(Tempe, AZ) The Arizona State Sun Devils entered the game with a 1-1 record to face off against Fresno State Bulldogs, who came in at 2-0 and also had the second longest win streak in NCAA football at 11 behind only the Georgia Bulldogs.
ASU was home for the third straight week, trying to bounce back after losing to Oklahoma State last Saturday.
Fresno State quarterback was Mikey Keene, who was undefeated in high school with the Chandler High Wolves and a couple of State Championships.
The Sun Devils had three starters who were ruled out earlier on in the week with minor injuries. Quarterback Jaden Rashada, Tight End Jalin Conyers, and change of pace Running Back DeCarlos Brooks.
Arizona State was looking to close out their non conference slate with a win over the Bulldogs to head into conference play. ASU entered the game as a 3.5 point underdog.
The Sun Devils won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
ASU’s defense didn’t start off well allowing a score within the first three and a half minutes of the game. A nineteen yard pass from Mikey Keene to Wide Receiver to Jalen Moss gave the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead.
The Devils started Trenton Bourguet at quarterback who threw an interception on his third snap.
A sack from Arizona State Defensive Back Ro Terrence forced the Bulldogs to kick a field goal that made the score 10-0.
Photo – JJ Digos/Arizona Varsity
Bourguet on the next possession took his squad down the field, but dropped the ball and injured his foot after he recovered the ball attempting a pass. It appeared that his cleats dug into the grass twisting his left leg. He was unable to return.
In came backup third string signal caller Drew Pyne, a Notre Dame transfer portal player who immediately fumbled the ball, that caused the Devils drive to come to a screeching halt.
The Bulldog offense had little problem getting into Arizona State territory, but failed to punch it in thanks to a ten yard sack by Torrence again. Instead, Fresno State went up 13-0 from a 30 yard field goal.
Drew Pyne fumbled the ball for the second time and gave the Bulldogs the ball back at the Devils’ fourteen yard line.
ASU’s defense stiffened again forcing a twenty nine yard field goal that put Fresno State ahead 16-0.
Pyne’s next drive pushed the ball down field for the first time the into the red zone, with help from a roughing the passer and targeting penalty by Bulldog linebacker Raymond Scott.
The Sun Devils failed on a fourth and goal attempt from the six inch line, that gave the Bulldogs the ball back on downs.
The half time score was 16-0 Fresno State.
Arizona State got the ball to start off the second half, but a three and out forced them punted the ball away.
The Bulldogs bulldozed the Sun Devil defense Keene threw a 42 yard touchdown to receiver Jaelen Gill in a ninety second drive, and Fresno State pushed its lead to 23-0.
Pyne threw another interception in the Devils’ territory and six of the eleven players on the field for Fresno State were called for one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which gave them the ball at the ASU thirty nine yard line.
The Arizona State defense was constantly put in short field situations but stepped up to keep the deficit at twenty three.
Tevin White caused the sixth turnover of the game with a fumble recovery, giving the ball back to the Bulldogs on the Devils’ thirty two yard line
Photo – Asher Kerr/Sun Devil Athletics
The Devils’ defense gave a couple of first downs, but pushed the Bulldogs back to the thirty two yard line forcing a long fifty yard field goal that put Fresno State up by 26.
Coach Dillingham went to fourth string quarterback Jacob Conover in place of Pyne, but couldn’t rally the offense and they were forced to punt yet another time.
Conover threw an interception and Carlton Johnson had his third pick of the night. That resulted in a thirty three yard field goal, that inflated the lead to 29-0.
Conover pushed the Devils to midfield but ended with he same result.
The Bulldogs kept the ball on the ground to run out the clock.
Conover continued to struggle running the offense and tossed his second interception, contributing to eight turnovers on the night by the Devils.
The offense could not do anything with the three passers going 17-37 with 188 yards and five interceptions. The ground game was barely noticeable with twenty seven rushing attempts for only forty two yards.
Injuries plagued this team, but the most noticeable happening when Bourguet went down. That changed the complexion of the game.
Sun Devils’ three fumbles also added to their misery.
ASU’s defense was a bright spot in that they kept the offense’s miscues to no Bulldog touchdowns but five field goals and fifteen points. The defense also came up big in the sack department with six.
The offense was lackluster to say the least, with the loss of Bourguet who was ASU’s only seasoned signal caller which put the Sun Devils were in a world of trouble.
With Rashada injury he couldn’t replace Bourguet, which meant former Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne had to play having not taken a snap this season and proceeded to have four turnovers.
Dillingham made the decision to bring in fourth stringer Jacob Conover, who ended up throwing 2 interceptions.
All three quarterbacks were responsible for seven of the eight turnovers.
The Devils had no chance of coming back in this contest.
Arizona State has a tough matchup next Saturday as the fifth ranked US Trojans come to town.
The attendance for tonight’s game was 46,723.
Article by Matthew Martell Jr – 602 Sports Talk
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