Tension was so thick you could basically chew it. That’s how it felt on November 15, 2025, when the Arizona State vs West Virginia game turned into an absolute desert thriller. If you’re a Mountaineer fan, it was a heartbreak of the highest order. If you’re a Sun Devil, it was just another day in the Cardiac Kids’ office. Arizona State survived 25-23, and honestly, the box score doesn’t even begin to tell the story of how weird this game got.
It’s personal now. These two schools are officially Big 12 brothers, but they’re acting like siblings who can’t share the TV remote.
The Backup Hero: Jeff Sims Steps Up
Nobody expected Jeff Sims to be the main character. With Sam Leavitt sidelined after foot surgery, the Sun Devils were supposed to be vulnerable. Instead, Sims looked like he’d been running Kenny Dillingham’s offense since birth. He wasn’t perfect, but he was gritty.
Sims put up 207 yards through the air and three touchdowns. But his legs? That was the problem for WVU. He scrambled for 81 yards on 17 carries. West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin on the sideline. "When you can't run for more than 68 yards, you don't deserve to win the game," Rodriguez said later. He was right. The Mountaineers were stuck in the mud while Sims was playing track star.
That Wild Fourth Quarter
You've gotta love college football for the nonsense. West Virginia was trailing 22-10 at the half and looked completely cooked. Then, Scotty Fox Jr., the true freshman quarterback for the Mountaineers, decided to start chucking it.
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The highlight that everyone will be talking about for years was the 90-yarder. It was 3rd and 27. A literal "give up" situation. Fox dumped a short pass to Cyncir Bowers, and the kid just... didn't stop. He weaved through five Sun Devil defenders, picked up a massive block from Jeff Weimer, and somehow found the end zone. WVU actually took a 23-22 lead. The stadium went silent. You could hear the wind.
Why Arizona State vs West Virginia Still Matters
This wasn't just a regular-season game; it was a bowl eligibility execution. By losing this game, West Virginia fell to 4-7. Their postseason dreams? Gone. Dusted. For Arizona State, it kept them in the hunt for a Big 12 title repeat.
The Sun Devils have this annoying habit (annoying if you're the opponent) of winning tight games. They've won nine Big 12 games by single digits under Dillingham. Is it luck? Maybe. But at some point, when Jesus Gomez nails a 49-yard field goal with 2:44 left to save your season, you have to admit there’s a culture of composure there.
The Key Stats That Mattered
- Rushing Yards: Arizona State (123) vs West Virginia (68). You can't win in the Big 12 without a ground game.
- Transition Downs: WVU went 7-for-19. That is brutal.
- The Final Play: Keith Abney II snagging the interception at the 49-yard line to kill the Mountaineers' last-minute drive.
A New Big 12 Rivalry in the Making?
Basketball is where this gets even more interesting. Back in January 2025, Bobby Hurley’s squad went into Morgantown and stunned a ranked Mountaineers team 65-57. Jayden Quaintance, the freshman phenom, broke the ASU freshman block record in that game. He was swatting everything that moved.
West Virginia fans are legendary for being loud, but ASU seems to have their number lately. Whether it’s on the court or the gridiron, the Sun Devils have found ways to stifle the Mountaineer attack. Javon Small, WVU's star guard, was held to 2-of-11 shooting in that January meeting. That’s not just a bad night; that’s a defensive masterclass.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s this idea that West Virginia is a "down" program right now. It’s more complicated. They’re in a transition phase under Rich Rodriguez (in his return stint), and the defense is actually quite aggressive. They outgained ASU 421 to 330 in the football matchup. They had more first downs. They just couldn't finish in the red zone.
Arizona State isn't necessarily "better" on paper every time, but they are more opportunistic. They don't blink. When Scotty Fox Jr. threw that late interception, it wasn't because he was a bad player—he had 353 yards that day—it was because ASU’s secondary knows how to bait young quarterbacks into mistakes when the pressure is at a boiling point.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following this matchup for future seasons, keep these notes in your back pocket. They’ll save you some frustration.
- Monitor the "Tempe Tax": Teams traveling from the Eastern Time Zone to Arizona consistently struggle with the late-game energy drop. West Virginia looked gassed in the final five minutes of both the basketball and football games.
- Bet the Under on WVU Rushing: Until Rich Rod fixes that offensive line, the Mountaineers are a pass-heavy team by necessity, not by choice.
- Watch the Freshman Growth: Scotty Fox Jr. (WVU) and Jayden Quaintance (ASU) are the future of their respective programs. The "young core" for both schools is actually elite, even if the current records don't always show it.
The next time these two meet, don't look at the rankings. Look at the turnover margin. In the last three major meetings across sports, the team that won the turnover or block battle took the game. It’s a scrappy, ugly, beautiful rivalry that is quickly becoming the "must-watch" game of the new Big 12.
To keep up with the next chapter of this series, start tracking the recruiting trails in Florida and Pennsylvania. Both schools are fighting over the same three-star and four-star athletes to bolster their depth. If ASU keeps winning these head-to-head battles on the field, that recruiting edge is going to tilt heavily toward Tempe.