Jesus Gomez drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired, sending Arizona State to a 27-24 win over Baylor on Saturday night in Waco, Texas.
Arizona State’s defense had three takeaways and kept one of the nation’s most prolific passers, Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson, relatively in check, but the game came down to the last offensive possession of the night, and the Sun Devils (3-1) made it count.
They drove 49 yards in 11 plays to set up Gomez for his fourth field goal of the night.
Gomez made field goals of 31, 21 and 33 yards before his game-winner, and quarterback Sam Leavitt completed 22 of 32 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. Leavitt was more effective at times with his legs than his arm, running for 62 yards and one score.
Baylor (2-2) tied the game at 24 with 1:52 to play, with Robertson connecting with tight end Michael Trigg for a 33-yard touchdown. That left Arizona State with plenty of time for one last shot to win.
Baylor converted a 4th-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, as Bryson Washington ran up the middle for 41 yards to set up the Bears at the Sun Devils’ 1-yard line. Two plays later, Robertson found Trigg for a touchdown pass with 9:02 left and Baylor up 17-16.
Washington finished with 111 yards on 17 carries.
Robertson, who came into the game with more than 1,070 passing yards over his first three games, completed 25 of his 39 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception.
The Sun Devils stripped Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron of the ball twice, recovering both fumbles, which led to a pair of field goals. A third-quarter interception of Robertson led to another field goal and a 16-10 lead.
After Baylor took its first lead of the game early in the fourth, Leavitt hooked up with his favorite target the last two seasons, Jordan Tyson, for a 19-yard score with 5:29 to play. Tyson had been held to just 21 receiving yards prior to the catch.
