When your senior nods their head in approval, it’s high praise. But for Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt, it’s a double-prize. He’s “fun to watch.” But he’s more than that. In his freshman season, he salvaged HC Kenny Dillingham’s career after he fell 3-9 in his debut season in Tempe last year. And as the Sun Devils close in on their playoff hopes, high words of praise came from an important figure in the ASU football scene. 

Sam Leavitt’s admirer isn’t just any Arizona State alum but the ASU Hall of Famer Jake Plummer himself! And the second part of the good news, he thinks the 19-year-old is better than him. Arizona Sports posted his remark on Leavitt on X on December 7 as he said, “He’s a freshman man and I was nowhere near his level… It’s proving that a good coach can find the guy and the guy finds his right place.”

Jake Plummer played college football for Arizona State from 1993 to 1996. He was a standout player who is considered “the best player to wear the number 16 in Sun Devils history.” A lot of his records have been broken since, but he continues to hold the school record of 34 games with passing or rushing touchdowns. He was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame in September 2007.

Speaking of Sam Leavitt’s field plays, Plummer added, “I see lots of similarities. When he’s playing, he’s playing. It’s a game. And he’s playing hard. He’s not worrying about anything but how do I make this play? How do I make this happen? What can I do to get my team into a better position to win and he’s fun to watch.” With 2,444 yards and 21 touchdowns, Leavitt paved the way for the Sun Devils for a Big 12 Championship appearance as well as a playoff berth. But can they earn a first round bye?

Can Arizona State make a top 4 seed?

The 12-team playoff format this season will feature the winners of the power four conferences and the best conference winner from the Group of Five who will get automatic playoff berths. The top four seeds will receive a first-round bye. The next seven teams will be included based on rankings and at-large bids. So if Arizona State is one of the conference title contenders, could they get a top 4 seed if they defeat Iowa State?

Boise State has already made a statement in the playoff picture after their 21-7 victory over UNLV in the Mountain West championship game on Friday. That leaves them at No. 4 behind the future winners of the Big Ten, SEC, and ACC. If they win against Iowa State, ASU can earn an automatic berth as the No. 5 seed. However, the chances of rising above that are slim and the Sun Devils aren’t without pressure ahead of the Big 12 Championship game.