TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kenny Dillingham screamed through an adrenaline-fueled interview and got caught up in a student mosh pit.
The sea of humanity enveloping him, the Arizona State coach and alum joined in, jumping and shouting with the students after Arizona State's 27-19 victory over No. 16 Utah on Friday night.
“I was one of these guys! I was doing this!” Dillingham said, bouncing with the crowd before disappearing.
A year after suffering through an injury-plagued, 3-9 first season, Dillingham's Sun Devils have already made their mark in the Big 12.
Arizona State (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) is off to its best start since opening the 2019 season 5-1 and notched its biggest victory under Dillingham despite losing quarterback Sam Leavitt for most of the second quarter.
Cam Skattebo had a lot to do with it.
The bulldozing running back punished the Utes all night, finishing with 158 yards and two touchdowns.
In the third quarter, Skattebo broke several tackles, put his hand down to keep his balance and stiff-armed another tackler for a 50-yard touchdown run. Skattebo put the game all but out of reach in the fourth quarter, breaking a tackle then outrunning Utah's defense for a 47-yard touchdown dash.
“We beat the No. 16 team in the country,” Skattebo said. “Who says we can't beat anybody else?”
The Utes (4-2, 1-2) had plenty chances in quarterback Cameron Rising's return from missing three games with a finger injury.
Rising was mostly ineffective, limited by the hand injury and a first-quarter leg injury that limited him the rest of the game. The seventh-year senior threw three interceptions and finished 16 for 37 for 209 yards.
“Those guys did a great job of getting open, but I wasn't able to get them the ball and throw it accurate,” Rising said. “We just weren't able to move it because of that.”
Rising's issues were only part of Utah's problems.
The Utes spent most of the night failing to capitalize, scoring one touchdown in seven trips across Arizona State's 30.
Rising threw an interception at Arizona State's 9, Utah turned it over on downs early in the fourth quarter and the Utes had to settle for field goals on four more trips inside Arizona State's 30. The last, by Cole Becker from 46 yards in the fourth quarter, came after a pass-interference penalty against Money Parks negated Mycah Pittman's 12-yard touchdown catch.
Micah Bernard carried Utah's offense most of the night, running for 129 yards and a touchdown.
“As long as we continue to have our woes in the red zone, we may not win another game,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “That's just how important it is.”
Caleb McCoullough entered his senior season having spent his entire career at Arizona State despite consecutive 3-9 seasons.
The linebacker had his best game against Utah.
McCullough had 12 tackles — 1 1/2 for a loss — and snagged two interceptions, including the game clincher in the fourth quarter.
“He's a guy who was here through all the mess, through all the bad things that were happening,” Dillingham said. “He was one of the few guys who stayed and for him to make that play is awesome.”
Skattebo has been one of the nation's most versatile running backs and seems to get better later in games. His hard running and an improved defense may lead to Arizona State earning its first ranking since 2021. Utah will likely drop out of the AP Top 25 after its second straight loss.
Utah: Hosts TCU next Saturday.
Arizona State: At Cincinnati next Saturday.
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Utah quarterback Cameron Rising throws the ball over Arizona State defensive lineman Blazen Lono-Wong in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
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WEEKEND COVERAGE
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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.
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TOP STORIES
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US-HURRICANE MILTON — Florida residents are returning to their Gulf Coast homes after evacuating for Hurricane Milton. Traffic clogged Interstate 75 and other major routes to the coast Friday as people who fled hundreds of miles to escape the storm made long, slow trips back. A former FEMA administrator said he thinks the devastation of Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier scared many people into fleeing Milton, which killed at least 10 people. By Russ Bynum, Brendan Farrington and Ty O'Neil. SENT: 680 words, photos, videos, audio. WITH: US-HURRICANE MILTON-TORNADOES — Meteorologists believe at least 38 tornadoes were spawned by Milton and there may have been more; HURRICANE-MILTON-CLIMATE — Climate change gave significant boost to Milton’s destructive rain, winds, scientists say; HURRICANE-MILTON-THINGS-TO-KNOW — Cleanup from Hurricane Milton is underway as residents are returning home; CLIMATE-HURRICANE-SEASON-UPDATE — Experts warn “crazy busy” Atlantic hurricane season is far from over. (All Sent.)
LEBANON-ISRAEL-LEBANESE-ARMY — Since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon, Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have clashed along the border while the Lebanese army has largely stood on the sidelines. It’s not the first time the national army has found itself watching war at home from the discomfiting position of bystander. As Israeli troops made their first forays across the border and Hezbollah responded with rocket fire, Lebanese soldiers withdrew from observation posts along the frontier and repositioned about 5 kilometers. Lebanon’s army is militarily overshadowed by Hezbollah. It has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. By Abby Sewell. SENT: 1,070 words, photos. WITH: MIDEAST-WARS-THE-LATEST — (Sent.)
ELECTION 2024-TRUMP-BLACK JOBS — Donald Trump’s deportation plan is predicated, in part, on the notion that immigrants are stealing what he calls “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs.” But government data show immigrant labor contributes to economic growth and provides promotional opportunities for native-born workers. By Fatima Hussein. SENT: 1,150 words, photos. WITH: ELECTION-2024-THE-LATEST — Hurricanes have jumbled campaign schedules for Harris and Trump. (SENT.)
BOEING-LAYOFFS — Aircraft maker Boeing said Friday it will lay off about 10% of its workers, about 17,000 people, in the coming months. The company has been losing money for more than five years and now is dealing with a strike that has shut down factories in the Seattle area. New CEO Kelly Ortberg says in a memo to staff that the job cuts over the coming months will include executives, managers and employees. By David Koenig. SENT: 550 words, photo.
BRITAIN-LABOUR-100-DAYS — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer marks 100 days in office on Saturday with little cause for celebration. Starmer’s center-left Labour Party was elected by a landslide on July 4, sweeping back to power after 14 years. But after weeks of stories about feuding, freebies and fiscal gloom, polls suggest Starmer’s personal approval rating has plummeted. Labour is only slightly more popular than a Conservative Party that was rejected by voters after years of infighting and scandal. By Jill Lawless. SENT: 780 words, photos.
BANGLADESH-HINDU-FESTIVAL — Minority Hindus in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh are celebrating their largest religious festival of Durga Puja, but fear and worries grip them following reports of violence. The interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has promised enough security for more than 32,000 installations, including permanent and makeshift temples, as the festival ends Sunday. Hindus in Bangladesh make up 8%, or more than 13 million, of its nearly 170 million people. By Julhas Alam and Al Emrun Garjon. SENT: 770 words, photos.
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MORE NEWS
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JAPAN-NOBEL PEACE — The recipient of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is a fast-dwindling group of atomic bomb survivors. They are increasingly worried about their old age and the limited time to convey the firsthand horror they witnessed 79 years ago. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Nihon Hidankyo for its activism against nuclear weapons. SENT: 630 words, photos.
ANCHORAGE-WILDLIFE CAMS — Alaska is known for its abundant wildlife, but you don’t have to travel far from Anchorage to see it. A Facebook group features the brown and black bears, moose, wolves and other creatures caught on webcams set up in the city’s largest park. SENT: 790 words, photos, video.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-SENATE-TEXAS — A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide office in Texas in 30 years, but the party hopes a congressman from Dallas can break that drought. Rep. Colin Allred is seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.
ELECTION 2024-CALIFORNIA MINIMUM WAGE — Voters will decide in November whether California should raise its hourly minimum wage to $18 by 2026 and pay workers what would be the highest statewide minimum wage in the country. SENT: 950 words, photos.
VOTER-ROLLS-LAWSUIT-VIRGINIA — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Friday alleging Virginia officials are violating federal election law by striking names from voter rolls within 90 days of the Nov. 5 election. It is the second lawsuit to be filed against Virginia over the state’s systematic program. SENT: 450 words.
ALABAMA-BALLOT-RESTRICTIONS — A federal appeals court ruled a portion of a new Alabama law limiting help with absentee ballot applications will remain blocked. The decision Friday sides with voting rights groups who argued it discriminated against voters who are blind, disabled or cannot read. SENT: 380 words.
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NATIONAL
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TRANSIT SECURITY — Transit systems are building stronger, better security gates to avoid fare skippers. It’s part of an effort to win back customers concerned about safety. But does cracking down on ticketless riders really help eliminate violent crime? SENT: 2,000 words, photos.
BALLOON-STRIKES-TOWER — A hot-air balloon struck and collapsed a radio tower Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the city’s famous balloon festival, the second time in 20 years that a balloon has come into contact with that tower. SENT: 240 words, photo, video.
CAMPUS-DEATH-GEORGIA — The man accused of killing a nursing student whose body was found on the University of Georgia campus appeared Friday at a court hearing to hear motions in the case as his trial looms next month. SENT: 620 words, photos.
HICKORY-GROUND-COURT-ARGUMENTS — A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit filed by one Native American tribe over another’s construction of a casino on what they said is sacred land. SENT: 450 words.
POLICE-SHOOTING-CELLPHONE — Colorado officer who killed Black man holding cellphone mistaken for gun won’t be prosecuted. 360 words.
WIFE-CARRYING CONTEST — Contestants are set to hoist their partners and splash through water, jump over logs and trudge through muck during the North American Wife Carrying Championship in Maine on Saturday. SENT: 210 words.
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INTERNATIONAL
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ZAMBIA-FAILING-DAM-ELECTRICITY — Zambia’s worst electricity blackouts in memory have been caused by a severe drought in the region that has left the critical Kariba dam with insufficient water to run its hydroelectric turbines. Months of drought brought by the naturally occurring El Nino weather pattern and exacerbated by warming temperatures means the water level is so low that only one of the six turbines on Zambia’s side of the dam is able to operate. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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TIKTOK-STATE-LAWSUIT — TikTok has been aware its design features are detrimental to its young users and publicly touted tools aimed at limiting kids’ time on the site were largely ineffective, according to internal documents and communications exposed in a lawsuit by the state of Kentucky. SENT: 1,160 words, photos, audio.
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BUSINESS
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CHINA-ECONOMY — China’s finance minister says the government is looking at additional ways to boost the economy, but he didn’t unveil a major new stimulus plan at a news conference Saturday. SENT: 280 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-CHRISTOPHER-REEVE — Christopher Reeve’s children say they made a point to include all the complexities of their father’s life in the new documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” because that’s what he would have wanted. SENT: 860 words, photos, video.
SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-HARVEY-WEINSTEIN — Prosecutors are asking a Manhattan judge to consolidate the two sex crime cases that disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces in New York into a single trial. SENT: 520 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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NLDS-PADRES-DODGERS — Yoshinobu Yamamoto outdueled Yu Darvish in a historic playoff matchup of Japanese-born starters, and the Los Angeles Dodgers got home runs from Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández to beat the San Diego Padres 2-0 and advance to the National League Championship Series. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, left, gets sunflower seeds to the face to celebrate his solo home run as Mookie Betts (50) looks on during the seventh inning in Game 5 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FILE - Matthew Reeve, from left, Alexandra Reeve Givens, and Will Reeve, children of the late actor Christopher Reeve, appear at the premiere of "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York on Sept. 18, 2024. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Tindor Sikunyongana welds using a diesel generator in Lusaka, Zambia, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
This image made from a video provided by Curt Fargo shows a radio tower collapsing after a hot-air balloon struck it during the famous festival in Albuquerque, N.M., Oct. 11, 2024. (Curt Fargo via AP)
In this image made from video provided byTeller County Sheriff’s Office, emergency responders work at the site of a mining accident in Cripple Creek, Colo, on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.
Workers install a metal gate that will prevent customers from entering a MetroLink platform without a valid fare card in an effort to increase security Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Sheraton Grand Hotel workers Lupe Ventura, center, and Alex Ivanitsky, right, who are represented by hospitality workers union United Here Local 49, participate in a strike authorization vote in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. The union is asking for higher wages and the reversal of COVID-era staffing cuts. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via AP)
Donna Gail Shaw checks her trail camera on Sept. 26, 2024, near a populated neighborhood of Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
A visitor prays in front of the Peace Statue at the Peace Park in Nagasaki, southern Japan Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, a day after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of survivors of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for its activism against nuclear weapons. (Kyodo News via AP)
Hindu devotees offer prayers at the Dhakeshwari National Temple during the Durgapuja festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajib Dhar)
FILE - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to members of the media in Rome, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Unpainted Boeing 737 Max aircraft are seen on Sept. 24, 2024, at the company's facilities in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, at the Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump gestures to supporters at a campaign rally at Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
FILE - Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)
A destroyed building stands on Manasota Key, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Milton, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
