Entering a new conference and competing against better opposition, ASU was given its first taste of defeat in the 2024 season as special teams struggles and penalty troubles saw them fall to Texas Tech 30-22 in the Sun Devils’ Big 12 debut.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Behren Morton completed 24-of-44 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns for Texas Tech (3-1, 1-0 B12). Former ASU tight end Jalin Conyers haunted his old team with a rushing touchdown and Tahj Brooks ran for 117 yards from 27 carries.
Sam Leavitt passed for 282 yards, gave up an interception and scrambled for a touchdown in ASU’s (3-1, 0-1 B12) first loss of the year. Cam Skattebo scored two touchdowns and rushed for 60 yards from 18 carries and obtained an additional 117 receiving yards from eight targets.
Texas Tech capitalized early, ASU punished by penalties
Arizona State was 3-0 coming into Lubbock after they were battle-tested in a gritty 31-28 win over Texas State on Sept. 12.
With the mission to continue its early-season momentum, there is something in the Texas air with the Sun Devils encountering first-half adversity once again when the team returned a little over a week later.
Off of ASU kicker Parker Lewis’ horrid kickoff out of bounds, Texas Tech capitalized on its first drive of the game. After Morton kept pinpointing his wide-open receivers, he connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to Johncarlos Miller II.
Trying to orchestrate a response, Leavitt went out, lost yardage and was picked off by CJ Baskerville on third and 21 at ASU38.
On their very next drive, Texas Tech’s offense carried on the pressure and scored. Looking to his left, Morton found Josh Kelly for a 20-yard reception and Kelly made it 14-0 Red Raiders with another touchdown. Kelly finished with 89 yards from 13 receptions.
The first half was infested with 15 penalties combined from both sides, but half of Arizona State’s eight infractions were self-inflicted. ASU got an unsportsmanlike on a kickoff, defensive lineman Justin Wodtly was charged with an unnecessary facemask penalty on third and 21 and wide receiver Malik McClain was called for illegal touching as he was going out of bounds for a possible first down reception.
Ian Hershey got ASU on the board with a 34-yard field goal to open up the second quarter 1:50 in before Leavitt rushed to his right for a one-yard score, getting the Sun Devils within four, 14-10.
Sun Devils are heating up! Touchdown @ASUFootball ???? pic.twitter.com/AJxfOMGajS
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
Just before halftime, however, Texas Tech kicker Gino Garcia’s 30-yard field goal attempt was good with 11 seconds remaining in the second quarter, heading into the break up 17-10.
Special teams, second-half offensive problems cost Sun Devils
For the past three seasons, Conyers had been one of the faces of the Sun Devils. He had 74 receptions for 846 yards and seven touchdowns at Arizona State before he transferred in the offseason. Having strong ties to the Valley, the Texas native returned to his home state for his fifth year of college football.
With more motivation to have a big game against his former team, Conyers was relatively quiet but was able to make a small impact. On a direct snap, the 6-foot-4, 265-pounder found a pocket of space just ahead of the end zone and exploited the gap, extending the margin to 24-10 Red Raiders.
WildConyers ????
????: @CFBonFOX | #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/9FmsTHBu6t
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) September 21, 2024
Skattebo was just able to stay in bounds for a monstrous 66-yard dash before he was tackled at the TTU3. The running back put an exclamation mark on a three-play drive crashing through the middle of the defense and taking the ball to the house. But to be down eight instead of seven, Hershey’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Texas Tech defensive lineman E’Maurion Banks.
After cleaning up the penalties in the second half, special teams struggles continued throughout the game. Lewis kicked the ball out of bounds for a second right after Hershey’s kick was no good and Texas Tech elected to spot the ball at the 35-yard line for a second time once more.
While ASU’s special teams struggled significantly, Texas Tech’s was spot-on. Garcia and Reese Burkhardt sent two 39-plus-yard field goal kicks through the uprights in the fourth quarter and made it a two-touchdown game, 30-16.
Having time on their side, the Red Raiders strategically ran the clock down and the defense shut down almost everything Arizona State was trying to throw at them in the final quarter. Needing to score if they wanted any chance of getting back into the game, ASU went for it on fourth down multiple times and was stuffed by Texas Tech.
Adding insult to injury, Skattebo took a massive collision to the head after catching a short pass with 3:11 left in the game, leaving ASU worried that one of their stars was severely hurt. He fortunately returned with 2:00 left and scored a 3-yard touchdown 18 seconds later. The Sun Devils went for two with Leavitt scrambling around and misfiring on a pass to Chamon Metayer.
Achieving this win, Texas Tech won its 600th victory in program history and extended its winning streak at home to five consecutive games. The Red Raiders are 14-3 in their last 17 home games.
Next Games
ASU: Home vs. Kansas (1-2, 0-0 B12) | Oct. 5 | Time TBD
Texas Tech: Home vs. Cincinnati (3-1, 1-0 B12) | Sept. 28 | Time TBD
ASU football defensive back Cole Martin will miss rest of 2024 season with hip injury
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
