🏈 Houston Stuns #24 Arizona State in Tempe — Sun Devils’ Comeback Falls Short in 24-16 Loss

By Jeff Demers | Mountain America Stadium – Tempe, AZ

The streak is over. The hopes were high. The comeback was real… until it wasn’t.

With superstar wideout Jordyn Tyson sidelined by a hamstring injury, the #24 Arizona State Sun Devils saw their 10-game home win streak snapped, falling 24-16 to the Houston Cougars in a gut-punch loss that left fans wondering what could’ve been.

🌩️ First Quarter: A Nightmare Start Without Tyson

Houston came out swinging. On just the third play of their opening drive, quarterback Connor Weigman gashed the Sun Devil defense for 50 yards, setting up an easy field goal to put the Cougars up 3-0.

ASU showed early flashes — a 25-yard strike from Sam Leavitt to Malik McClain gave Sun Devil Nation hope — but disaster struck on 3rd and long when Leavitt was shaken up and forced to leave the game.

Backup Jeff Sims entered and converted a clutch 4th-and-2, but the drive ended with a missed 31-yard field goal.

Momentum: Houston.

Houston took advantage, capitalizing on a controversial offsides penalty that erased a massive ASU goal-line stop.

Weigman punched it in himself for a touchdown, and suddenly the Devils were staring at a 10-0 deficit to close the first quarter.

⚔️ Second Quarter: Defense Rises, Offense Flatlines

With Tyson out and rhythm disrupted, the ASU offense sputtered.

Leavitt returned, but miscommunication and pressure killed drives. A costly fumble at midfield only added fuel to Houston’s fire.

But this is where the defense woke up.
​
​📍 Sack on first down.
📍 Three straight stops.
📍 Multiple Houston punts forced.
​📍 Halftime arrives: ASU still alive, trailing just 10-0.


💣 Third Quarter: Houston Breaks It Open, ASU Breaks Down

The halftime pep talk didn’t land.

Houston marched effortlessly downfield, with Weigman hitting Tanner Koziol for a 7-yard TD to extend the lead to 17-0.

ASU tried to respond and appeared to finally break through when Leavitt connected with Chamon Metayer for a 26-yard touchdown…

Flag. Illegal shift. Wiped off the board.

Next play: Gomez misses again. Brutal.

Houston smelled blood. Another drive, another touchdown — this time Weigman bulldozing in from one yard out for his third score of the night.

At 24-0, with 1:06 left in the third, the game looked finished.

But ASU wasn’t.

🔥 Fourth Quarter: Sun Devils Fight Back Behind Guts and Grit

Leavitt opened the fourth with a short touchdown to Camaron Harpole, though the failed two-point try kept ASU down 24-6.

With time ticking, Gomez drilled a 47-yard field goal to make it 24-9.

Then came Jeff Sims.

Inserted mid-drive, Sims engineered a pulse-pumping comeback march, capping it off with a gorgeous 27-yard touchdown to Metayer. Suddenly, it was 24-16, and Tempe believed again.

The defense stood tall and forced a late punt, giving ASU one last shot… starting at their own 5-yard line with the crowd roaring.

But the magic ran out. Four plays later, Houston took over at the 11.

ASU held again and even forced a missed field goal — BUT a dramatic flop by the kicker drew a roughing penalty, sealing the game on a kneel-down.

📉 Final Score: Houston 24, #24 Arizona State 16

The comeback was real — just not complete.

ASU falls to 5-3 (2-2 BIG 12). Houston improves to 7-1 and earns its first win over an AP Top 25 team since 2017.

📊 Stat Leaders

🎓 Arizona State Stats
QB Sam Leavitt 18-35, 270 YDS, 1 TD, 22 RUSH YDS
WR Malik McClain 7 REC, 159 YDS
TE Chamon Metayer 4 REC, 55 YDS, 1 TD
QB Jeff Sims 1 TD pass (4th Q comeback drive)

🐾 Houston Stats
QB Conner Weigman 17-22, 201 YDS, 1 TD, 111 RUSH YDS, 2 RUSH TD
WR Tanner Koziol 7 REC, 100 YDS, 1 TD

❗ Key Storylines
✅ Tyson’s absence drastically changed ASU’s offensive flow
✅ Defense kept ASU in the game through halftime
✅ Special teams miscues proved costly (2 missed FGs)
✅ Illegal shift wiped away huge momentum TD
✅ Sims sparked a near miracle late

🚧 What’s Next: ASU Hits the Road vs. Iowa State
The Sun Devils now face a tough road test in Ames against Iowa State. Tyson’s health will be a major storyline heading into the matchup, while the coaching staff must decide whether Sims has earned more snaps after leading the comeback surge.

With road pressure, bowl positioning, and offensive identity on the line… next week is defining.

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