On Sunday, Kyle Van Noy, the former BYU linebacker, took a friendly jab at Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham on social media platform “X.” The banter kicked off when Dillingham sought to clarify a statement that had been making the rounds online. His quote suggested that ASU could aspire to achieve the same kind of success seen from powerhouse programs like Clemson and Oregon in past decades, saying, “You have Clemson this last cycle, from 2010 to 2020. They just showed up. People think they’ve been around forever. You have Oregon from 2000 to 2010… There hasn’t been a team in this era, in the 2020s.”
In an attempt to clarify that statement, Dillingham invoked the often-used phrase “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” but made a small slip by saying “race” instead of “sprint.” Van Noy capitalized on this moment to poke fun at Dillingham, suggesting he should have gone back to edit his post to correct the error. Van Noy humorously referred to his education at Brigham Young University for helping him articulate things correctly.
Dillingham had stressed the importance of building something long-term at ASU, emphasizing that one season doesn’t define a program and noting, “Of course I should believe we can build something, so should every coach of a program. We are a LONG way away from this and the context was about why I want to be at ASU for the long haul. 1 season proves nothing. It’s a marathon not a race. #SunDevil4LIFE.”
Despite the light-hearted nature of the exchange, there’s a competitive edge brewing between BYU and ASU. The rivalry has its roots in their last encounter, which saw ASU best BYU in a thrilling match that had significant repercussions in the Big 12 championship race. The game was a nail-biter, with a last-minute BYU comeback attempt ending in an interception by quarterback Jake Retzlaff.
However, the drama didn’t stop with the interception. In a chaotic finish, BYU was given one last chance after some controversial clock management led to a final Hail Mary attempt from midfield. As ASU fans stormed the field, Dillingham was visibly animated, arguing with officials while the review took place.
When the dust settled, the referees added a second back onto the clock, allowing BYU one last shot. Retzlaff managed to connect with Chase Roberts on the final play, but time ran out just short of the goal line, sealing ASU’s victory in a thrilling finish.
Although both teams narrowly missed a rematch in the Big 12 championship due to the tiebreaker results, ASU went on to dominate Iowa State in that title game and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Looking ahead, BYU and Arizona State won’t face off again during the 2025 regular season. Their next scheduled tilt is set for 2026 in Provo, but both teams could still meet if they qualify for the Big 12 championship, potentially reigniting this budding rivalry on a much bigger stage.
