(Tempe, AZ) Arizona State came into the game undefeated but still lingering questions persisted. What is this team, an offensive team ready to turn it on, or a defensive team that went toe to toe with one of the Big 10 powerhouses?
Through three games thus far, the Devils have shown glimpses of brilliance offensively against a weak Kent State team and defensive lapses against a hyped up Sacramento State team who was playing with nothing to lose? The Michigan State game showed ASU could hang with the big boys on their turf.
The Buffaloes won last year’s contest in Boulder, but ASU came in as a anywhere from a -7.5 to -9 point favorite.
The Buffaloes beat a very good Nebraska team in Boulder two weeks ago, but then lost inexplicably at home to an undersized Air Force Team in overtime 30-23 last Saturday.
Colorado took the opening kickoff off and marched down the field with little effort as the Buffs has a first and goal from the one yard line. On third down, sophomore tailback Alex Fontenot went off tackle and Colorado was on the board first, 7-0. Ten plays for seventy five yards in exactly five minutes.
The Sun Devils were on their heels that entire drive as CU mixed the run with the pass quite effectively.
On the Devil’s first possession, it was apparent that Colorado’s weakness was their secondary as freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels hit a wide open Jordan Kelley for thirty three yards and this game appeared that it could turn into a track meet.
The drive stalled at the Buffalo thirty one yard line and Cristian Zendejas’ field goal attempt from forty eight yards was woefully short.
Colorado dodged a bullet due in part to two key dropped passes on the ASU drive to receivers that were also wide open.
On third and two from the Devil’s twenty nine yard line, quarterback Steven Montez hit wide out Tony Brown in stride for the second touchdown of the quarter and a 14-0 Buffalo lead. Another methodical drive of eleven plays and seventy five yards.
The Sun Devil defense looked very porous in the first quarter, as Montez has ample time to survey the field and find his receivers.
After one quarter, Colorado had out gained the Sun Devils 145-76 yards. ASU only rushed the ball three times in the opening quarter.
Montez had 1o1 yards passing for CU after one quarter. Neither team’s secondary looked especially good.
The Devils struck quickly on a fifty three yard cross route to senior Brandon Aiyuk and the quick strike offensive fire power was on display just into the second quarter. Devils cut the CU lead in half 14-7.
The seventy six yard Devil scoring drive took just eight plays and 3;03 off the clock.
Colorado fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Sun Devils recovered at the Buffalo forty four.
A twenty yard pass completion to senior wide out Kyle Williams put the ball on the CU sixteen yard line.
Five plays later, Benjamin punched it up the middle for a one yard touchdown. The early hole that the Devil’s had dug themselves was now gone and the score tied at 14-14 with 10:41 left in the first half.
Seven plays forty four yards in 2:22 as ASU took advantage of the Buffalo turnover.
Colorado showed its quick strike ability on a thirty one yard fly pattern from Montez to Brown and the Buffs were back on top 21-14. Six plays forty one yards in just 1:47.
Devis came back highlighted by two Aiyuk catches for eighteen yards and fourteen yards to the CU three yard line. Benjamin scored a play later to tie it back up at 21-21 with 5:23 left in the half. Ten plays seventy five yards in 3:22.
With their track shoes on, the Buffs marched down the field to ASU’s seventeen yard line forcing a timeout.
On a third and short, the Devils defense stopped Jared Maugham ruin and kicker James Stefanou made the chip shot field goal to put CU up 24-21. Twelve plays sixty three yards in 4:46 and thats where the half ended.
Neither team could get any pressure on the quarterback and that’s what put the secondaries at a disadvantage. Both teams in the first half combined for 398 years with ASU with a slight 202-196 advantage.
The Sun Devils only rushed thirteen times for fifty two yards Every other stat was basically even between the teams.
ASU got the ball first in the second half but after one first down, the Devils were forced to punt.
On Colorado’s first third quarter possession faced with a third down and two, Montez got a the first down on a swing pass to Brown for twenty six yards to the ASU forty six. The drive quickly stalled as CU kept trying to go deep without success.
Trying to establish some type of rushing offense, the Sun Devils used the run on their second possession of the third quarter. With four rushes to three passes, it opened up the middle of the field for a Daniels pass to Ricky Pearsall for nineteen yards and ASU was in business.
Back to the run Benjamin broke off a nineteen yard run to the Buff’s twelve yard line.
Backup quarterback Ethan Long came in for the Devils and took a keeper to the CU four yard line. Colorado’s defense stiffened and Zendejas hot a twenty three yard field goal to tie it back up at 24-24.
That Devil drive took 7:20 off the clock using fourteen plays. The run had worked to some extent but it shortened the game with only 3;42 left in the third period.
Colorado’s quick strike offense marched right down the field to the Devils five yard line but a holding penalty took them back ten yards. Montez then hit Brown on the next play for twenty yards and a touchdown to give the Buffs a 31-24 lead
ASU got a thirty two yard kick off return by Aiyuk put the ball at the thirty five. The drive moved along with a sixteen yard completion to Curtis Hodges at the CU thirty nine.
Needing to get points, Daniels thirty nine yard pass to Frank Darby got the Devils back even at 31-31 at the 13;51 mark of the final period. Five plays netting sixty five yards took just 2;13.
Colorado shot themselves in the foot with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which basically doomed the drive.
The stop that the Sun Devils needed came at the 12:07 mark. ASU took possession of the punt at the Buffalo thirty yard line.
Two plays to get a first down set up a nice completion to Jordan Kelley for twenty six yards to the CU thirty three, but then the Devils gave the ball right back to the Buffaloes when Derr Rakestraw picked off Daniels.
The defense that had been missing on both sides finally showed up. Colorado couldn’t move the ball and punted back to Sparky with 8:32 left.
ASU began this possession on the Buffs twenty nine yard line. The Sun Devils rushed twice as the clock continued to run and a wide open Ryan Newsome was incomplete.
Punter Michael Turk got off a fifty eight yard punt flipping the field as CU had to start from their own sixteen yard line.
With 5;24 left in the game, Colorado was faced with a third down and three at their forty four yard line, Fontenot ran right up the gut for five yards and a key first down to keep the drive alive.
Faced with another third and three from the forty four Montez had all day to find a receiver and connected K.D. Nixon for thirteen yards and another fist down.
Now in field goal range and only 2:13 left on the clock, the Buffaloes called their final timeout facing a third down and six from the ASU twenty seven. Unable to gain the first down, Stefanou came through with a forty four yard field goal and the lead at 34-31.
ASU’s final drive started at their twenty five yard line. Two incomplete passes and two sacks of Daniels tuned the lights out for the Devils.
The key to this game was the lack of a pass rush by ASU which exposed the Devil’s secondary. You can’t expect your defensive backs to have to cover a receiver for 5-7 seconds and thats what Montez had to work with all night long.
The Buffs only tallied one sack as Daniels had about the same amount of time to survey the field and threw for 345 yards.
Both offensive lines did their jobs and back and forth flow of the game showed it.
This game served notice to the conference that both teams have the weapons to make things happen if not pressured.
ASU was 3-3 in the Red Zone, so there was no squandered opportunities. They were 61.5% on third down efficiency. Most games you’ll win with stats like that.
Both teams combined for 928 yards with Colorado putting up nine fewer passes and twelve more rushing attempts.
Arizona State visits California in Strawberry Canyon next. Friday at 7:30 MST while Colorado has a bye week before facing Arizona at home on October 5th.
