A dream, a nightmare, shocking? Arizona State has endured all the feelings with the way it’s closed out games this season.
Whether it’s the offense driving down the field, running the two-minute drill for the win, kicking a game-winning field goal, or, like the Sun Devils have done twice at home this season, coming away with a game-sealing interception.
Many may not be able to see ASU’s close finishes coming, but junior defensive back Keith Abney sure did when he picked off West Virginia freshman quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. to seal the Sun Devils’ 25-23 win over the Mountaineers Saturday night.
“It’s crazy, me and the quarterback made eye contact like right before (the interception),” Abney said. “Like I knew it was coming for real, and it was a great feeling, amazing feeling.”
Although the game was close, the importance of separating the scoring margin earlier in the game ultimately helped the Sun Devils and senior kicker Jesus Gomez secure the win with a 49-yard field goal.
Specifically, the Sun Devils’ decision to go for two instead of kicking the extra point after ASU’s scored its second touchdown of the game, which gave the Sun Devils a 15-3 lead in the second quarter, with Gomez passing to senior tight end Cameron Harpole.
“As the game progresses, that became big in like the math of what happened at the end of the game,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “That play was bigger than people think. Even though you win by two, that two points caused a difference in strategy on both sides of the ball there at the end.”
Encompassed in ASU’s close win was redshirt senior quarterback Jeff Sims, who tallied three touchdowns in the first half and won his first game as a starter in Mountain America Stadium.
“I think Jeff Sims is a guy who can play on Sundays,” Dillingham said. “I absolutely believe that, and for him to be able to get his opportunity is super cool, and me and (offensive coordinator Marcus) Arroyo joke about it, we’re like, ‘Man, like, what’s right in the universe is for him to evolve and be successful, because he’s such a good kid.’”
ASU is 10-1 in games of seven points or less in the last two seasons. Now, ahead of its final Big 12 road game of the season at Colorado, Dillingham said the team has to continue to move forward, rallying behind Sims.
“It’s great for him to get a win,” Dillingham said. “You know, now we got to get back to the drawing board. (Colorado’s) coming off of a bye. We only play close games, so it’ll be a close game. So we got to find another way to win.”
Box Score
NOTE: View any scoring highlight by clicking on the corresponding bullet point.
First Quarter
- Senior K Kade Hensley (WVU) 29-yard field goal is good. (0-3, 8:41)
Second Quarter
- Redshirt senior QB Jeff Sims (ASU) pass complete to senior TE Chamon Metayer (ASU) for a 6-yard touchdown. Senior K Jesus Gomez (ASU) extra point is good. (7-3, 11:17)
- Redshirt senior QB Jeff Sims (ASU) pass complete to sophomore WR Derek Eusebio (ASU) for a 19-yard touchdown. Senior K Jesus Gomez (ASU) pass complete to senior TE Cameron Harpole (ASU) for a 2-point conversion. (15-3, 8:04)
- Freshman QB Scotty Fox Jr. (WVU) pass complete to senior WR Jeff Weimer (WVU) for a 75-yard touchdown. Senior K Kade Hensley (WVU) extra point is good. (15-10, 7:53)
- Redshirt senior QB Jeff Sims (ASU) pass complete to junio RB Raleek Brown (ASU) for a 33-yard touchdown. Senior K Jesus Gomez extra point is good. (22-10, 1:41)
Third Quarter
- N/A
Fourth Quarter
- Sophomore RB Curtis Jones Jr. (WVU) rushed for a 1-yard touchdown. Senior K Kade Hensley (WVU) extra point is good. (22-17, 10:41)
- Freshman QB Scotty Fox Jr. (WVU) pass complete to sophomore RB Cyncir Bowers (WVU) for a 90-yard touchdown. 2-point conversion is no good. (22-23, 6:37)
- Senior K Jesus Gomez (ASU) 49-yard field goal is good. (25-23)
| TEAM | 1ST QTR | 2ND QTR | 3RD QTR | 4TH QTR | FINAL |
| ASU | 0 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
| WVU | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 23 |
The Standouts
Arizona State Redshirt Senior Quarterback Jeff Sims
Sims might be making his case for why he could potentially deserve a shot as an undrafted free agent in the 2026 NFL Draft. It may be a far-fetched opportunity, but Dillingham believes it’s possible. After coming off a record-setting performance on the ground against Iowa State, Sims turned to the passing game, throwing for three touchdowns in ASU’s win, marking the fourth time in his career he’s thrown for three touchdowns in a game. Even more impressive, it was the first time Sims accomplished that feat without throwing an interception.
Arizona State Junior Cornerback Keith Abney
Abney said he was a little surprised by the amount of time WVU threw passes in his direction, but he made the most of them all. Abney had several pass breakups that were key to ASU’s defensive success when the Sun Devils needed to make big plays—Abney’s draft stock trends up more and more every day.
Soundoff
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on how the offense has progressed over the last few weeks of the season: “We’re getting better and better and better, especially in the first half. You know, our last two first halves have been really good, and we’ve come out in the second half and stalled at points, still move the ball, not like we’re going three and out, like we just don’t move the ball down the field, and then we stall. So we’ve got to be better in the second half. We got to make better adjustments. I got to make better adjustments in the second half. You know, in the first half it was all zone pressure. Jeff was just really playing good football versus zone pressure. Second half, (WVU) came out and played man pressure and more man coverage, and you know, I think we could have done some more things as a staff to help our players in that scenario.”
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on whether the “misfits and underdogs” mentality about his team last season still rings true in ways: “I mean, I think everybody’s got to find a way to have a chip on your shoulder. I think you should always find your own way to motivate yourself, and I think a lot of (the players who have stepped up) have been counted out, told they’re not good enough, they can’t play quarterback, you know? Laughed at, told you can’t play division one wide out, whatever it is, a lot of guys on our team has still been told no, right? They haven’t been praised. So I think that mindset, really, I think that’s why we win close games, is (the teams likes) each other, like there’s a brotherhood. There’s a genuine brotherhood, and those guys want to win so bad.”
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on if the increase in support from the university in football means he’s not leaving ASU: “I never said I was leaving. This is home. But you know, you do have to continue to push, and my job running a program is to push and push and push, so you can’t push anymore, and if I didn’t do that, I’d be cheating my players. I’d be cheating my staff. I’d be cheating the fan base. I’d be cheating everybody in the city. I’d be cheating the local businesses that feed off of us winning, and then they, you know, sell more beer, right? I’d be cheating. I’d be cheating everybody. So my number one goal, always, is to do whatever I can to push the envelope for Arizona State football.”
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