TEMPE, Ariz. — With the south uprights lying on the turf, Arizona State’s fans lingered on the field long after another what-did-we-just-see win. Even for a fan base used to wild finishes during the Sun Devils’ two-year rise, this was astonishing.<\/p>\n
Sam Leavitt<\/a> has a way of doing that to people.<\/p>\n After a 12-point fourth-quarter lead turned into a deficit, Leavitt led Arizona State down the field to set up Raleek Brown<\/a>‘s 1-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds left Saturday, capping a wild 26-22<\/a> win that handed No. 7 Texas Tech its first loss of the season.<\/p>\n “That quarterback changes everything,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “He’s a difference-maker.”<\/p>\n The Sun Devils needed every bit of Leavitt’s late-game magic.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n 2 Related<\/p>\n Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) labored most of the game without starting quarterback Behren Morton<\/a> (knee), finishing with 276 total yards after averaging an FBS-best 558.8 through the first six games.<\/p>\n Will Hammond<\/a> showed his mettle after failing to move Texas Tech’s offense through three quarters, orchestrating two late scoring drives. The freshman scored on a 1-yard run and, after Texas Tech’s defense held, found Reggie Virgil<\/a> on a 12-yard touchdown pass.<\/p>\n Hammond put the Red Raiders up 22-19 by running it in for the 2-point conversion after a holding call on Arizona State on the first attempt.<\/p>\n But the Red Raiders left too much time on the clock for Leavitt and Arizona State.<\/p>\n The reigning Big 12 champion Sun Devils (5-2, 3-1) started the final drive from their 25 with two minutes left and quickly moved down the field. Leavitt completed 5 of 7 passes for 61 yards on the drive — a 33-yarder to Jordyn Tyson<\/a> on a fourth-and-2 was key — and benefited from a pass interference call on Texas Tech’s Brice Pollock<\/a> to set up Brown’s TD run.<\/p>\n “Going into that two-minute [drill], there wasn’t too much worry there,” said Leavitt, who threw for 319 yards and a touchdown after missing last week’s game against Utah because of a foot injury.<\/p>\n There was a little concern at the end when the Red Raiders reached Arizona State’s 28 on their final drive, but Hammond’s desperation heave into the end zone was swatted down.<\/p>\n Texas Tech followed No. 2 Miami, No. 5 Mississippi and No. 10 LSU to become the fourth top-10 team to lose this weekend.<\/p>\n “We’re fixin’ to find out how we face a loss,” McGuire said. “That’s the adversity you’ve got to find out.”<\/p>\n Texas Tech was without defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard<\/a>, who had season-ending ankle surgery this week, and the Sun Devils took advantage by racking up 394 total yards against one of the nation’s best defenses. Arizona State had a hard time finishing drives, settling for four field goals by Jesus Gomez<\/a>, but came through at just the right time — thanks to Leavitt.<\/p>\n “I’ve never been around a guy who just works to win football games as much as he does, and in the biggest moments, he makes the biggest plays,” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said.<\/p>\n