(Photo: Spencer Barnes/ WCSN)
SALT LAKE CITY — In football, the “middle eight” — the final four minutes of the first half and the first four of the second — often offer a telling snapshot of how the game unfolds. For No. 21 Arizona State football, much of the game’s narrative against Utah was shaped during that stretch.
With slightly over three minutes left in the first half, ASU redshirt senior kicker Jesus Gomez trotted onto the field for a 29-yard field goal — a successful kick would bring the Sun Devils within one possession at 14-6. Heading into Saturday night, Gomez hadn’t missed from 29 yards or closer all season. Utes senior safety Jackson Bennee had his eyes on changing that — and did, leaping over the line — blocking the kick after an awkward snap-hold exchange by ASU.
Even with a play that disastrous, special teams may not have been the worst Sun Devil unit. On two Utah middle eight offensive drives, ASU’s defense surrendered a combined 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Unable to organize defensively or shake off costly mistakes in all three phases, the Sun Devils (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) saw their trip to Rice–Eccles Stadium end in a 42-10 loss to the Utes (5-1, 2-1).
“(The blocked kick) was a turning point, 100%,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “We’re about to go down eight. We’re about to kick the ball off. One-score game if we do that.”
Defensively, ASU had undoubtedly its most lackluster performance of the season, notably against the run. Prior to Saturday night, the Sun Devils allowed an average of 78.2 rushing yards per game — the second fewest in the Big 12 at the time. Against Utah, ASU’s run defense looked like a completely different unit, allowing the Utes to run for a collective 276 yards — 120 coming from junior quarterback Devon Dampier.
In one of two Utah scoring drives during the middle eight period, Utah’s dominant ground game was on full display. The drive started with three minutes left to go in the first half and consisted of just six plays. Of those six, five were run plays — all three of the drive’s first downs being gained on the ground.
The Utes’ six-play, 75-yard drive took just two minutes off the clock and resulted in a touchdown — extending Utah’s halftime lead to 21-3. The touchdown play by senior running back NaQuari Rogers could be summed up in one way: ASU was out-physicaled. The Utes’ offensive line stifled the Sun Devil front then redshirt senior receiver Ryan Davis blocked senior safety Myles Rowser five yards backward — all Jones had to do was follow the blocks.
“They have a culture where they block and tackle at such a high level. And they blocked and tackled way better than us tonight,” Dillingham said. “What the game came down to was blocking and tackling.”
Utah’s advantage in the physicality aspect stood out even before the second quarter. The Utes’ first drive on offense set the tone early when they accumulated 75 yards on 14 plays. On this drive, ASU’s defensive disorganization and miscues were evident as the Utes converted two third downs — one through the air on third-and-seven, and another when redshirt junior linebacker Tate Romney jumped offsides on third-and-five.
Because the Sun Devils won the coin toss and deferred, Utah’s opening drive was the first drive of the game. ASU’s offense was already in an unfavorable spot without its starting quarterback, and starting the game from behind made the situation even worse. The Sun Devils had 16 plays on their opening drive, but just 56 yards were picked up in total.
ASU did get in the red zone, but a holding penalty set the offense back 10 yards — sloppy errors once again coming into play. The Sun Devils couldn’t overcome the setback and settled for three. The penalty was committed by redshirt senior Jimeto Obigbo, who came in after graduate Ben Coleman, a key starter on ASU’s offensive line, was injured midway through the drive.
“The first drive with Ben in the game we drove down the field,” Dillingham said. “First play he left, we got a holding call which really ended that drive.”
Saturday night’s game wasn’t decided in the middle eight minutes. But the two drives during that span revealed many of the factors that underscored the outcome.
At many points before and after that portion of the game, the Sun Devils were plagued with execution blunders. On defense, ASU gave up a touchdown on 75 percent of its drives. To make matters worse, even short-distance kicking offered no relief.
“I told the guys in the locker room, we got out-physicaled, we got out coached,” Dillingham said. “I’ve got to look at myself to see what have I done different which is allowing that to happen.”
