Based on his pedigree coming in to college, it was presumed by many that Brayden Burries would step on the court and just dominate. Kind of like how Koa Peat did in his first collegiate game and most since.
Arizona
EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/Arizona State
TEMPE, Ariz. – What does the EA Sports College Football 25 video game believe will happen in the BYU/Arizona State game?
We simulated the matchup to find out.
No controller was used in the simulation. The computer handled it all.
Simulating BYU/Arizona State on EA Sports College Football 25
Before firing up the simulation, I edited the depth charts for both teams based on what we could see on Saturday afternoon inside Mountain America Stadium.
#BYU vs. Arizona State sim on #CFB25#BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/B4rkWxq3QG
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
Brayden Keim continues to be out at right tackle, with Isaiah Jatta stepping in for him. This week, I moved Keanu Hill down to the third string, with Mata’ava Ta’ase as the No. 1 and Ray Paulo as the primary backup.
I removed wide receiver Jake Smith from Arizona State because head coach Kenny Dillingham said earlier in the week that he was “questionable to doubtful.”
EA Sports College Football 25 Sim Scores for BYU football
- BYU 42, Southern Illinois 39 | Actual: BYU 41, SIU 13
- SMU 49, BYU 35 | Actual: BYU 18, SMU 15
- BYU 28, Wyoming 17 | Actual: BYU 34, Wyoming 14
- Kansas State 35, BYU 10 | Actual: BYU 38, No. 13 Kansas State 9
- BYU 30, Baylor 18 | Actual: BYU 34, Baylor 28
- BYU 25, Arizona 17 (2OT) | Actual: BYU 41, Arizona 19
- BYU 29, Oklahoma State 12 | Actual: BYU 38, Oklahoma State 35
- UCF 21, BYU 17 | Actual: BYU 37, UCF 24
- BYU 28, Utah 7 (Played against Utah Insider) | Actual: BYU 22, Utah 21
- Kansas 26, BYU 20 | Actual: Kansas 17, BYU 13
First Quarter
The game opened with four three-and-outs, two from each team. It was so ugly that I wondered if the sim had a glitch and needed a reset, but we pushed on watching this brutal game.
Things started to get interesting when BYU defensive tackle John Nelson forced a fumble on ASU QB Sam Leavitt. Nelson’s defensive tackle teammate, Blake Mangelson, was there to recover the fumble. That turnover set BYU’s offense up on the ASU 17-yard line.
#BYU defense comes up with a takeaway. pic.twitter.com/TMl86Ueuao
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
It gave Jake Retzlaff a red-zone opportunity. He immediately pounced as he connected with Darius Lassiter for a 16-yard reception. One play later, Hinckley Ropati found the endzone for a score to give BYU an early lead.
Ropati was in the game because LJ Martin was injured on the second drive.
BYU takes advantage of the turnover and comes away with a touchdown in their first red zone visit. pic.twitter.com/bHbrp4A5iv
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
BYU muffed the snap on the extra point attempt, and ASU sacked Will Ferrin in the backfield.
BYU 6, Arizona State 0
Second Quarter
Arizona State star running back Cam Skattebo got going with a 41-yard run to put the Sun Devils into BYU territory. But BYU’s defense got a stop behind sacks from Tanner Wall and Logan Lutui.
Cam Skattebo pops off his first big run pic.twitter.com/rSA0889M5h
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
BYU was then on the move, highlighted by a 40-yard pitch and catch from Retzlaff to WR Chase Roberts. The Cougars got down to the ASU 1-yard line again. But unlike the previous possession, BYU’s woes in the red zone flared up.
LJ Martin fumbled the ball at the goal line, and the Arizona State defense recovered it. There was no review up in the booth or a coach’s challenge.
Red Zone fumble pic.twitter.com/mqDwAJxlN7
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
Arizona State took over from the BYU 20. The Sun Devils were held to a three-and-out and forced to punt, but the drive continued after Tanner Wall was called for a roughing the kicker penalty. That extended the drive. The Sun Devils capitalized six plays later as Sam Leavitt connected with Melquan Stovall for a 16-yard touchdown pass to put ASU in front.
BYU then responded with another offensive series with a pass-heavy attack. Retzlaff moved the team down the field and picked three third downs before stalling at the six-yard line. BYU settled for a 23-yard Ferrin field goal to go into the half with a lead.
BYU 9, Arizona State 7
Third Quarter
Between the two teams, only one possession passed the 50-yard line in the third quarter. That was BYU’s first possession. They reached the 21-yard line before allowing two sacks that put them out of field goal territory.
BYU 9, Arizona State 7
Defensive battle opens up with a big grab by Chase Roberts from Jake Retzlaff. pic.twitter.com/G4auFPZcbk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
Fourth Quarter
Arizona State found some success on offense at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Leavitt connected with Jordyn Tyson for a 20-yard gain on third down. Then Skattebo broke free for a 31-yard gain to get ASU down to the BYU 32-yard line.
BYU’s defense once again answered the call and got a TFL from Tyler Batty on Skattebo for a loss of six yards. ASU attempted a 55-yard field goal, but it wasn’t close.
Retzlaff and BYU’s offense then went to work and put together a scoring drive that once again stalled in the red zone. BYU got to the 20-yard line but had two straight plays for no gain. Will Ferrin finished the drive with a 37-yard field goal.
#BYU settles for a field goal.
BYU 12, ASU 7 – 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/0RQogARFHx
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
Arizona State’s offense punted with 5:21 remaining and down by five after Jonathan Kabeya nearly picked off Leavitt on third down. They didn’t get the ball again.
BYU closes it out on the ground. pic.twitter.com/nPBYyRrv1d
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
BYU closed out the game on the ground with Hinckley Ropati and occasional carries from LJ Martin, who returned early in the fourth after leaving in the first half. Ropati got the final first down after the two-minute timeout and BYU escaped Tempe with a 12-7 victory.
Victory formation. BYU wins a defensive battle. pic.twitter.com/Oq3kBgmSGk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024
EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Score: BYU 12, Arizona State 7
No. 14 BYU vs. No. 21 Arizona State
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Location: Mountain America Stadium
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MST)
TV: ESPN
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM — Extended pregame begins at 11 a.m.)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
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Arizona
Arizona baseball pitching coach John DeRouin taking position with Mets, per report
Pitching was a big reason why Arizona made it back to the College World Series last season. The return of many key arms for 2026 makes it likely the Wildcats will again have a stellar staff.
Who guides those pitchers, however, is uncertain.
Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star is reporting that pitching coach John DeRouin is leaving the program for a position within the New York Mets organization. DeRouin had been elevated to pitching coach over the summer after Kevin Vance was hired as head coach at San Diego State.
DeRouin, who was a pitching strategist under Vance the previous two seasons, was integral in developing Arizona’s arms, particularly starters Owen Kramkowski and Smith Bailey and reliever Tony Pluta. That trio are among several key pitchers returning from the CWS team, with DeRouin’s promotion factoring in their decisions to stay in Tucson.
“John is like the pitching whisperer,” head coach Chip Hale said last month.
Hale could promote from within again, elevating Owen Cuffe. Whoever he hires will technically be his fourth pitching coach in five seasons. Dave Lawn handled the role in 2022-23, retained from Jay Johnson’s staff, before Vance was hired in 2024.
DeRouin is the latest in a string of college baseball coaches leaving for pro jobs. The most notable is Tennessee head coach, hired last month as manager of the San Francisco Giants
Arizona begins preseason practice in January ahead of the 2026 opener Feb. 13 against former Pac-12 rival Stanford at a tournament in Surprise.
Arizona
Report: Michigan search includes Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The firm hired by Michigan to search for a football coach to replace Sherrone Moore has contacted representatives for Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham and Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because they were not authorized to share details of the search.
Moore was fired on Wednesday, when the school said an investigation uncovered his inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Two days later, Moore was charged with three crimes after prosecutors said he “barged his way” into the apartment of a woman he’d been having an affair with and threatened to kill himself.
College football’s winning program suddenly needs a coach.
After the 35-year-old Dillingham was linked to numerous open jobs last month, he said he was not leaving his alma mater.
Two weeks ago, Drinkwitz agreed to a six-year contract that increases his average compensation to $10.75 million annually.
Michigan is hoping to hire a coach this month, helping its chances of retaining recruits and keeping key players out of the transfer portal in January.
Dillingham, who is from Scottsdale, Arizona, graduated from Arizona State in 2013 and started his coaching career as an assistant for the Sun Devils. After coaching at Memphis, he was the offensive coordinator for Auburn, Florida State and Oregon before returning to Arizona State.
Dillingham orchestrated a quick turnaround, leading the Sun Devils to the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff for the first time last year.
Arizona State was 8-4 this season, improving Dillingham’s record to 22-16 over three seasons.
The 42-year-old Drinkwitz is 46-28 in six seasons at Missouri after going 12-1 in a year at Appalachian State. He has built the Tigers into a steady Southeastern Conference program, earning five straight bowl bids.
Arizona
Brayden Burries goes off in top-ranked Arizona’s win over No. 12 Alabama to remain unbeaten
Not everything happens instantaneously. And some things, like Burries’ breakthrough performance on Saturday night, are worth waiting for.
The freshman guard scored a career-high 28 points, fueling top-ranked Arizona to a 96-75 win over No. 12 Alabama in Birmingham. The Wildcats (9-0) earned their fifth win this season over a ranked opponent, matching the 1987-88 team that also went 5-0 in nonconference games against ranked foes.
Burries, who started heating up a few weeks ago and had averaged 17 points over the previous three games, was 11 of 19 from the field and drained five of Arizona’s 10 3-pointers. His performance was especially big because fellow freshman Koa Peat struggled with foul trouble, finishing with a career-low five points in 20 minutes, while Jaden Bradley also had to sit for an extended period in the second half becauise of fouls.
Bradley and Motiejus Krivas scored 14 apiece, with Krivas pulling down 14 rebounds, while Tobe Awaka had 15 boards as Arizona dominated Alabama 52-32 on the glass. The Wildcats had a 22-3 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to a 15-2 advantage in second chance points.
Alabama (7-3) got 24 points from Labaron Philon and 21 from Latrell Wrightstell Jr., with that duo going 15 of 28 including 6 of 12 from 3. But the Crimson Tide, who began 7 of 13 from 3, made only five more the rest of the way while the UA’s 38.5 percent shooting from outside was actually better.
Arizona was down 41-39 at the half, the first time it has trailed after 20 minutes this season. The Wildcats were back in front within two minutes and built a 49-43 lead thanks to a 10-0 run, but during that stretch Peat and Bradley each picked up their third foul.
Yet somehow, Arizona nearly tripled its lead with that duo on the bench.
The UA led 55-48 with 14:01 to go whenAwaka was called for a flagrant foul after Alabama coach Nate Oats appealed on a play that saw the Crimson Tide called for a foul. Both teams made 1 of 2 free throws from that, but then the Wildcats scored the next 11 with their defense fueling the charge.
Back-to-back steals by Ivan Kharchenkov and Burries led to transition baskets, with Burries lobbing to Awaka for a dunk and then scoring seven straight to put the UA up 67-49 with 11:22 remaining.
Kharchenkov had 10 points and five steals, most by an Arizona freshman since KJ Lewis had five two seasons ago.
Burries fourth 3 put the Wildcats up 20 and his fifth made it 75-54 with nine minutes left. Alabama hit back-to-back 3s for the first time since seven minutes left in the first half to get within 82-65 but got no closer.
Arizona built a 19-12 lead on a 3-point play by Burries but Alabama’s outside shooting got it right back into it. A 7-0 run put the Tide up 26-22 midway through the first half.
Alabama’s 7th made 3 put it up 37-30 but then went cold, allowing the UA to retake the lead. A 9-0 run with seven straight from Bradley and then capped by a Peat jumper put the Wildcats up 39-37 with 1:51 left in the half.
Two late baskets by the Crimson Tide put it back in front at the break.
Arizona returns home to take on Abilene Christian on Tuesday night before facing San Diego State in Phoenix next Saturday.
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