Kansas Jayhawks vs. Arizona State Sun Devils Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 5th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Kansas and Arizona State will compete against each other in Tempe, Arizona, both hoping to secure their first Big 12 victory of the season.

This will also be the first time these two teams have faced each other.

The Jayhawks (1-4, 0-2 Big 12) suffered their fourth consecutive loss last Saturday, falling 38-27 to TCU at home.

Arizona State (3-1, 0-1) had a bye week after their 30-22 defeat against Texas Tech on September 21st.

The Sun Devils will play their first Big 12 game in front of their home crowd, facing a Kansas team that has lost all four of their games by a combined 24 points.

The Jayhawks have held a lead in the fourth quarter in three of those losses.

According to Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham, the Jayhawks' turnover margin of minus-0.8, including minus-1.5 on the road, has been a major factor in their struggles.

Kansas coach Lance Leipold expressed his team's disappointment after their difficult start to the season.

Leipold stated, "Why wouldn't you be? I mean, if they're not, you're not a competitor. You put all this time in, we talk about emphasis and things, and we're not making it happen.

He also took responsibility for the team's performance, saying, "It starts with the head coach. I'm not getting it up for this program and for this fan base."

The Jayhawks' strongest aspect is their running game, which ranks third in the Big 12 and 15th nationally with an average of 226.0 rushing yards per game.

Senior Devin Neal leads the team with 86 carries for 513 yards and four touchdowns.

Another experienced back, fourth-year junior Daniel Hishaw Jr., has 38 rushes for 262 yards and three touchdowns.

Arizona State's quarterback Sam Leavitt, a transfer from Michigan State, has completed 65 of 110 passes for 855 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. He has also rushed 39 times for 180 yards and four scores.

PREDICTION

Kansas Jayhawks

Arizona State Sun Devils

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Arizona State Sun Devils Recap OCT 5TH 2024

Sam Leavitt threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left to give Arizona State a 35-31 victory over Kansas in Tempe, Ariz., on Saturday night, also capping a fourth quarter that featured five lead changes.

The Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) won the program's first Big 12 home game over a Kansas team that has lost five straight games overall, with the Jayhawks (1-5, 0-3) holding a fourth-quarter lead in four of those setbacks.

In Saturday's contest, Kansas went ahead 31-28 with 2:04 remaining on Jalon Daniels' 34-yard scoring pass to Quentin Skinner.

Arizona State then drove 75 yards in eight plays, a march punctuated by Leavitt's go-ahead TD pass to Tyson.

Kansas tried a Hail Mary from the Arizona State 49 as time expired, but Daniels' pass was batted down by Xavion Alford in the end zone.

Leavitt completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for 157 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.

Cam Skattebo led an Arizona State rushing attack that totaled 313 yards, racking up 186 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.

Daniels was 18-of-31 passing for 260 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Skinner caught six passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

Kansas was limited to a 20-yard field goal by Tabor Allen, giving it a 17-14 lead, at the end of its first possession of the second half despite having a first-and-goal at the Sun Devils 4 after a targeting penalty.

Arizona State responded on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Skattebo, who lined up in the wildcat formation.

Kansas quickly struck back with a 31-yard touchdown run by Devin Neal with 10:49 remaining in the game, putting the visitors up 24-21.

The third lead change of the frame occurred when Leavitt connected with Tyson on a 31-yard touchdown pass that gave the Sun Devils a 28-24 lead with 6:19 to go.