(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)
The phrase “one or two plays away” could have been the slogan for the 2018 Arizona State football team over the last few weeks.
With four losses coming by just 7 points apiece, that phrase might be considered an accurate description of their season.
That was until the Sun Devils went to USC and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and took down the Trojans 38-35. The win gave ASU its first road win in the Herm Edwards era.
“This is quite an accomplishment for our team,” Edwards said. “I’m really happy for our players and coaches. We’ve been on the wrong side of a lot of these games. It was fun to see them come in the locker room after beating a talented team.”“It’s almost like a monkey off your back,” senior quarterback Manny Wilkins said. “I’m super proud of how we fought. There was a moment where they took the lead and we could’ve shut it off. But we stayed poised and made plays.”
The Sun Devils faced a 28-24 deficit after jumping out to a 24-7 lead early. It would have been easy for ASU to crumble. Instead, they did what they have done all season long.
They fought.
Junior wide receiver N’Keal Harry returned a punt 92-yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and ASU wouldn’t look back after that.
“He was fabulous,” Edwards said of his star wide out. “It doesn’t surprise me. That’s what great players do. In big moments they make plays. When you have enough of them on your team, you’re always in the game.”
The win should give the players a much needed sense of confidence. After all, USC had won 18 straight home contests. It should give not only a sense of confidence, but also the notion that the fight and grit Edwards and fans have seen in these players can lead them to wins.
“You want it to happen,” Edwards said. “Just talking to people, other coaches, they say eventually you’ll win a close game. We need to realize we can win these close games. Sure enough at the end, we took the knee and that’s always a good thing.”
The win was undoubtedly big for the program, which needs to tally two more wins to achieve bowl eligibility. Coming into the contest at 3-4, six wins and bowl eligibility seemed to be in question. Now, however, the outlook is slightly brighter for the Sun Devils.
The remaining schedule is anything but easy, as ASU faces No. 16 Utah, UCLA, a very talented Oregon team and the University of Arizona.
