WACO, TX — The sun was long set over McLane Stadium, but Arizona State’s hopes were burning bright. With 43 yards separating them from a road win over Baylor, senior kicker Jesus Gomez jogged onto the field, the weight of a season’s uncertainties resting on his shoulders. Yet he moved as if the moment were ordinary.
“It was just like another kick,” Gomez said afterward. “I’ve done this many, many times … it’s a team effort.”
And in that moment, the Sun Devils found stability. Something they’d lacked at the kicking position for years. Gomez’s calmness under pressure wasn’t born yesterday. It was honed over five seasons, from double-overtime game-winners at Eastern Michigan to the unforgettable trio of field goals that helped the Eagles upset ASU in 2022. That night inadvertently set in motion a chain of events that would lead to Kenny Dillingham taking over as head coach and ASU eventually claiming a conference title.
Now in Tempe, Gomez had become the linchpin of a special teams unit that had been unreliable for years. When he connected on the walk-off field goal as time expired Saturday night, the kick wasn’t just three points, it was proof that ASU could trust itself in the moments that mattered most.
But the win wasn’t carried by Gomez alone. The Sun Devils’ defense, often overshadowed by flashy offensive stats, stood tall all night. They created three turnovers against Baylor, frustrating one of the conference’s most potent offenses. Adrian “Boogie” Wilson and Zyrus Fiaseu recovered fumbles, while Keith Abney II grabbed an interception that felt like the punctuation mark on a determined defensive statement.
Dillingham praised the effort. “We’ve emphasized the ball, and it’s starting to show up,” he said. “We’re making game-changing plays.”
Offensively, the night began with fits and starts. Sam Leavitt, ASU’s sophomore quarterback, struggled to find rhythm early. But the Sun Devils’ identity revealed itself in crunch time. Trailing 17-16 in the fourth quarter, Leavitt found Derek Eusebio streaking down the middle of the field for a 61-yard completion. Eusebio, a former walk-on, had transformed limited touches into momentum-shifting plays. Moments later, Leavitt connected with Jordyn Tyson for a touchdown and the go-ahead two-point conversion.
“I’ve been underestimated my whole life,” Eusebio said. “Seeing my shot and maximizing it … that means the world.”
Baylor wasn’t done. The Bears answered quickly, tying the game at 24, and setting the stage for one of college football’s most dramatic sequences: a 49-yard drive in less than two minutes, moving from their own 25-yard line into field goal range, aided by a pair of penalties that handed ASU precious yards and time. Then Gomez, standing calm as ever, drilled the 43-yard game-winner.
The victory didn’t just improve ASU to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12. It provided a blueprint for what this team could be: opportunistic, resilient, and willing to trust every member of the roster, from walk-ons to redshirt seniors, from the defense that created turnovers to the kicker who always delivered.
“They’ll remember this moment,” Dillingham said. “They’ll remember this locker room, and that’s what college sports is supposed to be about.”
Next up is undefeated, battle-tested TCU in Tempe. If the Sun Devils approach it with the same composure, grit, and trust in one another that they displayed in Waco, they might just be capable of repeating last season’s magic.
