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
Diamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars
Believe it or not, the 2026 All-Star Game voting process has already begun, as of Wednesday. Fans who want to see their favorite members of the Arizona Diamondbacks take the field in the midsummer classic this season can begin voting for their stars.
There are certainly some deserving players on this Diamondbacks club, which is currently 32-28 and occupying the third Wild Card sport in the National League.
Here’s how and where you can vote for your hometown heroes:
How to vote for Diamondbacks players to make All-Star Game
Fans can utilize the following link to vote for members of their team on dbacks.com. Fans are permitted to fill out and submit as many as five ballots per day, selecting as many or as few players as they choose.
This period of the fan vote constitutes Phase 1 of All-Star voting, which will run from Wednesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time (12:00 p.m. Eastern time).
Following Phase 1, the two overall top vote-getters will receive automatic berths into the All-Star lineups. If those two are not Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge once again, that would be an upset.
When and where is the 2026 All-Star Game?
The 2026 All-Star Game will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies in Philadelphia. All-Star week begins on June 10, with a full slate of activities, before the game is played on Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time (5:00 p.m. Arizona time).
The full schedule of events are as follows:
- Friday, July 10: HBCU Swingman Classic
- Saturday, July 11: 2026 MLB Draft
- Sunday, July 12: All-Star Sunday, MLB Futures Game, MLBx All-Star 3-on-3
- Monday, July 13: T-Mobile Home Run Derby (8:00 p.m. ET)
- Tuesday, July 14: All-Star Red Carpet, All-Star Game
Which Diamondbacks are deserving All-Stars?
| Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
So, who should Diamondbacks fans vote for? Obviously, you may fill out the ballot however you choose. That can include a full roster of Diamondbacks, regardless of their stats or notoriety this season.
Still, here are some of the top performing D-backs who might have a leg up on an All-Star berth:
OF Corbin Carroll
Corbin Carroll is having another All-Star worthy season. He’s hitting .289/.380/.545 with a .925 OPS and eight home runs, while playing good right field defense. He has the eighth-most bWAR (2.7) among position players, fifth-most in the National League, and third-most among all pure outfielders.
2B Ketel Marte
If Marte wins the NL second base fan vote, it will be his third straight season starting the All-Star game. Despite such a slow start to the year, that feels possible again. Marte is hitting .259/.315/.456 with 10 homers and is playing the best defense of his career.
3B Nolan Arenado
Nolan Arenado is quietly putting together one of his better seasons of the 2020s, slashing .269/.351/.467 with eight homers and flashing his elite third base glove at nearly as good a pace as ever. His name still carries a lot of weight in third base conversations; he’ll get some votes, no matter what.
1B Ildemaro Vargas
Vargas’ bat has cooled down quite a bit since his historic start to 2026. He’s still hitting a sturdy .290/.318/.454, but feels more likely to be considered as a reserve selection than a leading vote-getter.
Honorable Mention: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
Pitchers are not selected by the fan vote. They are selected by player ballots and the All-Star Game managers. The National League’s manager will be Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, again.
The National League has quite a few talented pitchers, but Eduardo Rodriguez currently holds the fifth-best starting pitcher ERA (2.24) among NL hurlers. It’s going to be difficult to dethrone Christopher Sanchez or Jacob Misiorowski, but Rodriguez could find his way into the pitching pool, especially after his WBC heroics for Team Venezuela.
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Arizona
Arizona State Adds Alabama Assistant Michael White To Coaching Staff
Arizona State has added Michael White to its coaching staff for the upcoming 2026-2027 season. White will join the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I am incredibly honored to return to my home state and join this elite program,” White said. “I’m proud to say that I am coming home. I can’t thank Coach Herbie enough for the opportunity to join his incredible staff and help these young athletes grow and develop into the best individuals they can be. There are so many friends and mentors who have left their mark on this program, and I’m excited for the opportunity to leave mine and help take this program to new heights. Go Devils!”
White arrives with the Sun Devils after most recently spending the last three seasons with Alabama as an assistant. The Alabama women finished 11th at the 2026 NCAA Championships while the men were 24th.
Prior to arriving at Alabama, White spent the 2022-2023 season as a volunteer assistant at Wisconsin. He primarily coached the freestyle, breaststroke and distance groups for the Badgers. In addition to coaching the Badgers, he also was an assistant senior coach with the Madison Aquatics Club for the year. He began his coaching career at Juniata College in Pennsylvania as a volunteer assistant from 2019-2021.
White spent his collegiate career at St. Bonaventure in New York. There he was a 7x individual Atlantic-10 champion and swam to three school records as a senior with a 1:47.30 200 IM, 3:52.18 400 IM, and a 1:47.70 200 fly. He also was team captain for two season and helped the team capture the 2014 A-10 team title.
The Scottsdale, Arizona native will return to his home state. He was a 2012 AIA Division I state champion in the 100 breast and 200 IM as a senior for Dobson High School.
White joins the coaching staff led by head coach Herbie Behm, who is already known to be an innovative coach. Behm spoke of White’s innovation as well saying, “Mike is one of the best young coaches in the NCAA. His interview blew me away with the innovative ideas he presented. I can’t wait to start implementing those ideas and continue our growth at ASU.”
Arizona State swept the 2026 Big 12 team titles, and the men went on to finish 4th at 2026 NCAAs while the women were 37th. Rising senior Ilya Kharun captured the NCAA title in the 200 fly with a 1:37.66.
Arizona
Racial equality in education: Arizona ranked 18th – KTAR.com
Arizona is ranked 18th in the nation when it comes to racial equality in the classroom, according to WalletHub.
The personal finance website compiled its 2026 list of Best States for Racial Equality in Education by looking at differences between Black and white students when it comes to test scores, college attainment and high school graduation rates.
The rankings are based on a weighted average of six metrics, but did WalletHub not provide a breakdown of each category.
However, statistics from the Center for the Future of Arizona support the idea that Arizona has work to do when it comes to racial equality. African American students in Arizona have an average college attainment rate of 38%, while white students have an average rate of 54%.
That difference is also evident in other education areas, with a gap of 11 percentage points between Black and white high schoolers in graduation rate.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo called the high school graduation rate the most “alarming” data set for the Arizona. He said if the study included the state’s large Hispanic population, the results might have been different.
“It would be interesting, if those numbers were included, where the gaps would be. Again, Arizona has a high Hispanic population, as [does] New Mexico, and New Mexico was at number three. So maybe Arizona could take a look at what their neighbors are doing there to kind of bridge those gaps,” he said.
How can Arizona increase racial equality in the classroom?
Lupo said Arizona can boost its ranking and improve racial equality in schools by increasing the representation and funding for public education.
“One thing [to] do is to build more diversity within the school system. More Black administrators and more Black teachers kind of create more of a familiarity for Black students and more mentors. … Increased funding and a more concerted effort to increase diversity among the school systems, I think, would go a long way in bridging that gap,” he said.
WalletHub ranked Wyoming, West Virginia and New Mexico as the best states for racial equality in the classroom, with New Jersey, Connecticut and Wisconsin at the bottom of the list.
Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.
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