Kanye Udoh and Raleek Brown spearhead a stout ground attack in loss

Saturday’s matchup against Mississippi State was meant to be junior running back Kyson Brown’s night. The Bulldogs play in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, just over an hour from Brown’s hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi—and all week, that hometown storyline dominated the narrative.

“I probably had the whole city of Tupelo coming,” Brown said Tuesday when asked about the family and friends headed to the game. Facing his hometown team added extra weight. “That’s a little chip on my shoulder for sure,” he admitted.

But just after his second rush—a six-yard gain—Brown limped off the field, raising immediate questions about ASU’s offense in a game they desperately needed him. A lower-leg injury would end his day, leaving a glaring void, especially with sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt struggling through the first quarter with just four passing yards.

Enter junior running back Kanye Udoh, ready to seize the moment and make it his night.

With just two carries in week one, No. 10 ASU (1-1) suddenly turned to him to ignite an offense desperate for momentum. Udoh delivered, carving out 40 yards in the first half and setting the tone for the second. The Sun Devils leaned heavily on the ground game, highlighted by an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the half—capped, of course, by Udoh. Raleek Brown answered in kind, and together the pair ground out 186 second-half rushing yards, powering ASU to a 20-17 lead. By the game’s end, Udoh and Raleek Brown had combined for 215 yards on 41 carries, a heroic and relentless effort in a 24-20 loss to Mississippi State (2-0).

Last week, after their win against NAU, head coach Kenny Dillingham noted that despite just two carries from Udoh, he liked what he saw and was excited about ASU’s running back trio—not just the duo of the two Browns. Udoh capped his first game with a 21-yard gain, and on Saturday against Mississippi State, he started with another explosive 21-yard burst—one that had offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo thinking, this guy needs the ball more.

“That was huge. He did an unbelievable job,” Dillingham said. “He ran by his pad level. Our offensive line did a good job running the football.” 

As the first half wore on, opportunities began to pile up for Udoh—but ASU struggled to find an identity. Leavitt managed just 30 passing yards and looked flustered, leaving Udoh as the lone spark trying to pull the Sun Devils out of a 17-3 hole. One thing was clear: running the ball with Udoh was working—and for now, it was about all that was.

Udoh would finish with 105 yards on 23 carries, proving he was Arroyo’s go-to back in short-yardage situations and beyond. From just two carries in week one to 23 in this game, Udoh had no problem embracing the bell-cow role and carrying the Sun Devils’ offense when it mattered most.

“I feel like we had to run the ball to open up the offense,” Raleek Brown said. “So that was our game plan for the second half: just to run the ball and get downhill.”

And that plan came to life immediately. Coming out of the tunnel, ASU was a different team—focused, physical, and committed to grinding out every yard on the ground. 

In eight consecutive plays, the Sun Devils ran the ball each time. Udoh gained 28 yards, Raleek Brown added 26, and Leavitt chipped in 21 on the ground. Four straight runs up the middle went for double digits, and Udoh finished the series by punching in ASU’s first touchdown, bringing the team within striking distance, a dramatic turnaround for a squad blanked in the first half and now armed with a clear blueprint for moving forward.

“I just tried to take advantage of my opportunity and do what I can to help this team win,” Udoh said. “Raleek did the same thing. So, it wasn’t just me out there.”

But what started as Udoh’s game to open the running attack quickly became Raleek Brown’s showcase. After a slow first half with just 14 rushing yards, Raleek Brown followed Udoh’s success with bigger, harder, downhill runs, using sharper cuts as the offensive line and tight ends opened holes. Play after play, he did what he does best—turning momentum into explosive, game-changing gains.

Raleek Brown finished with 110 yards on 18 carries, but for much of the game, he was chasing Udoh’s numbers. Then came ASU’s 17-play, eight-minute drive in the fourth quarter. After the Sun Devils tied the game 17-17 to open the quarter, thanks to the punishing run game setting up a connection between Leavitt and junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson for a touchdown, ASU faced the daunting challenge of starting their next drive at their own five-yard line.

Determined to claw out of their own end zone, ASU continued to lean on the ground game, pounding the ball on ten straight carries to open the drive. Udoh exploded for two 10+ yard gains, while Raleek Brown steadily churned out yard after yard. Then, after a seven-yard pickup to the MSU 26, Raleek Brown burst free for a 26-yard sprint to the three-yard line—just shy of a potential dagger, but perfectly positioning ASU within striking distance.

Fifteen of the drive’s sixteen plays were runs, yet after three more carries from Udoh stalled the backfield, ASU had to settle for a field goal. In their defining moments, they leaned on what had worked all day, but MSU’s defense held firm, stopping Udoh and limiting ASU to just three points.

“I just couldn’t punch it in,” Udoh said. “Tried breaking a tackle. Then just two more people came. I just wasn’t able to get that final push. Just is what it is.”

Udoh and Raleek Brown traded blows all game, and Leavitt’s 82 passing yards came almost entirely because MSU had to respect the run—every attempt to pass was quickly met with a swarm of defenders.

The two running backs dragged ASU back from a 17-0 deficit, keeping the team within striking distance at every turn. In the end, a field goal decision and a blown coverage that allowed MSU to score were the only things standing between the Sun Devils and a remarkable comeback.

“We can’t start slow,” Raleek Brown said. “I think on a lot of good teams, and I think like what we did today—how we responded in that second half—that’s what great teams do. So, I’m excited for what we do moving forward.”