It’s been the season of chaos in the Big 12. Upsets, field stormings, and fan bases losing their collective minds. Saturday night in Tempe was no exception. Arizona State, the defending Big 12 champs, pulled off another jaw-dropper as underdogs. The 5–2 Sun Devils had just reignited their Big 12 title hopes and reminded everyone why they were the conference champs a year ago. But what happened right after the game had the conference office scratching its head.

Mountain America Stadium turned into a madhouse after Sam Leavitt and ASU took down No. 7 Texas Tech, 26-22. An X post from October 18 captured the chaos perfectly. “FIELD RUSH IN TEMPE 🤯🤯🤯🤯 ASU upsets No. 7 Texas Tech 26-22 and the Sun Devil faithful STORM the field at Mountain America Stadium. Absolute madness, and a HUGE shake up in the Big 12,” the caption read. And madness it was. Kenny Dillingham, at a loss for words during the crowded postgame interview, bolted mid-sentence to celebrate with his players. That’s the state of it. 

The difference-maker was clear. With a healthy Sam Leavitt back under center, ASU looked like themselves again. The redshirt sophomore sliced through Texas Tech’s elite defense, one that had mauled its first six opponents by an average of 35 points, for 319 yards and a touchdown on 28-of-47 passing.

Despite eating three early sacks, the QB turned chaos into creativity, extending plays, taking shots, and leading a two-minute drill for the ages. A clutch fourth-and-2 conversion at midfield set up Raleek Brown’s go-ahead score that sealed a 10-play, 70-yard drive sending the Red Raiders packing. But as Tempe celebrated, another question started brewing, one that involved fines, field storms, and Deion Sanders.

Can ASU get Deion Sanders’ treatment from the Big 12?

Just a week earlier, fans in Boulder had stormed Folsom Field after Colorado’s 24–17 win over No. 22 Iowa State. Normally, that’s a $50,000 fine from the Big 12, no questions asked. But this time, the Buffs got off scot-free. “The conference is not fining us for Saturday’s field storm,” CU spokesman Steve Hurlbert told USA Today. “The conference said that we executed our field storm management procedures and would therefore not be fined.” Colorado followed the rules, kept security tight, and saved itself a hefty bill. 

Deion Sanders’ reaction is vintage Prime. “I love it,” he said post-game. “We don’t want to do nothing stupid… I want to see the kids rush the field. I absolutely love it. Hats off to our security team. They did a good job ushering me in. But I love to see it.’ Then came the mic-drop moment. “How is it $50,000 for rushing the field? Who made that rule? That ain’t right,” he said when he first learned that the Big 12 does what both the SEC and the ACC does. Fine schools for storming the field. Unlike the Big Ten that still has the liberty to do that without consequences. 

Now the conversation has shifted. If Colorado gets a pass, what happens when ASU fans do the same? The Big 12’s decision to spare the Buffs set a curious precedent, one that Sun Devil Nation will be watching closely after their own field storm. Because if the conference fines ASU but not Colorado, you can bet Kenny Dillingham won’t be the only one asking questions.