(Photo: Nicholas Badders/WCSN)
Arizona State (5-4, 3-3 Pac-12) hosted the No. 15 Utah Utes (6-3, 4-3) Saturday afternoon in a game with huge implications for the Pac-12 South division race.
The Sun Devils started strong, as sophomore Eno Benjamin’s 6-yard rushing score put ASU ahead five minutes into the game.
The 11-play, 75-yard drive was highlighted by a 31-yard catch down the sideline by junior Brandon Aiyuk, then a targeting call on junior safety Philip Afi’a for a hit to junior receiver N’Keal Harry on a 3rd-and-goal from the 15.
The maroon and gold kept their foot on the gas, as freshman safety Aashari Crosswell picked off a muffed deep ball that would have gone for a touchdown to freshman receiver Jaylen Dixon.
He returned the interception from the edge of the end zone to nearly midfield, and the offense would capitalize on a 3-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Manny Wilkins to Harry on a slant route.
The Utes responded though, as junior tailback Zack Moss punched it in from a yard out on a drive that included five rushes of 7+ yards. Nevertheless, ASU took a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.
After a Sun Devil three-and-out, Utah sophomore Britain Covey returned a punt 36 yards to set up the Utes on ASU’s 44.
However, a couple of great tackles on Moss by senior safety Demonte King then freshman linebacker Tyler Johnson was enough to keep Utah out of the end zone, as they settled for a 40-yard field goal.
Leading 14-10, ASU’s offense put together a 56-yard drive that saw three different players make first downs (Benjamin, Aiyuk, Harry). But sophomore kicker Brandon Ruiz pulled a 37-yard field goal- his first miss inside 40 yards this season.
The Utes would capitalize, marching 80 yards in less than five minutes and converting three times on third down. The final one gave Utah its first lead, as junior quarterback Tyler Huntley hit sophomore receiver Samson Nacua for a five-yard touchdown toss.
ASU continued the back-and-fourth though as Wilkins threw a perfect ball to Harry for a 23-yard touchdown strike which put ASU back in front 21-17. The score came at a cost though, as Harry was injured on the play.
ASU took its four-point lead into the locker room after stopping Utah on the half’s final drive.
To start the second half, the teams exchanged interceptions on their respective opening drives.
Freshman linebacker Merlin Robertson made a leaping grab on a throw down the middle by Huntley, but Wilkins got picked by sophomore cornerback Jaylon Johnson while scrambling on a broken play the ensuing drive.
The Wilkins interception followed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Benjamin that got called back for offensive pass interference- a call that was at least questionable.
The sides exchanged punts, then on Utah’s first play of the next drive Huntley went down with an apparent shoulder injury. He was tackled by three Sun Devils as he was throwing the ball away on a scramble and appeared seriously hurt.
He was replaced by freshman quarterback Jason Shelley who led the Utes down the field, with the help of Moss (rushed for 38 of the team’s 49 total yards on the drive), for a 31-yard field goal.
This cut ASU’s lead to 21-20, which would be the score at the end of three quarters.
However, the Sun Devils wasted no time extending their lead after that, as Wilkins hit Harry across the middle and he ran over 40 yards into the end zone for a 61-yard score- his third touchdown of the afternoon.
This put ASU ahead 28-20 on the first play of the fourth quarter and the Sun Devils finished the job from there.
A sack of Shelley by senior nose tackle Renell Wren set Utah on course for a three-and-out which ASU responded to with a 59-yard drive that ended in a 21-yard field goal by Ruiz.
Another three-and-out by Utah allowed ASU to seal the deal, as Benjamin rushed for a 44-yard touchdown to put the Sun Devils ahead 38-20 with 4:12 remaining.
Utah was able to put together a 53-yard drive out of desperation, but a red zone interception by junior Kobe Williams allowed the Sun Devils to run out the clock and officially lock up the victory over the nation’s 15th ranked team.
Next up the Sun Devils host the UCLA Bruins for their final home game of the 2018 campaign.
