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ASU's defense delivers 3rd-straight win
ASU's defense smothers UCLA's Marcus Evertt during their game at Sun Devil Stadium, Friday, Nov. 28,2008.
Darryl Webb, Tribune
ASU's Troy Nolan returns an interception 100+ yards for a touchdown against UCLA in the fourth quarter, Friday, Nov. 28,2008.
Darryl Webb, Tribune
TEMPE - Arizona State overcame an anemic offensive effort by returning four UCLA turnovers for touchdowns, as it bullied its way to a 34-9 victory at Sun Devil Stadium Friday night.
It was the Sun Devils’ third-straight win and kept alive their hopes of qualifying for a bowl game, as they head into their annual rivalry game next Saturday against Arizona in Tucson. The Sun Devils controlled the game by pressuring UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft all night long - sacking him five times and hitting him hard on numerous other occasions - despite gaining only a meager 122 yards offensively for the entire game.
The Bruins nearly tripled ASU's yardage output, but the turnovers doomed their fate.
The Sun Devils’ first touchdown came on a most unusual play early in the second quarter when they trailed 3-0. As Craft dropped back to pass, he was sacked and stripped of the football by ASU's Dexter Davis. Bruins running back Derrick Coleman picked up the loose ball, but did not attempt to advance it, as he appeared to believe the play was dead. But no whistle had been blown, and Coleman had the ball jarred loose by ASU's Mike Nixon, and that fumble was scooped up by the Sun Devils' Paul Unga and returned 17 yards for a touchdown. The play was upheld after an official instant replay review.
Then six minutes before halftime, the Sun Devils received another touchdown from their defense when Travis Goethel returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown. The Kraft pass was initially deflected by ASU's Terell Carr, before being caught by Goethel.
The second half featured more theatrics from ASU’s defensive group.
Five minutes into the fourth quarter, with the Sun Devils leading 17-9 and UCLA threatening with a first-and-goal at the 6-yard line, ASU's Troy Nolan intercepted Kraft five yards deep in the end zone and returned it 100 yards along the right sideline for a touchdown. Then almost unbelievably, less than a minute later, Nixon picked off Kraft on UCLA’s next possession and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-9.
The win improved ASU’s record to 5-6 overall, and 4-4 in the Pac-10, tied with the Wildcats for fifth place in the conference. UCLA fell to 4-7 and will host Southern California next week.
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