WACO, Texas — After a thrilling back-and-forth matchup, Arizona State relied on senior kicker Jesus Gomez to put the game on ice. With a chance to win the game, Gomez nailed a 43-yard kick to send the Sun Devil sideline into a frenzy, after beating Baylor on the road 27-24.
Gomez, the first-year transfer from Eastern Michigan, was one of the coveted additions in the Sun Devils’ 2025 transfer class. Last year, the ASU kicking unit was shaky at best, going 11-20 in field goal attempts and missing key kicks.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsJesus took the wheel and called game 😈#ForksUp /// @Jesusgoju pic.twitter.com/Tnelcd1MH5
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) September 21, 2025
Gomez had no doubt in his mind that his field goal attempt would split the uprights, and he would be carried off the field with his brothers.
“It’s awesome. Since the first day I got here, I have felt how they made it feel like home,” Gomez said. “They just made it feel like home again.”
From the opening whistle, the Sun Devils showcase a high level of energy. On the first drive, senior cornerback Kyndrich Breedlove forced a fumble, which was recovered by sophomore safety Boogie Wilson.
The Sun Devils finished the night with three forced turnovers. Along with Wilson’s fumble recovery, he also forced a fumble later in the game.
ASU junior defensive back Keith Abney II continued his hot start to the season. The leader on the defense had a critical interception late in the third quarter that led to a field goal for the offense.
Abney also blanketed Baylor’s talented receiving corps with lockdown coverage the entire game. The junior had four total tackles, a pass breakup and an interception.
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— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) September 21, 2025
“They were one of the top passing offenses in the Big 12,” Abney II said. “It was about accepting the challenge and knowing that we can go out here and shut these boys down.”
Senior linebackers Keyshaun Elliott and Jordan Crook also stood out as stars on the defense. Elliott and Crook led the team in tackles, with 30 and 33, respectively.
Fresh off a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week designation, Crook backed up the recognition with his nine-tackle effort. Elliott finished the night with ten total tackles and a key sack against Robertson.
Baylor did bounce back and take the lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. Heisman hopeful senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson finished the night 25-for-39 passing with 250 yards and three touchdowns.
On the other hand, ASU’s sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt pulled a few Houdini acts with magical scrambling attempts to keep drives alive. On multiple occasions, Leavitt turned busted plays into positive gains for his offensive unit.
Leavitt completed 22 of 32 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, adding 62 rushing yards, including a 27-yard run into scoring range.
The Bears also relied on their rushing attack to generate offense. Sophomore Bryson Washington added to his Big 12-leading rushing yard total of 415 with 111 more on 17 attempts.
Meanwhile, for the Sun Devils, junior running back Raleek Brown kept his hot start going. He rushed for 80 yards and caught for 23 more, adding to his impressive early-season resume.
The ASU offense didn’t see as much success as its counterpart in the early stages of the game. The Sun Devils struggled to execute off the turnovers the defense created.
By the final whistle, ASU had only scored nine points off the three forced turnovers it created. Sparky went 5-6 in redzone drives, but that only included two touchdowns and two field goals, with a turnover on downs mixed in.
“There are too many mistakes that are happening right now on offense that we just have to clean up,” Dillingham said. “We had 400 yards and we didn’t play very well, and we won on the road. Those were all positives.”
One aspect of the game that continues to be a thorn in ASU’s side is penalties. The Sun Devils drew seven flags, accumulating for 70 yards.
Although junior Jordyn Tyson had a subpar game in his standards, he still got involved with 43 receiving yards and a clutch touchdown in the late game. On the other hand, his roommate, sophomore wide receiver Derek Eusebio, pieced together one of the best games of his college career.
When the Sun Devils had their back against a wall with a 3rd and 13 on their own 13-yard line, Leavitt found the former walk-on for a 61-yard gain, which swung all the momentum back in the favor of Sparky.
Eusebio finished the game with two catches, going for 78 yards on his two targets. The clutch catch from the wideout led to his roommate, Tyson’s, touchdown and ultimately an ASU lead.
“Just seeing him get his shot and then maximising it means the world to me,” Tyson said. “He deserves it all.”
Arizona State returns home for a matchup with the Texas Christian Horned Frogs at 6 p.m. MST under the Friday night lights of Mountain America Stadium. TCU comes into the game undefeated and looks to slow the Sun Devils’ growing wave of momentum.
“We’re gonna celebrate the win and be fired up. And tomorrow, it doesn’t matter if we won or lost,” Dillingham said. “We need a competitive advantage with the crowd, not just people showing up.”
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