No. 15 Arizona State beats No. 16 Iowa State to win Big 12 and clinch CFP berth

For the first time since 1996, the Sun Devils have won their conference outright. No. 15 Arizona State put together a dominant third quarter to blow out No. 16 Iowa State and win 45-19 in the Big 12 title game in their first ever season in the conference. In doing so, they have also clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The Sun Devils took a 24-10 lead into halftime, though the score didn't reflect how close the game had been. Iowa State was putting together several long, sustained drives on offense, while Arizona State was riding another dominant game from superstar running back Cam Skattebo. A quick score before halftime allowed Arizona State to go up by two scores, but the game was shaping up to be a physical battle.

Iowa State got the ball to start the third quarter, looking to drive down the field and cut into the deficit. The Sun Devils were ready, though, and that's when all hell broke loose. On the fifth play of the drive, running back Abu Sama took a handoff and was smothered by defenders. Cornerback Javan Robinson punched the ball out, and defensive tackle Jeff Clark was right there to fall on it.

The Cyclones have been one of the best teams all year with respect to turnovers - only three teams had fewer fumbles lost on the year - and Arizona State needed to capitalize on it. They nearly didn't, as quarterback Sam Leavitt was dropped for a loss of four on a third down option keeper.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham, sensing the urgency to make something out of the takeaway, chose to go for it and Leavitt picked up nine on a scramble. A few big runs from Skattebo set the Sun Devils up for a touchdown pass to Xavier Guillory to up the score to 31-10.

Once the Cyclones got the ball back, quarterback Rocco Becht dropped back to pass on the first play. Trying to throw a sidearm pass, the ball ricocheted off the helmet of an offensive lineman and dropped right into the hands of cornerback Keith Abney, who returned the ball to the Cyclones 26-yard line. Just three plays later, Leavitt connected with Guillory for another touchdown.

The third quarter collapse for Iowa State wasn't over, though. The Cyclones picked up a first down on their next drive, but Sama fumbled the ball again. This time, defensive end Clayton Smith stopped him well behind the line of scrimmage and jarred the ball loose for fellow defensive end Justin Wodtly to recover it. The Cyclones had just four lost fumbles on the year coming into this game, and Arizona State forced two in the span of just a few minutes.

The Sun Devil offense once again took over deep in Iowa State territory. On third and five, Leavitt tossed a quick screen to Skattebo, who effortlessly weaved through blocks and took it to the house for another touchdown. With just under three minutes left in the third quarter, Arizona State had quickly gone from a 24-10 lead to an insurmountable 45-10 lead, and Iowa State knew it was over.

The rest of the game primarily consisted of the Arizona State defense playing softer zones to not give up any big plays while their offense simply tried to run the clock out. However, there were massive implications for one play early in the fourth quarter.

Iowa State went for it on fourth and short. As Becht dropped back to pass, Sun Devil safety Shamari Simmons came screaming in on a perfectly timed blitz and drilled Becht for the sack. No flags were thrown, but play-by-play commentator Joe Tessitore was stunned and convinced that a targeting penalty should be assessed.

The replay official opted to review the play for targeting, and the foul was eventually handed out despite Simmons not leading with the crown of his helmet. The penalty gave Iowa State a first down, but more devastating for the Sun Devils was that Simmons will be suspended for the first half of their next game, which will come in the College Football Playoff.

That won't dampen the Sun Devils' celebrations, though, as they held on for a very strong win over a really talented team. They dominated Iowa State in every facet, winning both the time of possession battle and the turnover battle.

Leavitt finished with 219 passing yards and three touchdowns on a 70.6% completion rate, while Skattebo had 170 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards on 18 total touches. He also crossed 2,000 scrimmage yards on the year in the first half.

Now, the Sun Devils will wait to find out Sunday during the CFP selection show where they'll finish in the rankings and the first ever 12-team playoff bracket. The most recent rankings have them behind Boise State, which would mean the Sun Devils miss out on a first round bye.

Dillingham made his case for being bumped up ahead of the Broncos right after the game, but only time will tell if the committee listens to the Big 12 Coach of the Year.