TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Leavitt threw four touchdowns passes, including a 3-yard strike to Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left, and Arizona State rallied for a thrilling 35-31 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.
The Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) outlasted the Jayhawks in a back-and-forth game that featured six lead changes in the second half. Cam Skattebo ran for a team-high 186 yards, including a crucial 39-yard dash on the game-winning drive.
“Good job by our guys just executing,” Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said. “That was it. We just played the next play. We didn’t get rattled. We just responded.”
Leavitt completed 14 of 24 passes for 157 yards. His consistent play helped the Sun Devils bounce back from their first loss of the season, a 30-22 setback to Texas Tech on Sept. 21.
“It was just back to what we do,” Leavitt said. “The last game we played wasn’t our brand of football, so we got back to that.”
Kansas (1-5, 0-3) has lost five straight, including four by a touchdown or less. Jalon Daniels threw for a season-high 260 yards and two touchdowns. Devin Neal ran for 71 yards and a touchdown.
The teams battled each other along with some record-setting heat in front of a sellout crowd of 54,639 on Saturday. The temperature at kickoff was 107 degrees, which set the mark for the hottest October game in Tempe dating back to 2000.
The Jayhawks didn’t seem fazed by the heat, pushing ahead 31-28 with 2:04 left when Daniels hit Quentin Skinner for his second touchdown catch of the night, this one on a diving completion that went for 34 yards.
But the Jayhawks couldn’t close it out, allowing the Sun Devils to drive eight plays for 75 yards in less than two minutes.
“At the end of the day, our job is to stop the offense,” Kansas defensive end Dean Miller said. “Unfortunately, we came up short. We’ve got to do better as a team and as a unit.”
Leavitt capped the decisive drive by floating the 3-yard touchdown pass to Tyson, who had slipped past a defender. It was Tyson’s second touchdown catch of the night and a proud moment for the sophomore, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.
“It means everything,” Tyson said.
Kansas took a 24-17 lead with 10:49 left in the game when Neal made a nifty cut before running untouched for the 31-yard touchdown.
The Sun Devils went up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter on a direct snap to Skattebo, who ran for the 1-yard touchdown. Leavitt converted on a crucial third-and-18 during the drive, rifling a precise pass over the middle to Tyson.
Arizona State tied the game at 14-all just before halftime when Leavitt threw a short pass Chamon Metayer, who ran 20 yards for the end zone. Kansas was hurt by two penalties over a three-play stretch on cornerback Cobee Bryant, who was flagged for holding and pass interference.
Arizona State’s Keyshaun Elliott and Clayton Smith were ejected in the second half for targeting. The two — who are among the Sun Devils’ best defensive players — must also miss the first half of Friday’s game against No. 18 Utah.
The takeaway
Kansas: It’s another brutal loss for the Jayhawks, who had high expectations entering the season but have just one win midway through the schedule. Kansas was ranked No. 19 in the nation after their season-opening win just five weeks ago.
Arizona State: It’s another galvanizing win for the Sun Devils, who are much improved under coach Kenny Dillingham in Year 2. They’ll have their biggest test of the year on Friday against No. 18 Utah.
Up next
Kansas: Home vs. Houston on Oct. 19.
Arizona State: Host No. 18 Utah on Friday.
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