Big 12 Stage Reignites Memories Of BYU/Arizona State Football Series
Nov 21, 2024, 12:05 PM
PROVO, Utah – BYU/Arizona State will meet for the 29th time on Saturday afternoon in Tempe.
The matchup will be the first between these Big 12 Conference foes, but it won’t be the first time these programs square off in the same conference.
Nearly five decades ago, BYU and Arizona State were together in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) from 1965 to 1977.
That run ended when Arizona State and Arizona left to join the PAC-8 in 1978.
Before BYU became a juggernaut in the WAC, Arizona State was the king of the league.
Arizona State’s legendary head coach was Frank Kush, who was 14 years into his role before BYU’s legendary coach took over in 1972.
The meetings were few and far between when the Sun Devils left for the PAC-8.
Since they were in separate conferences, the two programs in bordering states have only met six times since 1978. BYU’s last visit to Tempe was in 1997. They were scheduled to play in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic took that game away.
The last meeting was memorable, in 2021, with two Top 25 squads squaring off in an early-season tilt. But it was nonconference and didn’t have the same Arizona heat that comes with being in the same league.
Saturday brings these two programs back together as league foes again in another Top 25 clash of surging programs looking to break through and reach the Big 12 Championship Game. The stakes are big, and the memories are nostalgic.
1965: BYU 24, Arizona State 6
The first meeting between these programs in the WAC. BYU pulled off an upset victory behind star QB Virgil Carter and the Cougars went on to win the program’s first conference championship.
1974: BYU 21, Arizona State 18
After ASU lost to UTEP the previous week, the path for BYU to earn the WAC title was clear. That was to win out. However, getting through ASU was going to be a significant hurdle. The Sun Devils had won the previous eight meetings against BYU, with the last six matchups being ASU double-digit victories.
BYU QB Gary Sheide had a big game, passing for 223 yards and two touchdowns, while star running back Jeff Blanc rushed for 68 as BYU took down the Sun Devils in Provo.
The 1974 BYU team went on to play in the program’s first-ever bowl game after winning the WAC Championship.
1975: Arizona State 20, BYU 0
ASU got revenge over BYU the following season in a September clash in Tempe. Sun Devil legend Freddie Williams was the leading rusher for ASU. The Sun Devils went on to finish No. 2 in the AP and Coaches polls that year.
1976: BYU 43, Arizona State 21
LaVell Edwards’ only victory in Tempe when the two programs were in the WAC together was in 1976. Gifford Nielsen passed for 339 yards, and Jeff Blanc had another big game on the ground, going for 82 yards.
1978: Arizona State 24, BYU 17
The first meeting with ASU as a PAC-10 member. BYU was out to prove they were just as good as the newly invited PAC Sun Devils. The Cougars had built a 17-6 lead in the third quarter, before Sun Devils QB Mark Malone led ASU to the comeback victory.
1995: Arizona State 29, BYU 21
Imagine if this matchup occurred the following year. The 1995 versions of these programs were laying the foundation for big years in 1996.
BYU built a 21-13 lead going into the fourth before the Sun Devils stormed back for a 29-21 victory.
This was an excellent QB matchup with Steve Sarkisian for BYU and Jake Plummer at ASU.
1997: BYU 13, No. 14 Arizona State 10
Any time you get a road win over a Top 25 team, it’s a big deal. This was the last time BYU played in Tempe.
Ben Cahoon had eight catches for 219 yards. The second leading receiver? Kalani Sitake, who had two catches for 46 yards.
1998: BYU 26, No. 14 Arizona State 6
This was a star-studded running back matchup with Ronney Jenkins from BYU and JR Redmond at Arizona State. BYU’s defense, led by the “Freight Train” Rob Morris, kept Redmond to only 28 yards. Jenkins had a 30-carry night en route to 171 rushing yards.
BYU was up 26-0 on ASU until the Sun Devils avoided the shutout with a late touchdown.
2021: No. 23 BYU 27, No. 19 Arizona State 17
Tyler Allgeier with an incredible play. Don't see that very often.
Merlin Robertson had a Pick-Six in front of him and then Allgeier stripped it. #BYU recovers.#ASUvsBYU #BYUFootball @kslsports
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 19, 2021
Riding high after taking down rival Utah and receiving a Big 12 invite the week prior, BYU kept the good vibes rolling with an upset victory over ASU. Who can forget the hero performance from BYU RB Tyler Allgeier to strip ASU LB Merlin Robertson after Robertson picked off Jaren Hall? It’s one of the greatest plays in BYU football history.
Watch the video. pic.twitter.com/PmztjvbeYG
— Noah (@noahmcook) September 19, 2021
No. 14 BYU at No. 21 Arizona State
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024
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.
