ASU’s kicking woes are no more, as the Sun Devils defeat Baylor University on the road Saturday night, 27-24, opening up Big 12 play with a win.
After a revolving door at the kicking position in 2024, ASU made a crucial change, bringing in redshirt senior Jesus Gomez, who hit the game-winning 43-yard field goal.
"I don't think I watched it go through the uprights because I knew it was in," Gomez said per Speak of the Devils. "I just turned and started celebrating."
In the second-ever matchup between the Sun Devils and the Bears, it was a defensive showdown. ASU’s defense held a high-powered Baylor offense to 24 points after the Bears put up 48 and 42 points in their previous two games.
The Sun Devils created three turnovers against Baylor after getting two against Texas State. Redshirt sophomore safety Adrian “Boogie” Wilson and redshirt senior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu recovered a fumble apiece, and junior defensive back Keith Abney II picked up his first interception of the season.
"We preach that every week," Abney said per Speak of the Devils. "Trying to get three plus turnovers every week. This was our first time hitting that goal."
On the offensive side, redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt had a rough first half but finished strong. Through the air, he went 22-32 for 221 yards and a touchdown. Leavitt’s biggest moment came when he drove the Sun Devils 49 yards to set up the winning field goal.
"You want guys who play their best in the biggest moments," head coach Kenny Dillingham said in an interview with Speak of the Devils. "That's it, that's how you win close games. It's not coaching."
On the ground, Leavitt’s legs were strong with 15 rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt junior Raleek Brown led the running backs with 21 rushes for 80 yards.
Redshirt junior Jordyn Tyson had his lowest receiving yards of the season, with seven receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Derek Eusebio had a breakout performance with two receptions for 78 yards, one of which was a huge 61-yard catch to set up Tyson’s touchdown.
"I'll never forget being a walk-on," Eusebio said. "Because, shoot, I've been underestimated my whole life."
Penalties continued to be an issue for the Sun Devils, as they have been all season. The first half saw six penalties for 60 yards, but they cleaned it up in the second half, only committing one for 10 yards.
Both offenses struggled through the first half. Midway through the second quarter, with the score 3-3, Leavitt’s one-yard touchdown run capped off an 83-yard scoring drive to give ASU a 10-3 lead. Baylor tied the game at 10 to end the first half.
Two Sun Devil drives in the second half started within the Bears’ 40-yard line. Both times, they were forced to use Gomez, taking the 16-10 lead.
Baylor took their first lead late in the fourth quarter after a methodical drive from redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson. After only having five receptions for 21 yards late in the fourth, Tyson caught a 19-yard touchdown to put ASU ahead.
Baylor drew both sides even at 24-24 with under two minutes to play, but it was enough time for Leavitt and Gomez to secure the win.
The Sun Devils will return home to take on an undefeated, battle-tested and possibly ranked TCU team on Friday.
"They'll remember this moment," Dillingham said. "They'll remember this locker room, and that's what college sports is supposed to be about."
Edited by Jack McCarthy and Ellis Preston.
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Niall Rosenberg is a lead Sports Reporter at the State Press. He has previously worked with sports teams such as the Rockford Rivets of the Northwoods League. He is in his 2nd semester with the State Press with the chance to cover football and other sports.
