Twice As Nice! Arizona State Fans Rush The Field Twice, As Sun Devils Beat BYU To Control Big 12 Destiny

Just when you think you've seen it all in college football, Arizona State decided to give us some last-second drama on its way to beating BYU on Saturday evening. 

This was one of those must-win games for both teams, as the Sun Devils fought for an appearance in the Big 12 championship game, and a spot in the college football playoff. While the Sun Devils had led for the entire game, it still came down to the final play of the fourth quarter, and took almost 15 minutes to get there. 

One of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season, head coach Kenny Dillingham has led Arizona State to wins in its last six of seven games. The matchup against BYU was a monster clash in Tempe, as both teams looked to keep their postseason hopes alive. 

But this game will not only be remembered for the win, but also for how the game ended. 

READ: FLORIDA UPSETS OLE MISS TO FORCE CHAOS IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RACE.

As Arizona State led 28-23 with just under one minute to play, the Sun Devils decided they would run out the clock with a few runs around the backfield, trying to burn the clock. Well, the 4th-down play did not go as planned for quarterback Sam Leavitt, who chucked the ball 40-yards into the stands, thinking that it would run out the clock. 

From that point on, chaos ensued, with students rushing the field to celebrate the win, thinking there was no time remaining on the clock. 

There was one big problem though. The ball hit the stands with one second remaining on the clock, which officials had to review surrounded by thousands of Arizona State fans on the field. 

TEMPE, Ariz. - Fans rush the field during the final seconds of the NCAAF game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Mountain America Stadium on November 23, 2024. The Sun Devils defeated the Cougars 28-23. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Arizona State Fans Rush The Field A Second Time

The officials decided that BYU would get one last play, forcing Arizona State officials to somehow get thousands of students off the field so that the Cougars could throw the Hail Mary. 

This went exactly how you thought it would, taking almost 15 minutes for grounds crew officials to get the field cleared enough for one last play to be run. Then, BYU got its chance for the game-winning Hail Mary, which came up just three-yards short of the end zone. 

So, for the second time in eighteen minutes, Arizona State fans bombarded the field, this time much quicker than the previous run towards mid-field. 

A monumental win for the Sun Devils, so sweet that they got to celebrate it twice. Now, the Big 12 title race has a massive log-jam at the top, with a 4-way tie currently. But, the Sun Devils control their own destiny for a conference championship appearance, and opportunity at an automatic bid for the college football playoff. 

Just another day of college football, which has been chaotic to say the least.