TEMPE, Ariz. — Kenny Dillingham entered the media room Saturday night just as two Arizona State players answered their final questions. The third-year head coach set his stat sheet on the table, removed his cap and sat down. He wiped his brow and exhaled.
Life in the Big 12 is a walk on the tight rope, leaning this way and that, trying to maintain balance, one small step at a time. On Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium, the No. 24 Sun Devils slipped, losing their first home game since the end of the 2023 season, a streak of 10 reset back to zero.
Houston’s impressive 24-16 win might have cemented its status as a legit conference contender, which, having traveled this journey a year ago, even Arizona State fans had to appreciate. Last season, no one expected much of the Sun Devils, and they finished as Big 12 champs. This season, no one expected much of the Cougars. Yet they keep winning.
Truth is, Arizona State (5-3, 3-2 in the Big 12) has wobbled for much of this season. Despite returning four starters on the offensive line, the Sun Devils have struggled with protection. Despite having an elite quarterback in Sam Leavitt, they are terrible in the red zone. Making matters worse: Another hurdle — or injury — seems to surface every week.
On Saturday, the Sun Devils played without standout wide receiver Jordyn Tyson because of a hamstring injury. They also twice lost Leavitt to health mishaps. The quarterback returned after the first following a brief trip to the locker room. He did not return after the second. Leavitt and Tyson’s status for next week’s trip to Iowa State remains unclear.
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman rushed for 111 yards, to go with 201 through the air, and accounted for all three Cougars touchdowns in the win. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
At the postgame news conference, Dillingham did not shortchange Tyson’s absence. Had the Sun Devils had Tyson, he said, they might have survived their mistakes. Without him, they had little chance. “You got to look at the facts,” Dillingham said before rattling off a laundry list of miscues against Houston.
“We lost the turnover battle,” he said. “We had too many penalties. We lost field position and couldn’t stop the plus-one run game. Those have nothing to do with Jordyn.”
Dillingham feared this. He had talked this week about the challenges of playing after an emotional win. On Oct. 18, the Sun Devils, coming off a blowout loss at Utah, regrouped and defeated then-No. 7 Texas Tech. Fans rushed the field, which earned Arizona State a $50,000 fine from the conference. Sign of the times: Athletic director Graham Rossini suggested during a recent radio interview that Arizona State, a repeat field-storm offender last season, had budgeted for such a thing.
But Houston was not to be overlooked, Dillingham kept saying. Good football teams win games. The Cougars (7-1, 4-1 in the Big 12) had lost only to Texas Tech, a game in which three turnovers contributed significantly to the 35-11 result. Saturday’s game in the desert proved as much. And it showcased just how vulnerable Arizona State has become.
The Sun Devils missed two field goals, from 31 and 42 yards, one the result of a bad snap. They had a touchdown nullified because of an illegal shift penalty. They failed to slow Houston quarterback Conner Weigman, who rushed for 111 yards. They trailed 24-0 after three quarters.
Leavitt (18 of 35 for 270 yards and a touchdown) rallied Arizona State briefly in the fourth quarter. He threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Harpole to pull the Sun Devils within 24-6. After a Houston punt, Leavitt engineered a 50-yard drive that led to a Jesus Gomez 47-yard field goal. But during that possession, Leavitt hurt himself. He did not return for the game’s final seven minutes. Overall, Arizona State produced 426 yards but had little to show for it.
“Any loss sucks, especially at home,” Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott said.
Dillingham called Leavitt’s first injury a “scare,” but said the second would require additional examination. He declined to discuss the nature of the injuries. Backup Jeff Sims finished Saturday’s game and threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Chamon Metayer. With two minutes left, Arizona State took possession with a chance to tie but could not secure a first down.
Recently, Dillingham had discussed how quickly perception changes in this sport. How a team can go from the castle to the outhouse overnight. “There’s no middle ground,” Dillingham said. “There’s no such thing as average or good. You’re either great or you’re horrible.”
He’s not wrong, but that’s the price of expectations. It’s what he and the Sun Devils have created. The positive view: Dillingham reminded his players that they had the same 3-2 conference record last season at this time. From there, they won six in a row to advance to the College Football Playoff. The negative: A streak like that would require balance, health and consistency. Arizona State may not be capable.
“It’s funny how you can get lost in this whole thing,” Dillingham said. “We just got to go get better. Everybody’s got to look themselves in the mirror — coaches, players, everybody — and we got to go improve. That’s all you can do.”