Coming into Saturday's game, ASU (7-3, 5-2 Big 12), under head coach Kenny Dillingham, has found itself in one-possession games 18 times in his three years with the Sun Devils. Dillingham and his team are masters of winning one-possession games, and they did it again Saturday against West Virginia (4-7, 2-6 Big 12)  with a 25-23 victory. 

“Some people find ways to win, some people find ways to lose,” Dillingham said. “Some people are quiet and successful versus guys that are loud and successful… There are so many ways to be successful in football and in life… Can you get it done or not? And our guys get it done.”

ASU, again without starting sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt and leading junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, had senior quarterback Jeff Sims in control of the offense, and other wide receivers like senior wide receiver Malik McClain, junior wide receiver Jalen Moss, and sophomore wide receiver Derek Eusebio to step up. 

Going into the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils were up 22-10 over the Mountaineers, but found themselves trailing 23-22 late in the game. 

Sims led ASU into field goal range, and senior kicker Jesus Gomez gave the Sun Devils a go-ahead score with a 49-yard field goal. 

Even with its two leading receivers out, this ASU team plays with and for each other. 

“Everybody had countless reps with each other,” senior linebacker Jordan Crook said. “We had one guy go down, and then another guy came in and he’s had reps with us too.” 

In his first season with the program, Dillingham had four games that were eight points or less, winning only one of those games.

Last season, the Sun Devils flipped the script on those close battles. 

While being in seven games that were decided by seven points or less, ASU won five of them in its historic season, claiming the Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Dillingham and the Sun Devils have played 10 games this year, with seven of them being one-possession games, leading the squad to ring the victory bell five times. 

The most notable of those victories came when the squad upset the then No. 7-ranked Texas Tech. 

The difference between Dillingham's first year and now is the talent he has been able to infuse into the program. Players like Leavitt, Tyson, junior running back Raleek Brown, senior linebacker Keyshaun Elloit, and junior defensive back Keith Abney II have all made huge impacts on the field and in the locker room by bonding guys together. 

Abney had the game-sealing interception against the Mountaineers and was a part of Dillingham's original recruiting class at ASU. The star defensive back has seen the culture change since becoming a Sun Devil and has been the best cornerback for the team this season. 

“We want to recruit smart kids here,” Dillingham said. “Our slogan to win football games is smart, tough, the ball, the team… Keith (Abney) is a guy who is in the Barrett Honors Program, the number one honors program in the country…When it carries over into gameday like that, it just shows you that being smart helps you win football games.”