Football
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cam Skattebo ran for 170 yards and two scores while adding a touchdown catch as 12th-ranked Arizona State beat No. 16 Iowa State 45-19 in the Conference championship game Saturday for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Sun Devils (11-2, No. 15 CFP), with their 34-year-old head coach Kenny Dillingham, won the league in the Sun Devils’ first season in the Big 12. They have a six-game winning streak.
Iowa State (10-3, No. 16 CFP), which already had the first 10-win season in the program’s 133-year history, trailed 24-10 before turnovers in its own territory on its first three drives after halftime. Arizona State capitalized with freshman Sam Leavitt throwing touchdowns each time.
Xavier Guillory had TD catches of 8 and 21 yards in a 71-second span, and Skattebo turned a third-down swing pass into a 33-yard score for a 45-10 lead that he punctuated with his second Heisman Trophy pose of the day. Leavitt finished 12 of 17 passing for 219 yards.
Skattebo had a 28-yard run on the first offensive snap of the game. His TD runs were only 3 and 2 yards, but he had long, tackle-evading runs to open both of those drives. His 2,074 yards from scrimmage (1,568 rushing and 506 receiving) are a single-season school record.
There was a 47-yard run when he spun away at the line from defenders, then shrugged off another. Then right before halftime, he had a 53-yard run, again after contact at the line before twisting and turning past chasing Cyclones.
Rocco Becht threw a touchdown in his 17th consecutive game for the Cyclones, including a 3-yarder to Carson Hansen on their opening drive for their only lead at 7-3. Becht completed 21 of 35 pass for 214 yards and two TDs.
Big Plays
Even without injured leading receiver Jordyn Tyson, the Sun Devils had plenty of big plays. Leavitt’s first pass was a 22-yarder to Melquan Stovall, who later had a 63-yard catch to convert a fourth-and-1.
Arizona State had six plays of more than 20 yards — all in the first half, when the longest play by Iowa State was 19 yards. The Cyclones’ got Becht’s 25-yard TD late to Jaylin Noel, one of their two 1,000-yard receivers.
Most Outstanding Player
Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
