Arizona State started a new winning streak while knocking Texas Tech from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Sun Devils scored a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining on the clock to defeat the Red Raiders 26-22.
Sam Leavitt completed 28-of-47 passes but none more important than his 27th completion on fourth-and-two to Jordyn Tyson. Tyson hit the gas for a 33 yard gain and gave the Sun Devils new life and a new set of downs with less than a minute to play. Leavitt was confident on the final drive.
“We had done really well with control, passing all game,” said Leavitt. “So going into those two minutes, there wasn’t too much worry there.” The redshirt sophomore carried the ball the final yard for the game-winning score.
The last minute heroics were necessary after the Sun Devils momentarily imploded in the fourth. Timely defense by the Sun Devils kept the Red Raiders out of the end zone early in the quarter. Texas Tech was gifted great field position thanks to a 56 yard kickoff return by J’Koby Williams. Quarterback Will Hammond kept the chains moving with his legs and a few short passes. Once inside the red zone the Sun Devils shut it down.
Hammond and company succeeded on their next possession. The offense strung together a bunch of nickles and a dime to set up the one yard quarterback sneak.
Another set of downs didn’t motivate the Sun Devils offense. Lee Hunter sacked Leavitt for a loss of 8 yards. Special teams compounded the malaise. Coy Eakin put the Red Raiders in scoring position again with a 36 yard punt return to the ASU 12. Hammond’s back shoulder pass to Reggie Virgil gave Texas Tech the lead with two minutes to play.
Red Raiders Head Coach Joey McGuire pointed to his offense being stagnated in the first half. “We just missed on too many opportunities, early we were holding them to field goals, and then we just didn’t counter with any kind of scores,” said McGuire.