Kenny Dillingham, the Arizona State head coach and alum, celebrated the Sun Devils’ thrilling 27-19 victory over No. 16 Utah with a boisterous crowd of students after the game on Friday night in Tempe, Arizona. Dillingham jumped into the student mosh pit, relishing the moment which marked a significant turnaround for the team’s season.
Arizona State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) has shown impressive progress this year, achieving its best start since 2019 and marking Dillingham’s most substantial victory as head coach, despite a tough outing from starting quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was sidelined for most of the second quarter.
Running back Cam Skattebo delivered an outstanding performance, amassing 158 rushing yards and two touchdowns. In a standout moment during the third quarter, Skattebo showcased his power and agility with a remarkable 50-yard touchdown run, breaking tackles along the way. He solidified the win in the fourth quarter with another impressive 47-yard touchdown dash.
“We beat the No. 16 team in the country,” Skattebo declared, exuding confidence after the game.
Utah (4-2, 1-2) faced challenges as quarterback Cameron Rising returned from a three-game absence due to a finger injury. Rising struggled throughout the game, throwing three interceptions and completing just 16 of 37 passes for 209 yards, hindered by both his finger and a leg injury.
Despite Rising’s return, the Utes could not capitalize on numerous opportunities, succeeding in scoring only one touchdown during seven visits inside Arizona State’s 30-yard line. They were thwarted by turnovers and settled for field goals on multiple trips, further complicating their efforts to secure a win.
Micah Bernard led Utah’s offense, rushing for 129 yards and scoring a touchdown. Utah’s coach Kyle Whittingham emphasized the importance of improving their red zone efficiency to avoid further losses.
Senior linebacker Caleb McCullough had a standout game, notching 12 tackles and two interceptions, including one that sealed the game for Arizona State. Dillingham praised McCullough for his perseverance through challenging seasons with the team.
The takeaway for Arizona State is the potential rise of running back Skattebo as a top player, coupled with their steadily improving defense, which may pave the way for a return to national rankings. Meanwhile, Utah could see a drop from the AP Top 25 rankings after suffering two losses.
Next up, Utah will host TCU next Saturday, while Arizona State travels to Cincinnati for their upcoming game.