ARLINGTON, Texas — In a remarkable display, Cam Skattebo amassed 170 rushing yards and reached the end zone twice while also catching a touchdown, leading the 12th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils to a 45-19 victory over 16th-ranked Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday. This victory secures Arizona State a place in the newly expanded College Football Playoff featuring 12 teams.
The Sun Devils (11-2) entered the season as newcomers to the Big 12, and with head coach Kenny Dillingham at the helm, have far exceeded expectations after being predicted to be at the bottom of the conference’s standings. Remarkably, they are now the only Big 12 team in the playoff contention, thanks to an impressive six-game winning streak.
Iowa State (10-3) had already achieved a milestone with its first-ever ten-win season in the program’s 133-year history, but they fell behind 24-10 before making critical mistakes in their own territory during the early moments of the second half. Arizona State swiftly took advantage, with freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt throwing touchdown passes on each of the turnovers.
Xavier Guillory made two quick touchdown receptions within just over a minute, catching passes of 8 and 21 yards, while Skattebo transformed a third-down swing pass into a 33-yard touchdown. By that point, Arizona State had built a commanding 45-10 lead, and Skattebo celebrated with his second Heisman Trophy pose of the day. Leavitt completed 12 of 17 passes for an impressive total of 219 yards.
As one of the highest-ranked conference champions, Arizona State is assured a playoff spot, though they will likely find themselves ranked behind Boise State, the Mountain West champions, which may result in the Sun Devils needing to play an opening round away from home, a sentiment that Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark expressed concern over prior to the championship clash.
Skattebo’s prowess was evident from the start, with an eye-opening 28-yard run on the game’s first play. Despite scoring touchdowns from short yardage (3 and 2 yards), his key contributions included several long runs that helped ignite drives. This season, he has set a new single-season school record with 2,074 total yards from scrimmage, comprised of 1,568 yards rushing and 506 receiving.
His highlight plays included a dazzling 47-yard run where he spun away from defenders and shrugged off further contact, as well as a 53-yard run right before halftime, showcasing his resilience and agility.
Iowa State had a moment of hope when quarterback Rocco Becht threw a touchdown pass in his 17th consecutive game, connecting with Carson Hansen for a 3-yard score that briefly put them on top at 7-3. Becht finished with 21 completions on 35 attempts, totaling 214 yards with two touchdowns.
Despite missing their leading receiver, Jordan Tyson, due to injury, Arizona State still managed to execute several big plays. Leavitt’s opening pass was a 22-yard completion to Melquan Stovall, who later made a crucial 63-yard catch during a fourth-and-1 situation. The Sun Devils recorded six plays exceeding 20 yards in the first half alone, while Iowa State’s longest play during that stretch was only 19 yards. Becht did manage a late 25-yard touchdown pass to one of their 1,000-yard receivers, Jaylin Noel.
Tyson had previously accumulated 624 receiving yards over five games in November but suffered a left arm injury in the season finale against Arizona, causing him to miss the championship game.
Conclusion: Arizona State has claimed its first outright conference title since the Pac-10 championship in 1996, marking a fantastic debut season in the Big 12 after a tough final year in the Pac-12, where they finished 3-9. This eight-win turnaround is a school record, with only Arizona State and Indiana achieving such significant improvements among FBS teams this year. Meanwhile, Iowa State enjoyed its best start since 1938 but encountered challenges through the season, making it back to the Big 12 title game after their previous appearance in 2020.
Next steps for Arizona State involve preparing for the 12-team College Football Playoff, where they will learn their matchup on Sunday. Iowa State, on the other hand, will find out its bowl game destination, with potential options including the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio or the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando.
