The Arizona State football team is unexpectedly appearing in the first 12-team College Football Playoff. Picked to finish 16th in the Big 12, the Sun Devils (11-2) downed Iowa State 45-19 on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to win the conference title game and earn a berth in the playoff as No. 4 seed where they will face either Texas or Clemson in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl.
The catalyst of the run comes in the form of a 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back Cam Skattebo.
Skattebo is also a big part of an ASU commemorative book. This great gift idea for Sun Devils fans is now available at a discount.
Forks Up! How to buy ASU commemorative bookIf you have been living in a cave and haven’t heard or seen much of the Sun Devils dynamo, here’s a quick look:
What has Skattebo done this season?
Skattebo has rushed for 1,568 yards and 19 touchdowns on 263 carries (6 ypc). He is fifth in the nation in rushing yards, sixth in yards per game (130.7) and eighth in rushing touchdowns. He has rushed for 140 yards or more in seven games with his career-high being 262 yards in a 30-23 win over Mississippi State. He ran for 170 yards and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the Big 12 championship game.
Skattebo has already tied the school’s single-season rushing touchdown record set by Woody Green in 1972 and he’s just 74 yards away from Eno Benjamin’s 2018 record for rushing yards in a season (1,642).
He was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection and was also the conference Offensive Player of the Week five times during the regular season.
What about his first season in Tempe?
This was Skattebo’s second season in Tempe. In 2023 he had to be a jack-of-all-trades due to injuries at several key positions. He totaled 164 carries for 783 yards and one touchdown despite running behind an injury-riddled offensive line. He had three games of more than 100 yards, the highest being 121 in a win over Washington State.
Skattebo also grabbed 24 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown and went 6-for-15 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown in some gimmick packages. If that weren’t enough, he averaged 42.3 yards on eight punt attempts.
Career before ASU
Skattebo was not highly recruited and settled for a spot at Sacramento State, the school closest to home. He ran for 2,155 yards on 359 carries in those two seasons, with 1,372 yards in 2022 which helped earn him Offensive Player of the Year honors in the Big Sky Conference.
He had eight games of 100 yards or more with a high of 201 yards against Eastern Washington. The Hornets went 11-0 that season. That yardage total also placed him seventh among all FCS rushers.
He was a third-team all-conference selection in 2021 as a true freshman, rushing for 520 yards as the team’s second-leading ball carrier.
Other personal details
Skattebo is a product of Rio Linda (California) High where he amassed 6,192 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns with his team going 29-8 in his three varsity seasons. His biggest game as a senior was a 287-yard total on 22 tries against Foothill.
He has a brother, Leo, who played fullback at Bowling Green.
Being from Northern California he grew up a fan of the 49ers and is a fan of Christian McCaffrey.
More on Skattebo, Sun Devils
Read more:How Cam Skattebo’s offseason work brought ASU football a magical 2024 Big 12 run
More Sun Devils:Arizona State football takes major Big 12 honors — and perhaps a big-time snub
Related:ASU football star Cam Skattebo gives heartwarming response to Nick Saban’s praise of him
The heartbeat of Arizona State football:Cam Skattebo defines the 2024 Sun Devils
Read more:Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo explains in-game autograph session that led to a penalty
More Sun Devils:Cam ‘Skatteburger’ debuts at Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers, except in Tucson
Dog gone?Arizona State football’s Cam Skattebo loses pup, but Tempe rallies behind him
How good is ASU’s Cam Skattebo?Even Christian McCaffrey has taken notice
