Arizona State QB Earns Well-Deserved Respect for Week 12 Performance

TEMPE -- The outlook of the 2025 Arizona State season has been turbulent at times, as the program has struggled to put together "complete performances" per head coach Kenny Dillingham, while also dealing with crippling injuries when it comes to the infrastructure of how the roster was constructed.

Freshly minted starting quarterback Jeff Sims has aided in reinvigorating hopes that the Sun Devils had to reach the Big 12 title game for a second consecutive season behind a pair of performances that will likely be argued to be two of the best starts of his career.

Sims' recent performances have been recognized by many across the college football world, including CBS Sports writer David Cobb, who ranked Sims as the 19th-best quarterback in the FBS at this current juncture.

feffwewf — Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jeff Sims (2) passes the ball around Iowa State Cyclones' linebacker Cael Brezina (9) during the second quarter in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Sims was named AP National Player of the Week for leading the Sun Devils to a 24-19 Nov. 1 win at Iowa State. He followed up with another strong showing in Arizona State's win over West Virginia last week. The sixth-year senior appears to be playing the best football of his career while filling in for the injured Sam Leavitt."

Arizona State on SI discusses numerous topics surrounding the elevated play of Sims - and how it impacts the Sun Devils in the final two games - below.

Nov 1, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jeff Sims (2) runs the football against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

How Sims Has Unlocked New Level

The rise of the senior should be attributed to a number of factors. The clearest of those is the adjustments that Dillingham and OC Marcus Arroyo have made to tailor the system to the dual threat.

Sims has been put in a position to make quick-hit connections, to be a consistent plus-one threat, and to even trust him to make plays downfield. Sims has also grown individually, as he has noticeably been more accurate and decisive with more reps.

What Last Two Games Spell for Sims

The quarterback will face-off against two defenses that couldn't be more different as of late.

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jeff Sims (2) hugs his family members after winning 24-19 over Iowa State in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colorado defense has sputtered over the last three games - giving up 134 points over that stretch. Arizona State's rival, Arizona, has been a phenomenal defense over the last month, most evidenced by limiting several star-level quarterbacks to modest stat lines.

The potential return of star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson - who returned to practice this week - is a major factor in this conversation as well, as receivers outside of Tyson that have stepped up lately will benefit from a return.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on how the culture that has been cultivated by coach Dillingham showed up against West Virginia here.

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