Kenny Dillingham Regrets Sideline Conduct in Last BYU Game

The Cougars and the Sun Devils played in an instant classic in Tempe

BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts against Arizona State | BYU Photo

On Saturday, BYU will host Arizona State. The last time BYU played Arizona State was in 2024 when the two teams played in Tempe for a game that determined the Big 12 championship. It was an instant classic and one of the most unique endings to a college football game. To say there was drama before the final snap would be an understatement.

ASU fans rushed the field before the final play was reviewed by replay. When the referees put one more second on the clock, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham was captured screaming at the referees. Nearly two years later as ASU prepares to take on BYU, Dillingham expressed remorse for the way he acted that afternoon.

"How I acted was not okay," Dillingham said. "I mean I was confused, rattled, confused by the communication...it was just confusing. I shouldn't have acted that way."

Kenny Dillingham on the last time Arizona State faced BYU back in 2024:

“How I acted was not OK.”

📸: @SunDevilSource pic.twitter.com/a8OwshUhMa

— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) October 27, 2026

In that 2024 game, Dillingham and Arizona State dominated BYU in the first half, led by one of the nation's best running backs in Cam Skattebo. The Cougars clawed their way back in the second half and had the opportunity to take the lead in the final moments. Trailing 28-23, BYU was moving the football in ASU territory when Jake Retzlaff was intercepted. The interception was returned all the way inside the BYU 10 yard-line. Instead of trying to punch the football in the endzone and put the game out of reach, Dillingham and ASU attempted to run out the clock - and failed.

Arizona State tried to chew the final 58 seconds off the clock but left ONE second left for a BYU Hail Mary pic.twitter.com/o0hXkEPrRe

— Brandon Walker College Football Show (@BFWshow) November 24, 2024

That's when the drama really started.

After replay review, one second was added back to the clock and BYU got the ball back at midfield for one final Hail Mary attempt. Before the final play, ASU fans rushed the field and Dillingham was seen screaming at the referees continuously during the review.

Kenny Dillingham with his wife right next to him as the refs tell him there’s still 1 second on the clock.

“There’s no way. There’s no way.”@SunDevilSource pic.twitter.com/cq60kFF1ca

— Gabriella Chernoff (@GabbyJChernoff) November 24, 2024

BYU wide receiver Chase Roberts actually caught the Hail Mary pass, but he was a few yards short of the end zone. ASU and Iowa State advanced to the championship game that year due to tiebreaker rules, and the Sun Devils crushed the Cyclones.

Two years later, the programs have gone in different directions. BYU has made incremental improvements since that loss to ASU. BYU is 18-3 since that game. ASU, meanwhile, has struggled to retain its roster and has gone in the other direction. The Sun Devils are 4-3 and recently benched quarterback Cutter Boley. In their three losses, they have been outscored by 92 points.

BYU is favored by three scores going into this game. The Cougars will have a chance to avenge its loss to ASU on Saturday.

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