A former Spartan got some bad news this week.
Sam Leavitt, one of the impressive, young talents in the Michigan State QB room back in 2023, has apparently undergone surgery to repair a lingering injury.
And for that, Kenny Dillingham has informed the media that he’ll be out for the rest of the season after leading Arizona State to a 5-3 start. He did miss some time throughout the season, but he played well when he was out there, passing for over 1,600 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just three interceptions.
BREAKING: Arizona State star QB Sam Leavitt will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, via @Bickley_Marotta🙏
— On3 (@On3sports) October 31, 2025
Kenny Dillingham announced Leavitt will have season-ending surgery to take care of a lingering issue. https://t.co/pWnEYTFN0s pic.twitter.com/rZKZvMOnX4
This is tough news for Leavitt who was hoping to get Arizona State back to the playoff this season while also chasing the Heisman Trophy. Leavitt was one of the favorites to begin the year, but he has since fizzled out because he just doesn’t have enough touchdowns to compete for the award.
Still, Leavitt had almost 2,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns in seven games this year, and he touted a 5-2 record a year after shockingly getting the Sun Devils to that 12-team field.
This move is essentially kissing the playoff goodbye, if you’re Dillingham. Leavitt was the only hope he had to return to the playoff because Jeff Sims isn’t going to be doing it. This is a smart move for the future, however, because now Leavitt can get a full offseason to heal up and even a little extra time with a month left in the regular season.
Leavitt will return as the starter in 2026 as a junior, and that will really be his time to contend for a Heisman and get back to the playoff.
For now, though, Arizona State seems to be punting (out of necessity) on the 2025 playoff push.