Cam Skattebo and Arizona State have been on an impressive run during their first season in the Big 12, defying expectations after being picked to finish last in the conference.
The Sun Devils punched their ticket to the 12-team College Football Playoff with a dominant 45-19 victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship on Saturday.
Skattebo, known for his tough running style, racked up 170 yards on the ground, including a 28-yard gain on the opening play of the game — setting the tone for the rest of the game. He broke multiple tackles and turned long runs into touchdowns, with one play featuring a short pass that he turned into another score.
“I have the best view in the stadium,” said freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who handed off to Skattebo. “I expect a short gain, but then I watch him weave through defenders and break free.”
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Arizona State (11-2, No. 15 CFP), coached by 34-year-old Kenny Dillingham, enters the playoffs on a six-game win streak.
The Sun Devils are now guaranteed a spot in the playoff as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions and are hopeful of securing one of the top four spots for a first-round bye.
With Big Ten champion Oregon and SEC champion Georgia likely to occupy the top two seeds when the final CFP rankings are revealed on Sunday, Arizona State is expected to be ranked below Mountain West champion Boise State (12-1, No. 10), but could rank higher than the ACC champion after Clemson’s narrow 34-31 win over SMU on Saturday night.
Before the championship game, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark reiterated his belief that the conference’s champion deserves a first-round playoff bye and should not be forced to open the playoffs on the road.
“We set a standard last year with the quarterback situation, and we’re 11-1 with our starting quarterback, we’ve beaten four ranked teams, and we won the Big 12 title,” Dillingham said. “I definitely think we should host a game.”
Iowa State (10-3, No. 16 CFP), which had already secured its first 10-win season in the program’s history, trailed 24-10 at halftime before committing turnovers on its first three possessions of the second half. Arizona State capitalized on these mistakes, with Leavitt throwing touchdown passes on each drive.
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“The turnovers in the third quarter were devastating,” said Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. “We couldn’t protect the ball, and it completely changed the game.”
Xavier Guillory caught touchdown passes of 8 and 21 yards within 71 seconds after the turnovers, and Skattebo later turned a third-down swing pass into a 33-yard score, pushing Arizona State’s lead to 45-10. Afterward, he struck multiple Heisman Trophy poses, reflecting his dominant performance.
“No one recognizes that I’m the best running back in the country, but I’ll keep proving them wrong,” Skattebo said. “Whoever takes me in the NFL will be getting a gem.”
Skattebo’s 2,074 yards from scrimmage (1,568 rushing and 506 receiving) set a new school record for a single season.
In addition to his three-yard touchdown, Skattebo had a 47-yard run, spinning away from defenders at the line of scrimmage and shrugging off others. He also had a 2-yard touchdown just before halftime after a 53-yard run, where he broke tackles and dodged chasing defenders.
“I told you he was an ‘A’ player,” Campbell said. “He stepped up and delivered an ‘A’ performance when it mattered most.”
