ASU Football: USC spoils the Sun Devils’ homecoming

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)

ASU football was completely demoralized by USC on Saturday in Tempe, falling 48-17 in a game that halted any momentum the Sun Devils might have had. Following two upset victories over Washington and Utah, the ASU defense was playing at an elite level. That ended when the Trojans put up 607 yards and Ronald Jones went off for 216 on the ground.

Jones echoed the performance of Stanford running back Bryce Love, who broke off big plays all day against Phil Bennett’s unit. The Sun Devils reverted to their previous tendencies on Saturday night and looked nothing like they did the last two weeks.

The first half was abysmal until the last play, where Wilkins found Kyle Williams in the end zone to make it 31-10 instead of 31-3. It could have been a game-changing play for ASU had it not continued its dreadful play in the second half. For the entire game, the defense had no answer for a Sam Darnold-led Trojan team.

The ASU offense came out of the gates firing in the third quarter, however, capitalizing on the momentum they picked up on the first half’s final, bizarre play. A 1-yard touchdown dive by Manny Wilkins capped off a stellar drive and made it 31-17 Trojans in the early stages of the third quarter.

But USC had a loud answer to the Sun Devil score, regaining a 21-point advantage on a 64-yard touchdown run by Ronald Jones. The ASU defense surrendered big play after big play against the Trojans and that proved no different in the second half.

A field goal by Chase McGrath early in the fourth quarter made it 41-17 USC. In the final moments, backup quarterback Blake Barnett threw a pick-six to USC’s Ykili Ross that brought the game to its final score of 48-17.

With the loss, the Sun Devils fall to 4-4 with a home game against Colorado on the docket next week, while the Trojans improve to 7-2.

After Colorado, ASU has two road games at UCLA and Oregon State before a home finale against rival Arizona. Its bowl eligibility hangs in the balance with these final four games.