Bad news out of Tempe with the announcement that Arizona State starting quarterback Sam Leavitt will not be available for the upcoming game against Cincinnati due to a rib injury he sustained during the Sun Devils' recent win over Utah.

Leavitt took a hard hit to his ribs early in the second quarter and had to leave the game. He is expected to be out for two to four weeks, and the Sun Devils will be starting Jeff Sims, a senior quarterback with starting experience, in his place.

Coach Kenny Dillingham announced the decision, emphasizing that Sims, who has started many games during his collegiate career at previous stops with Nebraska and Georgia Tech, is well-prepared to take on the role.

"We brought him in to compete to start," said Coach Dillingham. "Sam's a really good player, Sam beat him out but it was close, Jeff had a good camp. And now Jeff, who has started a crap ton of games, gets to go start again. To me, there's not much drama."

The Sun Devils have a bye week following the Big 12 contest at Cincinnati, which will give them time to re-evaluate Leavitt's status. It's definitely a tough blow for the team, but having an experienced quarterback like Sims step in, should help mitigate the impact.

Arizona State (5-1) at Cincinnati (4-2) is set to kickoff at noon ET on ESPN+.