The Cowboys could potentially go up against the Sun Devils’ first-choice player this weekend.
Arizona State may find its first-string quarterback in Stillwater.
On Monday, ASU coach Kenny Dillingham revealed that quarterback Sam Leavitt has been given the green light to play and is expected to be ready for Saturday’s match against Oklahoma State. This would mark Leavitt’s initial move following his departure from the Sun Devil’s victory over Utah on October 11 due to a rib injury.
This year, the new quarterback has played a key role in his team’s achievements. Leavitt has passed for 1,166 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions in six games, with a 59.2% pass completion rate.
Even though Leavitt’s passing statistics may not be impressive at first glance, his consistent performance has contributed to creating more opportunities for the running game at ASU. This season, Leavitt has rushed 55 times for 279 yards and scored four touchdowns.
Although OSU’s defense has struggled with the quarterback run, Leavitt is not the most threatening rushing option for the Sun Devils. Cam Skattebo, the running back, has accumulated 858 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in seven games this season, potentially presenting challenges for the Cowboys.
Skattebo is a runner who is both physical and hard to catch, causing trouble for defenses. Given the Cowboys’ defense allowed 343 rushing yards in their game against Baylor, Skattebo should have no trouble dominating a weakened OSU defense with his running.
Despite Leavitt being cleared and ready, there remains a possibility that the Cowboys will go up against backup Jeff Sims. He began in ASU’s defeat against Cincinnati, passing for 155 yards and running for 53.
No matter who plays quarterback for the Sun Devils, the Cowboys must limit a dual-threat QB and one of the top running backs in the Big 12. Similar to the Baylor game, the result may depend on OSU’s capability to score more than their opponent.
In order to qualify for a bowl game, the Cowboys must perform almost flawlessly for the remainder of the season. Ollie Gordon and his teammates will need to outperform the ASU offense due to having one of the country’s weakest defenses.
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