They won three games just a season ago.

Through three games in 2024, in Kenny Dillingham's second year at the helm with the starting quarterback one of 60 newcomers, the Sun Devils remain unbeaten. They traded punches with Texas State at UFCU Stadium and were propelled by a steady Sam Leavitt and late heroics from the defense to emerge victorious, 31-28, on Thursday evening. It marks ASU's first 3-0 start since 2019.

"That was awesome," Dillingham said postgame. "It really was. It's very, very good for our football team to win that game. To be in a game like that, come out on top and make the play when it mattered, it just gives confidence in those moments for our guys. It's a good building block for us."

Down 21-7 in the second quarter, the Sun Devils matched Texas State's tempo with a pair of touchdowns within four minutes to draw even at the half.

After both teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, the Sun Devils regained their lead via Ian Hershey's 22-yard field goal early in the fourth, made possible by a forced fumble by defensive back Shamari Simmons. Justin Wodtly recovered on the Bobcats' 28-yard line, and Hershey gave the Sun Devils their first lead since the first quarter just four plays later.

"Best feeling in the world," Simmons said postgame about the team's 3-0 start. "I'm in the clouds right now. I want to go undefeated this season, and we definitely have the team to do that. Once again, just focusing on what we have to do. I don't see more teams that are more talented than us, I just feel like every game it's our preparation and how we execute."

The Bobcats were denied by the Sun Devil defense on their next possession, as Xavion Alford intercepted a deep ball from Texas State's Jordan McCloud. The Sun Devils again held their ground in the Bobcats' final possession of the night, forcing a turnover on downs from inside their own territory.

A clutch first down scamper on 3rd-and-8 from Cam Skattebo put Leavitt and the offense in victory formation to close out the game.

As the offense navigated rough waters in the second half, the Sun Devil defense held their ground and delivered key moments when needed. In addition to the two fourth-quarter turnovers, the Sun Devils also racked up eight quarterback hits and six tackles for loss. Myles Rowser and Keyshaun Elliott were forces, teaming up for 25 total tackles.

After scoring on three straight possessions in the first half, the Bobcats came up empty on six of seven possessions in the second half. They turned it over on downs twice, were intercepted once and fumbled another possession away, as their offensive woes were enough for the Sun Devils to pull away late in the game.

Leavitt played his finest, most complete game as a Sun Devil against a tricky Bobcat defense. He finished 19-for-30 with 286 all purpose yards and a score. With the exception of a third-quarter tip-drill interception, he calmly guided the offense, doing just enough in a 10-point second half to outdo the Bobcats.

Down a pair of touchdowns in the final minutes of the first half, the redshirt freshman quarterback displayed the poise the Sun Devils needed amid a messy first two quarters, leading two crucial possessions that tied the game at 21-all heading into the break.

Trailing 21-7 with just over five minutes in the second, Leavitt found a wide-open Jordan Tyson downfield, who evaded a defender and slipped into the end zone for a 52-yard score. After the Bobcats' offense stalled on the ensuing drive, Leavitt guided the offense on an 11-play, 57-yard trek capped by his seven-yard touchdown scramble with :06 left in the half.

The Bobcats had no answers for the Leavitt-Tyson connection, as the duo hooked up for 111 yards on four catches in the first half.

"Credit to [Texas State]," Tyson said. "They gave us a good game. There was a lot of talk about them feeling like they were better than us. We took that as disrespect. The Texas guys on the roster, coming home, we brought it. We wanted to make sure we had people in the stands. It really doesn't matter where we play, we'll play the same brand of football no matter where we are. It was good to come home and get a win and now leave and get back on the plane.
The Sun Devils began the contest with the kind of smooth start needed in order to tame the Bobcats. The Brian Ward-led defense got off the field on the first defensive series in just 1:37, limiting the Bobcats to just six plays.

Making way for the offense, the Sun Devils scored on the opening drive – just as they've done in each of the past two games – by riding running back Cam Skattebo. Amassing 3,000 career rushing yards earlier in the drive, Skattebo put the Sun Devils on the board when he punched it in from the Bobcats' 1-yard line on 3rd-and-1.

The Bobcats answered right back, converting on a 4th-and-2 in their own territory that helped set up a 14-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jordan McCloud to Chris Dawn Jr. McCloud settled into a troubling rhythm in the second quarter, finding both Jaden Williams and Beau Sparks for scores, marking a stretch of 21 unanswered points.

Now 4-2 in their past six games dating back to last season, the Sun Devils will return to The Lone Star State next weekend when they meet Texas Tech on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 12:30 p.m. AZT.