TEMPE — Tight end Chamon Metayer caught a touchdown for Arizona State football to even the score with Kansas and end a wild sequence late in Saturday’s first half. The Sun Devils bottled this momentum and pulled off a 35-31 come-from-behind victory in the program’s first home Big 12 game.

The score, which tied ASU with Kansas at 14, was set up by a 36-yard punt return by Melquan Stovall when ASU’s chances of scoring before half were dwindling.

Metayer caught the pass in open space from a running Sam Leavitt and found the end zone, resembling a touchdown the two connected on in the season opener against Wyoming.

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt found TE Chamon Metayer in the left flat for a 20-yard score with 26 seconds remaining in the first half vs. Kansas.

The Sun Devils climbed back into a tie with the Jayhawks, and Leavitt closed the opening half with 102 yards and two passing TDs. pic.twitter.com/H8UqqgFqly

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) October 6, 2024

The previous drive was stalled by a Jordyn Tyson fumble after the Sun Devils had gained 54 yards in eight plays. The drive included a fake punt converted by defensive end Clayton Smith, who caught a pass from punter Kanyon Floyd.

ASU had another missed opportunity earlier in the second quarter, when Ian Hershey’s 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

During the week leading up to the game, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham emphasized the “middle eight,” or last four minutes of the first half with first four minutes of the second half, as a big area for ASU.

Much of why Kansas entered the game on a four-game losing streak was due to mishaps in the middle eight, Dillingham said.

While they weren’t able to capitalize on both opportunities late in the first half, evening the score was big for momentum, especially as Kansas was set to receive the ball to start the second half.