(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
Arizona State bounced back in the biggest way possible by upsetting No. 7 UCLA 38-23. Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici finished with 273 passing yards and three total touchdowns in a must-win game to keep the Sun Devils’ season alive.
The game started with both teams’ offensive units going three-and-out, and for UCLA, it would be a theme of the first half as it had three three-and-outs to start the game.
Defense dominated the first half with the first points on the board being a safety thanks to sophomore defensive lineman Tashon Smallwood, who forced UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone.
Following the safety and the 63-yard return by redshirt junior Tim White, the Sun Devil defense marched down the field, and White finished what he started reaching the end zone on a 12-yard catch-and-run to make the Sun Devil lead 9-0 with 38 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
There were no points scored until 2:27 left in the first half, and it was largely thanks to the aggressive ASU defense. UCLA junior running back Paul Perkins, who is currently the Pac-12’s second leading rusher, was held for eight yards in the first quarter on seven carries, and had 23 yards in the first half.
The Bruins got on the board following a 50 yard completion from Rosen to freshman wide receiver Stephen Johnson. The big play set up a 13-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Thomas Duarte. Field goals to end the half made it 15-10 ASU at the intermission.
The second half opened up with the ASU defense forcing a punt, and the offense quickly answered with a 64-yard drive that took six plays, and was capped off by a 34-yard quarterback keeper by Bercovici to make the lead double-digits at 22-10.
Following another scoring drive by ASU that concluded with an 11-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver DJ Foster, UCLA started showing signs of life after putting together a 6-play, 70-yard scoring drive with Perkins punching it in from one yard out.
With the score 29-16, Bercovici threw an interception with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter. Suddenly UCLA was right back in it, and Rosen took advantage and threw a 17-yard touchdown to Duarte with 9:19 left in the game.
After stopping ASU the following drive, junior punter Matt Haack pinned UCLA on their own one yard line, and just like that, all momentum was back on ASU’s side when they forced a three-and-out. UCLA then decided to take the safety rather than give ASU good field position, so the Sun Devils took a 31-23 lead, and eventually ran out the clock, all because of Haack’s punt.
Player of the Game: Defense
Undoubtedly the unit’s best overall performance of the year, Rosen had a nightmare of a game trying to face the constant pressure Graham brought all game. Three deflected passes by the defensive line created plenty of frustration against a very experienced UCLA offensive line, and the defense also had a day containing Paul Perkins. The early Heisman candidate had only 23 yards in the first half and finished with 63 yards. UCLA punted on five of its first six drives, and the Sun Devil defense also managed to force an interception as well as a safety.
Biggest Concern: Staying consistent
The team in the ASU jerseys tonight looked like what was to be expected in the preseason, and that is a national contender. Offensively, they still struggled at times in the redzone, but they still managed to score 38 points. In other words, the contrast from week to week like we saw against USC and UCLA cannot happen again.
Unsung Hero: Matt Haack
Haack had probably the biggest play of the game with his coffin-corner punt to pin UCLA down at its own one yard line with 5:06 left. At that point in the game, all momentum had swung UCLA’s way, and it had trimmed the lead to six. Haack also had a 63-yard punt earlier in the game to put together by far his best performance of the season.
Key Statistic: UCLA 3-for-14 on third down
It seemed like Rosen was thrown off all game from the pressure ASU’s defense brought from the opening kickoff to when the clock hit zero. Considering the poor third down defense we saw from ASU last week, what it did today on third down was as big of an improvement that Graham could ask for.
What’s Next?
ASU comes back to Tempe next weekend to play 3-1 Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 10.
