Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham speaks with the referee during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024, in Tempe. Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt passed for 246 yards and the Sun Devils’ defense limited Texas State to 24 total yards in the fourth quarter during a 31-28 victory on Thursday in San Marcos, Texas.
Arizona State improved to 3-0 under coach Kenny Dillingham, matching the win total from his first season, when the Sun Devils finished 3-9 in 2023.
Leavitt completed 19 of 30 passes, threw for a touchdown and was intercepted once.
The Sun Devils rallied from a 21-7 deficit with touchdowns on their last two possessions of the first half.
Texas State (2-1) was led by Jordan McCloud, who tossed four touchdown passes while connecting on 29 of 44 attempts for 268 yards with one interception.
With the game tied at 28 with 9:04 left, Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi gave the ball away after a 12-yard run. The fumble was forced by Shamari Simmons and was recovered by the Sun Devils’ Justin Wodtly at the Texas State 23.
Arizona State turned the turnover into a 22-yard field goal by Ian Hershey with 6:31 left.
McCloud was then intercepted by Xavion Alford at the Arizona State 25.
Texas State’s next possession ended with a McCloud incomplete pass on fourth-and-5 at the Bobcats’ 20-yard line with 2:09 left.
Cam Skattebo, who rushed for 62 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, secured the game gaining 9 yards for a first down on third-and-8 at the Texas State 18 with 1:57 left.
The Bobcats got the ball back with one second left at their own 30-yard line, but a lateral play resulted in a lost fumble.
Texas State had 373 yards of total offense entering the fourth quarter. Its fourth-quarter possessions ended with a fumble, an interception a turnover on downs and a fumble.
After Texas State took a two-touchdown lead with 5:16 left in the half, Arizona State went 75 yards on four plays in 1:30, capped by Leavitt’s 52-yard touchdown pass to Jordyn Tyson.
Texas State’s three-and-out resulted in the Sun Devils taking possession at their 43 with 2:38 left to halftime.
Leavitt completed 5 of 6 passes for 44 yards in the drive before scoring on a 7-yard run with six seconds remaining until halftime.
McCloud connected on 5 of 6 pass attempts in a third-quarter possession, finishing with a 44-yard touchdown strike to Jaden Williams to put Texas State ahead 28-21 with 4:18 remaining in the period.
Arizona State answered on its next possession with a 2-yard touchdown run by Skattebo with 2:18 left in the quarter. Leavitt’s 40-yard run helped set up the score.
–Field Level Media