Arizona State Shocks BYU Despite a Bizarre Coaching Blunder
Arizona State pulled off an upset against BYU on Saturday, but the game featured one of the most baffling coaching sequences in college football history.
The Sun Devils secured the win with a late defensive play, but the final minutes of the game included some of the most puzzling decisions ever seen. Arizona State started strong, with Cameron Skattebo scoring a 3-yard touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. Skattebo continued his dominance in the second quarter, adding a 4-yard touchdown and later breaking free for a 23-yard score, giving the Sun Devils a commanding 21-0 advantage.
BYU finally got on the board before halftime with a 49-yard field goal by Will Ferrin, narrowing the gap to 21-3. In the third quarter, BYU showed signs of life with Keelan Marion’s 10-yard touchdown run, though a failed two-point conversion left them trailing 21-9. Arizona State quickly answered with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Sam Leavitt to Xavier Guillory, extending their lead to 28-9. BYU responded as Jake Retzlaff connected with JoJo Phillips for a 21-yard touchdown and a successful two-point conversion, closing the gap to 28-17.
In the fourth quarter, BYU continued to rally with another touchdown by Marion, this time a 1-yard run. However, a failed two-point conversion kept the score at 28-23. With BYU driving for a potential game-winner, disaster struck. Jake Retzlaff’s pass was intercepted by Javan Robinson, who returned it 64 yards to BYU’s 7-yard line with 1:04 remaining.
What followed were some of the most bizarre coaching decisions in football history. Instead of running the ball or attempting a field goal, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham opted for a baffling strategy. Quarterback Sam Leavitt ran backwards on consecutive downs to waste time, and on 4th down, he threw the ball out of bounds, leaving one second on the clock.
The premature field-storming by fans added to the chaos, as they had to be cleared before the final play. BYU got one last chance but failed to capitalize.
Arizona State could have sealed the game by running straightforward plays or attempting a field goal. Instead, Dillingham’s unorthodox and illogical approach left fans and analysts stunned, solidifying it as one of the strangest moments in college football history. What a disaster.