A week after Arizona State jumped into the national spotlight after an upset win over then-#15 Michigan State, the Sun Devils fell victim to their own upset against San Diego State 28-21.
San Diego State was dominant in the second half, and it seemed as though the Aztecs would run away with this game when they went up by two scores with 4:41 left in the game.
But things were just getting started.
On the ensuing drive, Manny Wilkins hit N’Keal Harry four times for 47 yards and a touchdown. Up until that drive, Arizona State did not have a second-half first down.
San Diego State then tried to milk the clock and ice the game, but Jay Jay Wilson forced a fumble and the Sun Devils had one more chance to tie. With 14 seconds left, Wilkins threw a 44-yard pass to Frank Darby, who got drilled in the process by Trenton Thompson and ASU stood at the San Diego State six-yard line. Thompson was ejected for targeting. During the play’s review, it is determined Thompson forced an incompletion while targetting Darby. Arizona State gets one more chance from the San Diego State 35-yard line, but the pass goes incomplete.
San Diego State escaped with the 28-21 win.
The run-heavy Aztecs had a similar performance to their win over the Sun Devils in 2017, rushing for 311 yards against the Arizona State rush defense, which was best in the nation entering Saturday.
On the opposite end, Arizona State was held to just 36 rushing yards.
The Aztecs dominated the time of possession in the second half with 21:06 to Arizona State’s 8:54.
The Sun Devils did not convert a first down in the second half until 3:41 left in the 4th quarter.
Arizona State will go back-to-back weeks on the road, traveling to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies next Saturday.
Statement from Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott