TEMPE, AZ — Sam Leavitt passed for 258 yards and two touchdowns, while Cam Skattebo and DeCarlos Brooks each rushed for a score, leading Arizona State to a 48-7 victory over Wyoming in their inaugural Big 12 game on Saturday night.
The Sun Devils got off to a fast start with a defensive touchdown just 41 seconds into the game. Zyrus Fiaseu intercepted Wyoming’s Evan Svoboda and ran 29 yards to the end zone. Last season, Arizona State didn’t force a turnover until their fourth game.
“The play call was right and I did my job,” Fiaseu said. “When you do your job and execute, good things happen.”
Svoboda threw another interception less than five minutes later, this time to Keyshaun Elliott, who returned it 18 yards to the Wyoming 42. The Sun Devils capitalized on the favorable field position with a 29-yard field goal, taking a 10-0 lead.
Arizona State, which had a disappointing 3-9 record last season, led 17-0 by the end of the first quarter and 27-0 at halftime.
The Sun Devils outgained the Cowboys 499-118.
“We played hard,” Skattebo said. “That was a different team. You saw it. We felt more comfortable on the sidelines. I got taken out with eight minutes left in the third quarter — that’s a good feeling.”
Leavitt, a transfer from Michigan State, performed well in his first career start, completing 14 of 22 passes. He won the starting job over senior Jeff Sims during preseason camp.
“I didn’t do anything special tonight,” Leavitt said. “Just got the ball to my playmakers and let them make plays with great results.”
Svoboda completed 6 of 15 passes for 42 yards and had the two early interceptions. He also made a poor throw on a lateral that was intercepted by Arizona State’s Justin Wodtly and returned six yards for a touchdown.
It was a tough homecoming for Svoboda, who played high school football about 20 miles from Arizona State’s campus. Wyoming managed just 51 total yards through three quarters.
The Cowboys avoided a shutout when Kaden Anderson connected with Chris Durr for a 3-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left. Wyoming averaged just 2.3 yards per play.
“We’ve got to get a lot better, obviously, as a football team,” said Cowboys coach Jay Sawvel. “Fortunately for us, it counts for one. Even if it feels like it should count as four or five.”
Takeaways
Wyoming: Jay Sawvel’s debut as head coach was a challenging one. He succeeded Craig Bohl, who retired after a decade leading the program. Svoboda’s early mistakes were significant, but the team faced other issues as well. Although it’s only one game, the Cowboys didn’t show they’re ready to compete for a Mountain West title.
Arizona State: The night was promising for the Sun Devils, who were keen to move past last year’s injury-riddled season. Second-year coach Kenny Dillingham appears to have more talent in various positions, but the real test comes next weekend when they face SEC opponent Mississippi State.
