Skip to main content
Join Now
Get a profile. Be recruited.

Emotional Kenny Dillingham takes off during postgame interview following upset of Texas Tech

Danby: Daniel Hager13 hours agoDanielHagerOn3
Emotional-Kenny-Dillingham-takes-off-during-postgame-interview-following-upset-of-Texas-Tech
via FOX

Arizona State bounced back strong from its blowout loss to Utah last week with an exciting 26-22 win over No. 7 Texas Tech in Tempe Saturday night. The loss marks Texas Tech‘s first of the season (6-1), while the Sun Devils improved to 5-2. It is ASU’s 16th win over a Top-10 team in program history.

Following the win, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham (who was visibly emotional) took off from his pregame interview to celebrate with the fans that rushed the field. Since Dillingham took over in 2023, the Sun Devils are 19-14 (12-10) with an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff.

It’s been an interesting season for ASU, who have now won two games against ranked opponents (No. 7 Arizona State and No. 24 TCU) and lost two games to unranked opponents (Mississippi State and Utah) this year.

Arizona State blew late lead, but scored late to cement the upset victory

Arizona State jumped out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to field goals (34 yards and 47 yards) from kicker Jesus Gomez, but fell behind 7-6 after Hammond found wide receiver Coy Eakinfor a 30-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.

Following this Red Raider score, Arizona State would dominate the majority of the next two quarters. Gomez drilled his third field goal of the game to give the Sun Devils a 9-7 lead heading into the break, and then quarterback Sam Leavitt hit star receiver Jordyn Tyson for a two-yard score to strengthen the lead to 16-7 midway through the third.

Saturday’s game marked a return to form for Leavitt, who missed the previous game. Clinging to a 16-7 lead, he once again led the Devils down the field and allowed Gomez to make his fourth field goal of the game (from 28 yards out) to make it a 19-7 game.

However, disaster then struck for Kenny Dillingham‘s team. Staring at its first loss of the season, Texas Tech buckled in for an 11-play, 48-yard drive capped off by a Hammond one-yard rushing score with 3:46 remaining to cut into the deficit. The Red Raider defense then forced a three-and-out and enjoyed a 36-yard punt return from Eakin to put Texas Tech‘s offense at the ASU 12-yard-line.

One play later, Hammond found receiver Reggie Virgil in the end zone for a 12-yard score to miraculously take a late 22-19 lead. For a second it looked like Texas Tech would complete the comeback, but it gave Leavitt and his offense too much time.

The Sun Devils got the ball back with two minutes remaining trailing by three and began their drive right down the field. Staring at a 4th & 2 on their own 45-yard-line, Leavitt hit his star receiver Jordyn Tyson in stride for a momentous 33-yard reception with 55 seconds remaining. This put them in position to tie or take the lead, but they went for the lead.

Leavitt dropped back and attempted to hit to find Tyson in the back of the end zone, but he drew a pass interference and brought the ball to the two-yard line. This allowed running back Raleek Brown to find pay dirt from one yard out, putting ASU back on top for good.