Sports

College Football Fans Respond To Cam Skattebo, Arizona State Overwhelming Iowa State In Poorly Attended Big 12 Championship Game At AT&T Stadium

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By
Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published07 Dec 2024

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The question should be asked to Big 12 officials and teams. 

Is the new-look conference good enough to stage a conference championship game at AT&T Stadium, a facility capable of seating 105,000 spectators? 

From early returns, the answer appeared obvious. Saturday’s attendance was listed at 55,889, but the announcement seemed a bit generous, especially at kickoff. Or was that tickets distributed? 

The No. 15-ranked Sun Devils, picked in the preseason to place last in their first season in the Big XII, rolled past the No. 16 Cyclones, 45-19. They were paced by running back Cam Skattebo’s 170-yard, three-touchdown performance. Leading 24-10 at halftime, the Sun Devils put the game away by scoring 21 unanswered, third-quarter points. 

Did the fans from both programs know something in advance? 

To compare, Texas, in its final Big XII campaign, earned the 2023 conference crown before a record-setting attendance of 84,523. 

There were hints the matchup was not gaining traction. Tickets went as low as $8 a day before the opening kickoff. 

X (Twitter) fans wondered if the event would ever return to “Jerry World?” 

This was not a good look for the new Big 12 conference … 

Accurate reporting by the Sun Devil Daily? … 

KCCI reported on the Cyclones’ fans who did make the trip … 

The Mountain West championship contest was sold out. Playing before 36,663 Friday night, the largest in conference history, the No. 10 Boise State Broncos handled the No. 20 UNLV Rebels to clinch a spot in the playoffs … 

The Orand and Black pointed out previous championship-game interest … 

Skattebo earned Saturday’s accolade … 

Saturday’s highlights … 

The Sun Devils and the fans that did show up celebrated their unexpected conference championship …