TEMPE- The Arizona State Sun Devils have done it again in front of their home crowd at Mountain America Stadium on a lovely Saturday afternoon.
They won their second straight game over the West Virginia Mountaineers in a thrilling battle, 25-23, and stayed alive in contention for the Big 12 Championship game.
In the fourth quarter, Arizona State had not scored since the second quarter, where they recorded three touchdowns, while West Virginia took the lead by scoring touchdowns on back-to-back possessions.
After senior kicker Jesus Gomez made a 48-yard field goal to give the lead back to Arizona State, West Virginia had a chance to seal the win with a game-winning touchdown or field goal.
Everything shifted when junior defensive back Keith Abney II intercepted the ball, securing the victory for the Sun Devils. He was seen running down the field with the ball, arms outstretched in exhilaration, alongside his teammates.
“It felt amazing," Abney said Saturday. "Just being able to make that play for my team, trusting Coach [Brian] Ward to put me in a position to make that play. It's crazy, me and the quarterback [West Virginia QB Scotty Fox Jr.] made eye contact like right before that, so like I kind of knew it was coming. It was a great feeling though, an amazing feeling.”
After the Sun Devils sealed the win, head coach Kenny Dillingham was seen telling senior linebacker Jordan Crook, "We love drama!"
Since Dillingham took over, Arizona State has achieved a 10-1 record in games decided by seven points or fewer over the past two seasons.
His slogan, "Activate the Valley," has been a significant factor in the recent success of the Sun Devils' football program.
“We want to recruit smart kids here," Dillingham said. "Our slogan to win football games is smart, tough, and the goal of the team. (Abney) is a guy who’s in the Barrett honors program… When you see smart players make smart plays it starts in the classroom. It starts in how he carries himself (even through) life. When it carries over to game day, it shows you being smart helps you win football games.”
Despite injuries to key players and various adversities this season, Arizona State remains determined and unified.
“We know the type of kids we got, we know the type of players we got," Crook said. "We've been in situations like this before where it came down to the wire, it's nothing new. So just going out there and going back to the fundamentals and playing harder and executing.I think that's just what it comes down to. It's not like a big rah-rah speech when we get in there. It's just a matter of going out there and making it happen. Getting it done.”
As the Sun Devils remain in contention for the Big 12 Championship game, the team's focus is on winning for each other while continuing to build momentum for Arizona State's football program.
The Sun Devils will travel to face the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday, November 22, before returning to Tempe for the annual Territorial Cup against their rivals, the Arizona Wildcats, on November 28.
Arizona State is celebrated for its resilience in the face of adversity and the strong camaraderie it shares on and off the field, which Dillingham greatly admires.
“Those guys want to win for each other," Dillingham said. "They run the show before we leave the locker room, they say the last words. That’s what I want. I want a team (that’s in charge of itself). I’ll keep the guardrails and help them make good decisions, (but they're) going to win and work together. I’m no bigger than the team. I’m one of the people who are trying to help get it right. The right arena and the right program. They’re the team. I’m trying to run the program. Those are two (different) things.
"You’re in it when you’re trying to build what you want. Somebody said something the other day about building the airplane while you’re flying it, that’s what it’s like….That’s college football. There’s so much changing. You’re constantly pushing to fix things and get better while you’re still accomplishing the task of flying the airplane….The ultimate role every single year is the program, and the players, go hand in hand.”