Skattebo began his collegiate career at Sacramento State, where he was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big Sky in 2022 after helping the Hornets go 11-0 in the regular season. The talented back rushed for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns and added 31 catches for 371 yards and three additional scores while helping Sacramento State become the No. 2-ranked FCS team in the nation.
He then transferred to Arizona State for the 2023 season and ended up as a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award for the nation’s most versatile player. That season, Skattebo ran for 783 yards and nine touchdowns, caught 24 passes for 286 yards and an additional touchdown, threw for 130 yards and a touchdown, and punted eight times for 338 yards (42.3 yards per punt).
Skattebo saved his best for his final campaign with the Sun Devils, though. This past season, he averaged 5.8 yards per rush while totaling 1,711 yards on the ground to go with 21 touchdowns. He also caught 45 passes for 605 yards and three more touchdowns. Skattebo set school records with his rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage (2,316) and finished second in the nation in both categories (trailing only Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty). According to Pro Football Focus, he also finished second behind Jeanty in missed tackles forced on runs with 102.
As Yates noted, Skattebo accomplished a feat that had not been reached since Christian McCaffrey in 2015 with his 1,500+ rushing yards and 500+ receiving yards. This led to him being named first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12, while finishing fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
He was also named the Peach Bowl Offensive MVP in Arizona State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against Texas, despite the Sun Devils losing the game, due to his 143 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards, and 42-yard touchdown pass.