On a cold November night in Boulder, Raleek Brown didn’t just run—he rewrote history. The Arizona State Sun Devils running back exploded for 255 yards on 22 carries, including an 88-yard touchdown that sealed their 42-17 demolition of the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on November 22, 2025. It wasn’t just a career night. It was a school-record for road rushing yards, the third-most in ASU history, and the kind of performance that turns a regular-season game into legend.
A Team That Refused to Quit
The Sun Devils didn’t start strong. Trailing 7-3 after the first quarter, they had just 56 total yards and looked out of sync. Colorado’s freshman quarterback Julian Lewis had just connected with Omarion Miller for a 22-yard touchdown to give the Buffaloes a 14-13 lead early in the third quarter. It felt like another close game in a season defined by them—ASU had played six games decided by seven points or fewer. But this time, something changed.Jeff Sims found Derek Eusebio for a 68-yard bomb just 1:17 later. A two-point conversion pass to Khamari Anderson gave ASU a 21-14 lead. The momentum didn’t just shift—it flipped the entire stadium.
Brown’s Breakaway and the Turning Point
The real dagger came with 13:31 left in the fourth. After Colorado’s Ronald Coleman fumbled, Keith Abney II recovered at the CU 47. One play. One burst. Brown took the handoff, found a seam, and turned on the jets. The crowd fell silent. He wasn’t just running—he was flying. The 88-yard touchdown wasn’t just a score; it was a statement. It matched the longest play of ASU’s season, previously set by Sims himself against Iowa State. And it was the first of three straight touchdowns to end the game.Next came Kanye Udoh with a 3-yard plunge. Then Jason Brown Jr. punched it in from the same distance. The Sun Devils finished with 355 rushing yards—236 of them in the second half. They didn’t just outplay Colorado. They outlasted them.
Turnovers, Fourth Downs, and the Quiet Edge
It’s easy to focus on Brown’s numbers. But the real story is in the details. ASU committed four turnovers. Colorado had just one. Yet Arizona State scored seven points off those miscues. Colorado managed three. That’s not luck. That’s poise.And then there was the fourth-down play that changed everything. Late in the first half, trailing 7-3, ASU faced fourth-and-2 at Colorado’s 1-yard line. Most teams kick the field goal. Not this one. Jeff Sims rolled right, bought time, and fired a dart to Brown—who caught it in stride at the 3-yard line and dove in for the touchdown. No hesitation. No fear. Just execution.
ASU finished with 580 total yards to Colorado’s 300. Time of possession? 33:08 to 26:52. That’s not just a stat line. That’s control. That’s dominance. And it came on the road, in a stadium where the Buffaloes had been tough to beat.
What’s Next? The Duel in Tempe
This win improved ASU to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12. But the season isn’t over. Not even close. To reach the Big 12 Championship Game for the second straight year, they need to beat the University of Arizona Wildcats on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. It’s not just a rivalry game. It’s a ticket to the title game.Tiebreakers are messy. But here’s the bottom line: if ASU wins, they’re in. If they lose? Their season ends with a bitter taste, no matter how spectacular Brown’s night was. The Wildcats, coming off a strong finish themselves, will be hungry. This isn’t just a game. It’s a legacy decider.
Why This Matters Beyond the Box Score
Raleek Brown didn’t just break a record. He gave Arizona State a new identity this season. After years of close losses and late-game collapses, this team is learning how to close. They’re not just surviving—they’re swallowing opponents whole. Brown’s 255 yards? They’re not just numbers. They’re proof that when a team believes, one player can carry the weight of a season.And for Colorado? It’s another painful end to a season that showed flashes but never quite clicked. Lewis showed promise, but the defense couldn’t stop the run. The Buffaloes are still searching for consistency. Meanwhile, ASU is building something lasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Raleek Brown’s 255-yard game rank in Arizona State history?
Brown’s 255 rushing yards are the third-highest single-game total in Arizona State history, behind only Darren Evans’ 266 in 1995 and Joe Smith’s 257 in 1997. More importantly, it’s the new school record for most rushing yards on the road, surpassing the previous mark of 248 set by Kalen DeBoer in 2008 at New Mexico. The 88-yard touchdown was also the longest run by an ASU player since 2019.
What impact did Jeff Sims have beyond his passing stats?
While Sims threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, his biggest contributions were clutch. He converted a critical fourth-and-2 with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Brown in the first half and led two scoring drives after Colorado took the lead. His mobility kept Colorado’s defense off balance, and his decision-making under pressure—especially avoiding turnovers in key moments—was the quiet backbone of the offense.
Why did Colorado struggle to respond after the third quarter?
Colorado’s offense stalled after their 14-13 lead. Their offensive line couldn’t handle ASU’s front seven, especially in the second half, where the Sun Devils’ defensive line recorded five tackles for loss. Julian Lewis, despite no interceptions, was pressured on 12 of his 38 dropbacks. The Buffaloes’ running game managed just 64 yards total, and their receivers dropped three key passes after halftime.
What are Arizona State’s chances of making the Big 12 Championship Game?
If ASU beats Arizona on November 28, they’ll clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game based on head-to-head tiebreakers over Kansas State and Oklahoma State. Even if they lose, they could still sneak in if Kansas State loses to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma. But the only sure path is winning in Tempe. A victory would make them the first team since 2013 to reach two consecutive Big 12 title games.
How does this win compare to ASU’s past road victories?
This was ASU’s largest road win since a 45-10 victory over Washington State in 2017. The 25-point margin is also their biggest in Boulder since 1999. More significantly, it’s the first time since 2007 that ASU has won a road game by 25+ points while committing four turnovers. That combination of dominance and discipline is rare—and it signals a team that’s growing up at the right time.