Ranking 2024 Sam Leavitt Performances: #5 Texas

Sam Leavitt quickly established himself as a star during his tenure as Arizona State's starting quarterback - there is little out there to dispute that notion.

The redshirt freshman started out in a positive yet subdued manner throughout the early stages of the 2024 season - before growing into the star that he is now over the second half of the year.

While Leavitt is entering 2025 with Heisman Trophy talk surrounding him, it's important to revisit the games that changed the trajectory of his career from last season - today ASU on SI takes a look at the showing against Texas in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal matchup.

Let's cut to the chase - Leavitt's raw passing numbers (222 yards, 4.8 yards per attempt, one interception) is far from anything to write home about, but it can be argued that this performance was one of his best all season.

First, he was without star WR Jordyn Tyson - the duo formed an instant rapport and had been taking over the college football world before Tyson suffered a season-ending injury in the final game of the regular season.

The result was Cam Skattebo being the leading receiver on the day - no reliable wideouts made life much harder for Leavitt.

Secondly, the Texas defensive line was in full force from the start of the game. The Sun Devil offensive line is a quality unit, but the discrepancy in size was on full display, and much of Leavitt's work was done from outside of the pocket.

Despite being thrown off rhythm frequently, the gunslinger remained cool and collected - getting more comfortable as the game went along.

Lastly, Leavitt's legs helped extend many drives.

The dual threat ran for 60 yards, including a 28 yard scamper that generated a scoring opportunity for the Sun Devils early in the third quarter. Leavitt's continued determination was a large reason why the game never quite got out of hand - and it's entirely reasonable that Arizona State makes it to the semifinals if Tyson had been able to play, especially since the team was one play away from winning the game as it was.

Read more on Leavitt praising Skattebo ahead of the latter's NFL debut here, and on Leavitt praising Kenny Dillingham's mentaility here.

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