And it was important, for three reasons. First, Saturday’s game marked the first game of Arizona State’s tenure in the Big 12, an occasion that coach Kenny Dillingham was proud to be a part of.

“Very few times in sports you get to accomplish a first, like a real first,” said Dillingham. “It’ll be remembered forever as Arizona State’s first Big-12 game.”

Second, ASU was set to enter Lubbock 3-0 for the first time since 2014, and it wasn’t by any means a result of luck. Stars such as quarterback Sam Leavitt, running back Cam Skattebo, and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson have led the Sun Devils on an exceptional offensive campaign, highlighted by broken records and crooked numbers.

Third, Texas Tech (15th) and Arizona State (33rd) ranked well in points per game nationally, leaving many to believe Saturday’s showdown would be a toe-to-toe offensive battle. As ASU found success with Skattebo, Texas Tech found success with Tahj Brooks. When Arizona State scored 48 against Wyoming, Texas Tech scored 52 against Abilene Christian.

“They score a lot,” said Dillingham when asked what stands out about Texas Tech’s offense.

All this factored in shows how entertaining this matchup was, as Texas Tech (3-1) managed to break ASU’s (3-1) winning streak, 30-22.

The misfortunes for Arizona State began early, with Texas Tech taking a quick 7-0 lead on a 65-yard opening drive. Following the kickoff, Arizona State would bite their tail as Elijah O’Neal would get called for unnecessary roughness, bringing them back to their own 13.

Shortly after, Leavitt attempted a third-down pass that was quickly intercepted by Texas Tech’s CJ Baskerville, cutting ASU’s opening drive short. Another 38-yard offensive charge would score another touchdown for the Red Raiders, doubling their lead to 14-0.

While the first quarter was unkind to the Sun Devils, the second quarter prompted a solid bounceback. Arizona State would outscore Texas Tech 10-3 by the end of the half, courtesy of a 34-yard field goal and a Leavitt touchdown that capped off a 79-yard drive. With the Sun Devils only trailing by a touchdown heading into halftime, there was still plenty of optimism that they could grab a lead and keep it moving forward.

Once the marching band finished playing, Texas Tech and Arizona State would go back and forth in the third quarter. A touchdown by former Arizona State tight end Jalin Conyers stretched the lead further for the Red Raiders, but Skattebo and the Sun Devils clapped right back with a touchdown of their own on the next drive. Unfortunately for ASU, the extra point would be blocked by E’Maurion Banks, forcing them to settle for six.

Arizona State’s defense would do its best to stop the Red Raiders from scoring in the fourth quarter by keeping them out of the red zone, but a pair of field goals for Texas Tech would challenge the Sun Devil offense to push further. However, Skattebo’s second touchdown of the day would be the final tally for Arizona State in a game full of  “what ifs” and close plays.

On the day, Sam Leavitt would finish 22 for 38, tallying a season-high 282 yards with a completion rate of 58%. Skattebo would tally more receiving yards (117) than rushing yards (60), a delightful reminder of his flexibility offensively. And Xavier Guillory, a redshirt senior running back, would catch 74 yards of his own marking his best performance in a Sun Devils uniform.

For ASU, a record of 3-1 doesn’t spell disaster, but it highlights they can get hurt. Mistakes early on have hurt the Sun Devils in back-to-back games, a trend that cannot continue if ASU wants to keep their hot stretch rolling.

But as Dillingham preaches, results will come with continuous hardwork and dedication.

“We’re the same team we were before we played a game,” said Dillingham. “The best opponents we face this year are in the future, not in the past, and we have to get better every single week.”

Indeed, there are “better opponents” on the horizon for Arizona State. On October 11th, the Sun Devils will take on the #12 ranked Utah Utes at home, a matchup that will truly test the limits of the team's durability.

But for now, ASU will depart the Lone Star State and head home to prepare for next week's matchup against Kansas.