Utah will battle Arizona State without Sam Leavitt

Arizona State's third availability report for Saturday's contest at Utah confirmed the grim update head coach Kenny Dillingham provided Friday regarding Sam Leavitt's playing status.

Leavitt, who was listed as "doubtful" on Thursday's availability report, was downgraded to "out" less than 24 hours before the Sun Devils and Utes clash at Rice Eccles-Stadium.

It'll be Arizona State's first game without Leavitt under center in nearly a year, snapping a 12-game streak that began after he missed his team's only loss of the 2024 regular season at Cincinnati on Oct. 19.

Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham elaborated on his quarterback's status on Friday while appearing on local radio show Bickley & Marotta, saying Leavitt has been dealing with the undisclosed injury since Arizona State's Sept. 20 contest against Baylor, adding that it would be a "mini-miracle" if Leavitt played Saturday against Utah. Leavitt was able to play the week after sustaining his injury, as he led the Sun Devils to a 17-point comeback win over TCU will going 27-of-39 on pass attempts for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown in the 27-24 victory.

Leavitt has thrown for 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 281 yards and five touchdowns in five games this season. 

Friday's availability report from the Sun Devils validated what Dillingham and his staff probably feared. Arizona State, which also ruled freshman signal-caller Cameron Dyer "out" earlier in the week, will likely turn to sixth-year veteran Jeff Sims, a former Georgia Tech and Nebraska transfer who started in place of Leavitt against Cincinnatti last season.

Utah had the same seven players from Thursday's availability report categorized as "out" for Saturday's game. Notable, two-way standout Jackson Bennee didn't appear on any of the availability reports after sustaining an injury during the Utes' 48-14 win over West Virginia nearly two weeks ago.

Utah Availability Report

Out

• S Rabbit Evans
• S Nate Ritchie
• WR Daidren Zipperer
• TE Hunter Andrews
• DE Paul Fitzgerald
• S Josh Sovereign
• OL Isaiah Garcia

Arizona State Availability Report

Out

• QB Sam Leavitt
• DB Xavion Alford
• DE Albert Smith III
• WR Noble Johnson
• QB Cameron Dyer
• DB Plas Johnson
• LB Zyrus Fiaseu
• OL Doughless Teloma
• DL Ian Shewell
• OL Brent Helton
• DL Zac Swanson
• DL MyKeil Gardner
• OL Desean Bryant Jr.

Questionable

• RB Kyson Brown

Probable

• DL Clayton Smith
• RB Grayson Rigdon
• S Xavier Skowron
• TE Khamari Anderson
• P Kanyon Floyd
• K Jesus Gomez
• DB Montana Warren
• WR Derek Eusebio