(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
In the first half of Saturday’s Territorial Cup showdown, Arizona State won the coin flip, got the ball first and: did nothing with it.
Though the Sun Devils offense came to life in the late in the opening half, ASU couldn’t completely dig out of the early it put itself in and trails Arizona 24-14 at the break.
ASU, which wanted to start the game on offense, went 3-and-out on its opening drive. Arizona grabbed early control of the contest on the ensuing drive, marching 73 yards in 10 plays to get on the board first. Though fifth-year senior running back Zach Green scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 1-yard run, it was the Wildcats passing game that keyed their early offensive success.
In the first quarter alone, Tate went 6-for-6 passing for 62 yards. The Wildcats also picked up 15 yards on a pass interference call against ASU safety Chad Adams on their second drive, a possession that also ended with Arizona scoring a touchdown — a 1-yard run from Tate to make the score 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
ASU responded late in the quarter. Quarterback Manny Wilkins found freshman wide out Frank Darby for a 48-yard pass before again going through the air to score ASU’s first touchdown: an 18-yard post route to a wide-open Kyle Williams.
After UA settled for a field goal to go ahead 17-7, the Sun Devils scored again, using more big plays from the passing game to move the ball. Wilkins found Williams, Jalen Harvey and John Humphrey with key throws on a 9-play, 75-yard drive to get the ball to the Wildcat 1-yard-line. Senior running back Kalen Ballage gained the final 3 feet, scoring his sixth touchdown of the year to draw the Sun Devils back within three points, trailing just 17-14 midway through the second quarter.
The Wildcats crafted a response on the next drive. Tate added to his passing game production with a 42-yard bomb to Tyrell Johnson, who freed himself over the middle after a slip from ASU safety Demonte King. UA moved the sticks one more time before senior running back Nick Wilson made a sharp cut on a handoff to break through the Sun Devil defense and trot into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown run.
ASU had a chance to cut into the 24-14 Wildcat lead before halftime, but Wilkins overthrew a deep ball down the sideline allowing UA defensive back Lorenzo Burns to make an easy interception.
Wilkins finished the half 7-of-10 passing for 132 yards while constantly battling pressure from Arizona’s front seven.
His quarterback counterpart, Tate, entered halftime completing 10-of-11 passes for 127 yards while also adding 26 yards on the ground.
UA held a first half advantage in yards (251-167), first downs (16-9), third down conversions (6-of-8 compared to ASU’s 4-of-7) and time of possession (16:50 to 13:10). The Wildcats will get the ball to start the third quarter.
