College Football Playoff team's projected $2 million star quarterback out for season

Arizona State's football team faces significant challenges after head coach Kenny Dillingham announced that star quarterback Sam Leavitt will miss the remainder of the season due to a lingering injury requiring surgery. Leavitt, considered one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12 with a projected NIL value of $2 million, played a crucial role for the Sun Devils, who currently hold a 5-3 record. Jeff Sims, who previously played for Georgia Tech and Nebraska, is expected to step in as the starting quarterback.

The loss of Leavitt complicates Arizona State's path to the Big 12 title game, where the team is already contending with a 3-2 conference record. The Big 12's automatic bid to the College Football Playoff is highly contested, with BYU and Cincinnati leading the race with perfect 5-0 conference records, followed by Houston and Texas Tech at 4-1.

Arizona State's season has been turbulent compared to their successful 2024