LUBBOCK, Texas – After the game’s opening drive, it appeared Arizona State had the early momentum against No. 10 Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon.

The Sun Devils’ defense came up with a massive fumble recovery in the red zone that halted a 13-play, 73-yard Red Raiders drive after junior running back J’Koby Williams lost the ball approaching the goal line. 

However, that momentum was short-lived. 

Following a 15-yard rush by senior running back Kyson Brown, junior quarterback Cutter Boley threw a pick-six to Texas Tech fifth-year linebacker Ben Roberts on ASU’s third play from scrimmage and first pass attempt. 

This marked the beginning of a nightmare game for Boley and ASU. 

On the next drive, following a Texas Tech touchdown, the Sun Devils turned the ball over on fourth down in their own territory after losing a yard on fourth-and-1. 

The Red Raiders scored touchdowns on their next two drives, extending their lead to 21-point lead in the first quarter. 

ASU (3-2, 1-2 Big 12) showed flashes of offense, but Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) put the Sun Devils’ comeback hopes quickly to rest en route to a 53-25 victory Saturday, Oct. 17, at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Boley’s poor play highlighted the defeat, with sixth-year Mikey Keene taking over in the second half. 

Head coach Kenny Dillingham said big mistakes put the Sun Devils in an early hole they couldn't climb out of. 

“Plays in a game that could drastically change it, we were on the wrong side of all of them early in the game,” Dillingham said. 

Boley's early interception came on a pass intended for senior wide receiver Reed Harris. Harris had separation from Roberts, but Boley left the pass behind him for an easy pick.

“We can’t throw a pick six in that situation,” Dillingham said. 

Aside from a 74-yard touchdown reception by Harris late in the first quarter, Boley struggled mightily throughout the first half and was benched at halftime in favor of Keene. 

Dillingham said the quarterback change came in response to the score.  

“You’ve got to change something (when you’re down 30),” Dillingham said. 

Boley had another interception at the end of the first half that led to his benching. 

With 16 seconds left, senior linebacker John Curry intercepted Boley at the ASU 44-yard line and returned it to the 28.

This set up the Red Raiders for a field goal at the end of the half, after it looked like the Sun Devils would have the last possession and a chance to add points. 

The swing led Texas Tech to a 43-10 halftime lead, putting ASU in the rearview mirror before it even had a chance to regroup in the locker room. 

Keene said the team played with no pride in the first half. 

“(Football is) a will-to and a pride that you have to take in everything you do, and we didn’t do that in the first half,” Keene said. 

The mistakes have been piling up for Boley over ASU’s last three games, and Dillingham had seen enough by halftime Saturday. 

Apart from the 74-yard touchdown reception, Boley was 4-for-9 for 50 yards and two interceptions in the first half. 

Boley now has five interceptions on the season, including several ugly ones. 

In relief of Boley, Keene moved the ball effectively at times in the second half, finishing 25-for-34 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. 

“There was a spark there when he went in the football game,” Dillingham said. “We moved the football; we were efficient.” 

ASU’s offensive line was another major factor in the team’s inability to move the ball, with both pass and run blocking struggling against the Red Raiders' front seven.

Ultimately, Texas Tech recorded six sacks between the Sun Devils’ two quarterbacks. 

The offensive line also struggled to create holes for ASU’s running backs, allowing nine tackles for a loss. 

The Sun Devils’ three different running backs combined for just 95 yards on 20 carries, while the quarterbacks ended with a combined negative 60 yards rushing. 

Dillingham said personal changes might be necessary moving forward.

“We’ve got to figure out which players are the guys that continually make plays, and, if we have to shake things up, we may have to shake things up,” Dillingham said. 

Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo took over the playcalling duties from Dillingham a week ago against Hawaii but hasn’t had much more success. 

ASU looked sloppy against a weaker opponent last week in Hawaii then couldn’t get anything going Saturday.

As much as the offense has struggled, the defense wasn’t any better in West Texas.

The Red Raiders scored 53 points, more than they scored against Group of Six Sam Houston in September. 

The Sun Devils struggled to tackle all day and allowed Texas Tech to control the game on the ground. An early-game missed tackle on a fourth-and-1 allowed the Red Raiders to convert and eventually score. 

Dillingham emphasized the importance of these missed tackles. 

“When you have a fourth-and-1, and they’re in the backfield, we have to finish,” Dillingham said. “At the end of the day, we couldn’t tackle them in the first half.” 

Dillingham said he didn’t expect tackling to be a problem for the defense on Saturday after a great week of practice. 

Williams led the rushing attack for Texas Tech with 165 yards on 11 carries. Overall, ASU surrendered 260 yards on the ground to seven different rushers. 

Junior quarterback Will Hammond was efficient, completing 18-of-26 passes for 232 yards. 

The fumble recovery on Texas Tech’s first drive was the Sun Devils’ only takeaway in the game. 

Texas Tech fifth-year quarterback Thomas Castellanos even entered the game in the fourth quarter just a day after a Kentucky judge granted an injunction making him immediately eligible. 

As the clock wound down and the Red Raiders held a sizeable lead, the offense got creative with Castellanos lining up as a receiver and fifth-year tight end Terrance Carter Jr. taking a direct snap into the end zone for a touchdown. 

Castellanos threw only two passes but showcased the athleticism he brings to the Texas Tech quarterback room by salvaging a broken play and picking up an 18-yard gain on the ground late in the game. 

Overall, it was another disappointment in a series of lackluster performances for ASU. 

Dillingham and his staff must turn things around quickly if they’re going to have a chance to compete in the Big 12. 

Dillingham was blunt about the dire situation ASU finds itself in. 

“There’s nobody magically going to come save us,” Dillingham said.

While Dillingham took much of the responsibility on behalf of the coaching staff, Keene said it’s on the players, not the coaches. 

“We’ve got a lot of leadership on this team that needs to step up in a big way, so that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” Keene said.