Sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt exited the Sun Devils' Oct. 25 matchup against the Cougars twice, failing to return after his second absence in the fourth quarter despite being fully dressed aside from head coach Kenny Dillingham. Leavitt wore a boot on his right leg at practice on Tuesday, signaling the worst for Dillingham’s squad.

Dilligham ruled Leavitt out for Saturday’s 10:00 a.m. game at Iowa State on Tuesday, making way for senior Jeff Sims' second start of the season. Sims started in ASU’s 42-10 loss to Utah on Oct. 11 and completed just 47% of his passes while throwing for 124 yards on a rainy, cold evening in Salt Lake City. The Sun Devils haven’t won a game not started by Leavitt since Nov. 11, 2023, when then-sophomore running back Cameron Skattabo threw a touchdown pass in a 17-7 win over UCLA, and faces a tall task against the team they faced a season ago in the Big 12 Championship. 

Yet, the veteran backup said he’s ready for the challenge.

“I’ve been ready for this moment since I got here,” Sims said. “This is what they brought me back for.” 

Prepared to fill the starting quarterback role at any moment, Sims said he chose to stay at ASU despite having opportunities in the transfer portal to even start elsewhere. 

Out of a likeness for Dillingham and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, Sims said he remained in Temple. 

“They are smart coaches,” Sims said. “I’ve learned a lot from them since I’ve been here.” 

Although Sims had high praise for the situation, the Sun Devils face an uphill battle in Ames, Iowa, as the Cyclones aim to rebound after disastrous consecutive losses to Cincinnati (38-30), Colorado (24-17) and No. 11 BYU (41-27) – all three of these losses coming off a 5-0 start and 39-14 victory over the University of Arizona on Sept. 27. 

Ranked as high as No. 12, head coach Matt Campbell’s team sits at 2-3 in Big 12 play and is unable to afford another conference loss if any aspirations at a trip to AT&T Stadium still exist. 

Junior quarterback Rocco Becht sits third in the Big 12 in yards passing despite the loss of wide receiver duo Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to the 2025 NFL Draft and the Houston Texans. On the flip side, Becht is tied for second with six interceptions and has just 10 passing touchdowns – tied for 10th in the conference with Leavitt. 

As a whole, the Cyclones' offense ranks eighth in the Big 12 in total offense, just ahead of ASU (10th), and sits in the middle of the pack in many offensive stats: ninth in yards rushing (1331), seventh in total yards (3337) and seventh in touchdowns (21). 

On the other side of the football, the Sun Devil defense failed to contain the legs of Houston junior quarterback Conner Weigman, who ran for 111 yards, and senior tight end Tanner Koziol, who caught seven passes for 100 yards and averaged 14 yards a catch. 

Although ASU struggled to contain the ground game a week ago, it ranks second in the conference behind Texas Tech in fewest yards rushing allowed (959) and faces a mediocre ground team in Iowa State on Saturday. 

However, the Sun Devils’ pass defense is susceptible to attack, ranking seventh in yards passing allowed (1718). Despite Becht’s low TD number, the Iowa State offense is fourth in yards passing (2006). With senior defensive back Xavion Alford out once again, ASU faces a tough task to defend the high-flying pass game of its opponent. 

While the loss of Alford on defense is substantial, the status of projected Top 10 pick, junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, remains in the balance. Tyson missed the Houston game due to a hamstring injury, and his status appears to be heading toward a game-time decision. 

With Tyson’s availability in doubt and junior running back Kyson Brown already out, Sims has a limited core of offensive weapons around him, yet Dillingham said he expects those who cannot play to encourage their teammates to step up.  

“We took six guys to media day, four aren’t playing right now…” Dillingham said. “ They still want to be a part of it; they want to be out there.” 

The wide receiver duo of sophomore Jaren Hamilton and senior Malik McClain will have elevated roles come Saturday, while senior tight end Chamon Metayer provides some continuity for Sims. 

Regardless of the weapons around Sims, the Sun Devils’ struggles at special teams are well-documented. 

ASU’s shortcomings on special teams reached a climax this week, as special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Charlie Ragle announced that he’d take a health-related leave from the team on Monday. 

Ragle coached Dillingham at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, and later joined his staff in 2023. 

Dillingham reflected on Monday’s news, as sometimes there are things bigger in life than football.  

“He’s been dealing with some things for quite a few years now, and it’s just come to head,” Dillingham said. “Thoughts and prayers with him and his family, as he tries to get back on track and feel better.”