Arizona State 35-31 UCF (November 9, 2024) Game Recap

Sam Leavitt threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Jordyn Tyson, and Arizona State beat UCF 35-31 on Saturday.

In a game that featured five lead changes, the Sun Devils (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) took the lead with 4:55 to play after Leavitt completed a 13-yard pass to Tyson.

“It’s an incredible connection right now,” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said. “Sam knew they were one on one in cover. He bought himself some time and then knew there was a one-on-one in the corner, launched him, gave him a jump ball and great work from Jordyn to get it.”

Arizona State played without star running back Cam Skattebo, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

RJ Harvey rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns for UCF (4-6, 2-5). But he was stopped on fourth-and-2 with 3:18 to play and the Knights didn't get the ball back until five seconds left and could only complete a short pass as time expired.

“I felt like our defense was getting a little tired,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. “We put the ball in the hands of our best player and it didn’t work.”

“Another disappointing loss. We didn’t play well enough to win.”

Arizona State scored two touchdowns in a 9-second span late in the first half to take a 21-17 lead at halftime.

The Sun Devils scored on a 4-yard pass from Leavitt to Chamon Metayer with 56 seconds left in the half, cutting the Knights' lead to 17-14.

Tyson rushed for 99 yards on seven catches. Leavitt, a redshirt freshman, was 16 of 25 for 161 yards and ran 11 times for 22 yards.

“People should be excited about the opportunity to build on that, and I’m just glad he’s here,” Dillingham said of Leavitt. “Helps me, makes me look good.”

The kickoff came in the end zone by UCF's Christian Peterson, who did not kneel but attempted to run the play out and was tackled at the 1-yard line. On the next play, LT Welch intercepted Dylan Rizk's pass and returned it 9 yards for a touchdown with 47 seconds left in the half for a four-point lead.

Earlier, the Sun Devils scored when Martell Hughes blocked a punt and Montana Warren returned it 46 yards for a touchdown.

UCF outscored Arizona State 406-260, but five false start penalties and a 46-yard field goal attempt that bounced off the goal post in the fourth quarter helped dash the Knights' hopes.

UCF (4-6, 2-5) dominated time of possession in the first half, controlling the ball for 19 minutes and outrebounding Arizona State 227-103. Rizk was 8 of 8 on the first drive, which completed 13 plays for 75 yards and lasted 7:14. RJ Harvey scored on an 8-yard run.

The Knights' other TD of the first half came when backup quarterback Jacurri Brown ran around left end for 6 yards with 4:56 left in the second quarter.

Skattebo, the senior running back with 1,001 yards rushing this season, was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Harvey entered the week third in the nation with 1,201 rushing yards. Skattebo is seventh.

Kyson Brown filled in for Skattebo on Saturday and caught 18 balls for 73 yards.

Rizk was 24 for 34 for 229 yards. He made his second career start for UCF after winning at home against Arizona last week. Rizk is the fourth quarterback to start for the Knights this season.

The takeaway food

UCF: The Knights must win their final two games to be bowl eligible.

Arizona State: Picked up a few votes in the AP poll last week and will be closer with a narrow win at home.

Next

UCF: Next week off before traveling to West Virginia on November 23rd.

Arizona State: At No. 22 Kansas State on Saturday.

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