ASU football coach Kenny Dillingham on last two Sun Devils seasons
Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham explains how far the Sun Devils have come after their 23-7 loss to rival Arizona.
- Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to enter the college football transfer portal.
- Several Big Ten and SEC teams, including LSU and Ole Miss, are potential landing spots for the quarterback.
Several Power 4-conference college football teams could use Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt’s services next season. He hasn’t officially said goodbye to Arizona State, but all signs from him point toward the transfer portal.
Leavitt finished his two seasons at ASU with 4,513 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns. He can also roll out of the pocket, boasting 743 rushing yards and 10 TDs on the ground throughout his ASU career.
As the new Jan. 2-16 winter transfer portal window approaches, here are four Big Ten and SEC teams that Leavitt could fit as a starter with his two years of eligibility left.
Louisiana State
Last time that an ASU QB transferred to LSU was Jayden Daniels in 2022. Daniels rose to fame as the 2023 Heisman trophy winner and became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Enter Lane Kiffin, the most polarizing coach in college football right now, replacing Kelly. Kiffin departed for LSU on Nov. 30, and needs a new starting QB as LSU senior QB Garrett Nussmeier’s eligibility is done. All eyes are on Kiffin and LSU, which has the chance to raise Leavitt’s national profile and NFL draft stock on an SEC legacy team. The Tigers haven’t won an SEC title since the 2019 season, the same year they last won the national title, and haven’t returned to the CFP since.
Here’s how Leavitt could end up at Ole Miss. Kiffin’s former Ole Miss senior QB Trinidad Chambliss filed a waiver to return for the 2026 season. Even if his waiver gets approved, there’s no guarantee he’ll return to the Rebels. Chambliss went from a Division II transfer last season to a national star this season, leading the Rebels to an 11-1 record and barely missed an SEC championship berth. Chambliss replaced sophomore Austin Simmons, who suffered a lower leg injury in Week 3. Even if Simmons stays at Ole Miss, the Rebels will still be in the market for a new QB like Leavitt from a program with a winning culture.
Indiana
If Indiana junior and Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza enters the NFL draft, that could open up a spot for Leavitt. Mendoza wasn’t a name that rang bells when he transferred from California. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti has thrived on development without high-profile players. With Cignetti’s balance of the run game and stellar pass protection in his No. 5-ranked offense, Leavitt could fit well.
Penn State
Penn State was in shambles this season. The Nittany Lions fired coach James Franklin and have replaced him with Matt Campbell from Iowa State. Freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer took over for six starts. Penn State will also have a top in-state recruit, Peyton Falzone, who decommitted from Auburn. But Leavitt’s experience and dual-threat ability as Penn State’s new starter could be useful, if the program is willing to pay top dollar for him.
