ASU notes: McGaha shakes off flu, scores winner

The Washington football team probably wishes Chris McGaha stayed in bed.

Arizona State's wide receiver missed all week of practice with the flu, but he caught a 50-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift Arizona State past the Huskies 24-17 Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium.

Slideshow: ASU vs. Washington

ASU snatches last second win vs. Washington

Crazy finish aside, Devils deserved win

It was his only catch of the game, and it came when Washington had a defensive mix-up and left him wide open. McGaha caught the ball inside the 5-yard line and strolled in for the deciding score.

"It was in the air for awhile," McGaha said. "But I'm just happy for the opportunity to score a touchdown." McGaha started the game, but he only played one snap in the first two quarters.

He played more in the second half but only had one pass thrown his way until the final completion.

"I was just thinking to myself, 'Do not overthrow it,'" quarterback Danny Sullivan said.

TRICKERY

The Sun Devils used some unconventional means to gain yards in the first half.

On their first possession, wide receiver T.J. Simpson took a reverse for 30 yards into Washington territory, and a facemask at the end of the play moved the ball down to the 12-yard line.

Arizona State would score to tie the game at 7.

Two possessions later, the same reverse was run, except this time Kyle Williams stayed behind the line of scrimmage and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Simpson in the back of the end zone.

It gave the Sun Devils a 14-7 lead with 14:51 left in the second quarter.

It was the first touchdown pass by a non-quarterback for ASU since Rudy Burgess found Derek Hagan on a 43-yarder against Washington State on Nov. 5, 2005.

The Sun Devils tried another wide receiver reverse midway through the second quarter, but Jamal Miles fumbled the ball, recovered it and was stopped for no gain.

FIRST ACTION

Quarterback Samson Szakacsy and Miles saw their first collegiate playing time against the Huskies.

Szakacsy took a snap on a third-and-1 and ran the option, pitching the ball to Dimitri Nance. The play was stopped for a loss, but a pair of personal fouls on Washington gave the Sun Devils a first down.

Miles finished the game with two catches for 34 yards.

His first career reception came on the last play of the first quarter, a 17-yarder on a wide receiver screen pass.

He dropped a screen pass at the beginning of the third quarter.

WEBER RETURNS

Thomas Weber handled the field goal and extra point duties, his first action since the season opener against Idaho State because of a groin strain. He was 3-for-3 on extra points and made a 24-yard field goal, but he missed 40- and 41-yard attempts.

Bobby Wenzig handled the kickoffs.

EXTRA POINTS

Safety Ryan McFoy's second-quarter interception at the 1-yard line was Arizona State's 14th straight game with a pick, the longest streak in the nation. He added another one on the last play of the game…. ... Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict was called for three personal fouls in the first half…. ... Cameron Marshall's 75-yard run in the third quarter was Arizona State's longest rush of the season. It is the longest run by a Sun Devil since Keegan Herring had a 76-yard run against Washington in 2007.