”

The numbers tell the story themselves about how much better this Sun Devil offense has been compared to last season’s iteration at the same point. After three weeks in 2023, the team averaged 17 points a game and had 287 total rushing yards on the season. This year, ASU owns the aforementioned 25th points per game average fueled by their sixth-ranked rushing attack, averaging north of 293.5 yards on the ground a contest.

Much of the reason for the explosive ground game that is averaging more yards than the previous year’s team could muster in total is senior running back Cameron Skattebo. Skattebo scampered for 262 rushing yards in a 30-23 win against Mississippi State (1-2) in Week 2. It was the school’s first-ever football win against an SEC opponent furthering the signs that this team was up and coming.

A greater indicator of the team’s offensive duality was coming back from a 21-7 deficit in week three against Texas State (2-1) on the road to pull out a 31-28 victory. While Skattebo wasn’t as successful on the ground, only posting 69 rushing yards it was all of Leavitt’s 246 passing yards that made the difference. The partnership between the young quarterback and star running back has blossomed into a deadly duo moving the Sun Devils up and down the field this season.

“He’s a gamer,” Skattebo said. “He plays hard. We trust him to make any throw on the field. He’s going to do his part, I’m going to do my part. We trust each other next to each other. If he doesn’t think he has something open he knows he has me next to him to hand the ball off. He’s got a very bright future.”

Leavitt is a dual-threat on his own, adding 155 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the season to his 573 yards through the air. The offense has run off of the trust developed throughout the team stemming from Leavitt.

“Staying in good situations,” Leavitt said. “Relying on each other and trusting that I’m going to be where I need to be and everyone else is going to be where they need to be.”

Arguably one of the most important partnerships that has fueled the early offensive explosion has been between Leavitt and his center redshirt senior Leif Fautanu. It’s a partnership that, while currently humming, took some development.

“Me and Sam have been on the same page, although we didn’t start on the same page in the spring,” Fautanu said. “Eventually we came around. I feel like Sam has done a great job at leading the offense.” If the offensive line can give him time and if he’s comfortable back there he can make some plays.”

Now the tests begin for undefeated ASU and its flowing offensive attack. The Sun Devils will face their first new conference opponent Texas Tech (2-1) on Saturday. The Red Raiders’ defense has allowed 36.3 points a game so far which bodes well for the ASU attack to continue firing at a high rate in Lubbock. While Leavitt will hope to kick off the ASU Big 12 era with a statement for his offense, the ceremony of it all doesn’t faze him.

Beating Texas Tech and staying undefeated comes first.

“I just view it as another game,” Leavitt said. “After the game is over we can go into all those things. For right now, I’m just focused on our opponent.”