TEMPE -- Arizona State's pursuit of a second consecutive Big 12 championship began with a Saturday night victory over a fellow contender in the Baylor Bears.
The victory can best be summarized by the defense stepping up when the offense wasn't, and the other way around as well.
While the offensive line, Jordyn Tyson, Raleek Brown, and other Sun Devil offensive players deserve mentions for their contributions, the three listed below stood above the rest.
The Texas native became the most unsung hero from this game - perhaps from the entire week as a whole.
Sam Leavitt with a DEEP pass to Derek Eusebio for 61 YARDS @ASUFootball pic.twitter.com/ME4doILUUK
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2025
The sophomore receiver secured a 61-yard reception on a third down with the Sun Devil offense backed up deep in their own territory. He then secured another catch and created two more positive plays via the ground.
Eusebio stepped up when the Sun Devil offense required another player to step up in the downfield game outside of Tyson.
Metayer enjoyed another quality performance in a favorable matchup scenario. The senior frequently served as a chain-mover, whose absence of WR Jalen Moss typically would be when playing.
While Baylor TE Michael Trigg stole the show on Saturday, Metayer secured 55 receiving yards and is now on pace to secure more receiving yards this season compared to his All-Big 12 efforts in 2024.
Leavitt had a difficult time easing into the game for the second time in three weeks.
It's not how one starts, it's how one finishes, however.
Leavitt's incredible fourth quarter righted what went wrong earlier in the game. His big arm, savy decision making, and high-gear athleticism were all on display in late-game scenarios. The execution of the drive that also lead to the game-winning field goal should draw major credit from all angles.
The stage is now set for Leavitt to make a leap back into Heisman Trophy consideration and to put his team in position to reach another College Football Playoff.
Read more on major takeaways from Arizona State's clutch-time victory over Baylor here, and more on why Arizona State fans should be feeling confident about the outlook of the season following the win here.
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