After a comeback against Texas State last week, ASU football remains in the Lone Star State for a matchup that head coach Kenny Dillingham believes has potential for history. The Sun Devils will face Texas Tech, their first Big 12 opponent as a member of the conference, on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 12:30 p.m. Mountain time in Jones AT&T Stadium.
"This is the first Big 12 game," Dillingham said. "This will go down in history. There's only one game that's a first, and very few times in sports do you get to accomplish a first."
A multitude of unprecedented looks, both offensive and defensive, may come with the unprecedented matchup.
When facing Texas Tech's offense, the Sun Devil's defense may have to face a lot of two tight end sets, a common personnel grouping amongst Big 12 offenses. Texas Tech has used two tight ends consistently through its first three weeks. A former Sun Devil, senior Jalin Conyers has 105 yards on 11 receptions with two touchdowns, while junior Johncarlos Miller II also has two touchdowns on four receptions for 82 yards.
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said in an interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal before the season that the tight end room would be special. It appears McGuire's prediction might be coming to fruition.
Those looks have propelled the Red Raiders offense into scoring stardom. Through three weeks, Texas Tech's offense, led by junior quarterback Behren Morton, has scored an average of 44.7 points per game. ASU hopes its bolstered defense, with the return of both redshirt senior edge rusher Prince Dorbah and junior linebacker Jordan Crook from injury, can hold the Red Raiders to a less substantial scoring output.
READ MORE: The 'silent assassin': While placing first in his family, Dorbah places fifth in Pac-12 sacks
On offense, ASU may have to face a lot of 3-3-5 personnel groupings from Texas Tech's defense, which employs three defensive linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs. This unique grouping sets out to contain the run game and is commonly used by Big 12 defenses.
If Texas Tech succeeds in slowing down senior Cam Skattebo and the ASU running game, redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt and the ASU passing game might need to step up. The Sun Devils' leading receiver through three weeks is redshirt sophomore Jordyn Tyson, who also leads all Sun Devil receivers and running backs, including Skattebo, in EPA per play.
"My strongest skill set is that I'm so versatile," Tyson said. "The offense can line me up in the slot, they can line me up outside, and they can run me on every single route."
With their second consecutive game in Texas and debut in the Big 12 comes a raucous environment — Texas Tech is notorious for having a rowdy home crowd. ASU must come prepared.
"It's going to be an unbelievable environment for our guys to play in," Dillingham said. "The exciting part about joining the Big 12 is the environments that we get to play in. We just have to make sure that we clean up the pre-snap penalties that we had (last week)."
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Braccio and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at jwkartso@asu.edu and follow @kartsonis3 on X.
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Jack is a sophomore studying sports journalism. This is his second semester with The State Press. He has also worked at other student journalism organizations.
