Kenny Dillingham erupted with excitement during an intense post-game interview as he was swept into a jubilant crowd of Arizona State students. The head coach and former player joined in the celebration after the Sun Devils defeated No. 16 Utah 27-19 on Friday night in Tempe, Arizona.
“This is incredible! I was one of these guys!” Dillingham exclaimed while bouncing along with the students, reflecting on his team’s remarkable performance.
After a challenging first season marred by injuries and a disappointing 3-9 record, Dillingham’s squad is making significant strides in the Big 12. Arizona State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) is enjoying its best start since 2019 and celebrated its largest victory under Dillingham, despite losing quarterback Sam Leavitt for a significant portion of the game.
Key to their success was running back Cam Skattebo, who delivered an outstanding performance, rushing for 158 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Skattebo’s 50-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, which featured him breaking multiple tackles, was a highlight, as was his 47-yard touchdown dash in the fourth quarter that pushed the lead further out of reach.
“We beat the No. 16 team in the country,” Skattebo declared confidently, “Who says we can’t beat anybody else?”
Utah (4-2, 1-2) struggled to find momentum during quarterback Cameron Rising’s return after missing three games due to a finger injury. Rising faced difficulties throughout the game, throwing three interceptions and completing just 16 of 37 passes for 209 yards.
“The guys were getting open, but I just couldn’t get the ball to them accurately,” Rising explained. “It was tough to move the ball the way we wanted.”
The Utes missed several opportunities, managing only one touchdown on seven trips into Arizona State’s territory. Rising’s struggles were compounded by a critical interception at the Arizona State 9-yard line and an inability to convert four crucial drives into touchdowns, resulting in them settling for field goals.
Micah Bernard led Utah’s offense with an impressive 129 yards rushing and a touchdown. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “If we continue to struggle in the red zone, we may not win another game.”
Senior linebacker Caleb McCullough enjoyed a standout performance for Arizona State, recording 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and two interceptions, one of which secured the victory in the fourth quarter. Dillingham praised McCullough’s perseverance through challenging seasons, noting the significance of his contributions.
With Skattebo’s rising profile as a versatile running back and a defense that appears strengthened, Arizona State could be on track to earn a ranking for the first time since 2021, while Utah may fall out of the AP Top 25 following its second consecutive defeat.
Looking ahead, Utah will host TCU next Saturday, while Arizona State will travel to face Cincinnati.