With the Territorial Cup taking place in this season’s finale game, the stakes are high for head coach Kenny Dillingham. A win is necessary at Mountain America to keep Big 12 championship hopes alive. Even with such an intense atmosphere around the game, Dillingham made a big Cam Skattebo announcement, one that could turn the tide in the Sun Devils’ favor.

A win would be the perfect way for Dillingham to end the season. It would not only give Arizona State a shot at the championship and a victory over their bitter rivals, but it would also mean a lot to ex-ASU star Cam Skattebo, who will be watching from the stands. Naturally, Dillingham is pumped to see the running back with whom the Sun Devils won the Big 12 championship return.

“He’s fired up. I’m fired up. It’s what college football is supposed to be.” Dillingham said in the November 24th episode of Sun Devil Athletics. “You should graduate from a school and have a passion for that place and come back to that place and feel like you’re at home, and for him to be able to come back, and he’s going to feel like he’s at home, and it’s just awesome.”

It’ll be the first time Sun Devils faithful see Skatebbo since he signed for the New York Giants early in the year. While Skattebo’s presence will be a source of motivation for the Sun Devils, the inverse is true as well. After suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the game against the Eagles last month, witnessing his alma mater win against their archrivals is sure to be a mood booster.

It was his standout performances with ASU that earned him recognition from the Giants. In the 2024 season, Skattebo posted 1711 yards for 293 carries and 21 touchdowns. Afterward, he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. Although he went undrafted, he signed with the New York Giants as a free agent.

His training camp and preseason performances earned him a roster spot, and he more than justified the decision, until the ankle injury halted all momentum in his rookie season, leaving fans and his old coach distraught.

Kenny Dillingham’s emotional response to Cam Skattebo’s injury

It was a shocking scene at the Lincoln Financial Field. During the second quarter of the Eagles-Giants clash, Cam Skattebo suffered a fractured right ankle and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. It was then concluded that he would miss out on the rest of the season after it emerged he had suffered a broken fibula and torn ligaments.

The news came as a shock to many, especially Kenny Dillingham, who was shattered but remained confident. “That dude’s just worked his butt off his entire life to get to where he’s at,” Dillingham said at a press conference.

“But it’s a great example of if you treat people well, regardless of how he rehabs in and regardless of his future, he’s going to be successful based on how he treated people, the passion he played, the game through football in 10 years, and 15 years. That dude has built a brand for himself that’s sustainable. And it’s unfortunate what happened to him, but his success in life is still going to be there.”

Dillingham’s praise for Skattebo shows how much he believes in and values his former player. Skattebo took the NFL by storm, posting 410 yards in 101 carries and 5 touchdowns in just eight games, and fans will be eager to see him recapture that form upon his return.