After suffering a heartbreaking 39-31 double overtime loss to Texas, ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt was emotional about the result and tried to think about what just happened.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Leavitt completed 24-of-46 passes for 222 yards and one interception, as well as rushing 13 times for 60 additional yards in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. He was picked off by the last play of the game.
Becoming a Big 12 champion in his first year since transferring from Michigan State, Leavitt has a lot to be proud of and after the game, he left a hint that he was coming back to Tempe.
“Obviously I have another year, but I am going to go into this next season and not take anything for granted,” Leavitt said at the postgame press conference. “The offseason workouts, the late nights in the facility and everything like that.”
"I am just going to go into this next season and not take anything for granted."
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (@S_leav10) on what he is going to take most out of his first year as a Sun Devil.#ForksUp #CFBPlayoff #HookEm pic.twitter.com/tZ8W38eZI0
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) January 2, 2025
Shortly after the press conference, Leavitt then took to Instagram and posted a reassuring statement to the Sun Devils fanbase that he is staying.
“Love this team!! “We’ll be back believe that,” Leavitt said in an Instagram Story.
On the year, the redshirt freshman threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns from 215-of-350 passing. Owning duel-threat capabilities, he had 110 carries for 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) runs against Texas during the third quarter of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.
Missing his No. 1 receiver Jordyn Tyson since Nov. 30 because of an undisclosed injury, Leavitt developed new connections with whoever he had on offense and found success. He created chemistry with Xavier Guillory, Melquan Stovall, Chamon Metayer and others that got ASU as far as it went this season.
Having star running back Cam Skattebo along with Leavitt and Tyson, the three-headed monster for Arizona State took the program to heights that it could have only imagined after back-to-back 3-9 seasons. Leading Arizona State to an 11-win season, winning the conference title and various awards, and playing in the College Football Playoff, these stars put ASU on the map and sent a warning to the rest of the Big 12 for years to come.
With Skattebo’s collegiate career now over and being NFL-bound soon, Leavitt will have to adjust next year without a Heisman-worthy player by his side. Skattebo finished his final season as a Sun Devil with 1,711 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, made the All-Big 12 first-team, was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week five times and was the first-ever recipient of the Peach Bowl’s Offensive MVP from the losing team. He surpassed Eno Benjamin’s program record for most rushing yards in a single season (1,642).
It will be a tough offseason ahead for everyone involved at Arizona State with the thoughts of “what ifs,” but the raw emotion each person is feeling will only fuel the fire even more to come back stronger next season.
If this was just the beginning of Leavitt’s journey at ASU, the potential is super bright of what he and the team can become.
Jan 1, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) is consoled by quarterback Jeff Sims (6) after a loss against the Texas Longhorns in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, ASU Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
