Editor’s note: Notes originally published on 12/27/2024
Record update
· Arizona State is now 583-373-24 all-time
· ASU moved to 1-0 all-time against Duke
Most Valuable Player trophies
· C.M. Hendricks Most Valuable Player Trophy: Demario Richard
· Jimmy Rogers, Jr., Most Valuable Lineman Trophy: Marcus Hardison
· John Folmer Most Valuable Special Teams Player Trophy: Kalen Ballage
Double-digit wins (x2)
The Sun Devils secured back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since Frank Kush notched double-digit victories from 1970-73.
Bowl record update
· The Sun Devils are now 14-13-1 all-time in bowl appearances
· Coach Graham is now 5-2 as a head coach in bowl games in his career and 2-1 at ASU
· The Sun Devils are now 3-1-1 all-time in the Sun Bowl
Baby beast mode
True freshman running back Demario Richard’s four touchdowns today are tied for the most in ASU’s bowl history (Woody Green had four at the 1972 Fiesta Bowl)
Richard is the first freshman to rush for a touchdown in a bowl game since Hakim Hill in the 2002 Holiday Bowl.
Sun Bowl captains
Mike Bercovici, Damarious Randall, Jaelen Strong, Taylor Kelly, Jamil Douglas
Success under Coach Graham
· Coach Graham now has a school-record 28 wins in his first three seasons as head coach at ASU, one more than Dan Devine (1955-57)
· Coach Graham has now recorded 10 wins in five of his nine seasons as a head coach (Tulsa 2007, 2008, 2010; ASU 2013, 2014)
Strike first
ASU has scored first in 29 of its 40 games under Coach Graham, and is now 23-6 under Coach Graham when doing so.
Strike fast
55 of ASU’s 76 offensive scoring drives this season, and 168 of ASU’s 229 offensive scoring drives under offensive coordinator Mike Norvell in the past three years, have come in three minutes or less.
First quarter update
· ASU has outscored its opponents 113-61 in the first quarter this season and 391-200 in the three seasons under Coach Graham.
· This is the first game ASU led after the first quarter since Notre Dame (17-3) on Nov. 8, and the Devils had been outscored 35-17 in the first quarter of the past three games.
Leading at the half
ASU is 24-1 under Coach Graham when leading at halftime.
Kelly
Quarterback Taylor Kelly secured 264 total yards against Duke and now has a school-record 10,223 career yards of total offense. He is just the third player in school history with 10,000-plus career yards of total offense (Rudy Carpenter – 10,196 from 2005-08’ Andrew Walter – 10,142 from 2001-04).
Kelly had 24 rushing yards today to push his career total to 1,404 – resetting the school record for most rushing yards by a quarterback, previously held by Mark Malone (1,390 for 1977-79).
#FosterFacts
Running back D.J. Foster continued his streak of games with a reception to 40 – or every game he has played as a Sun Devil – with a 3-yard catch to end the first quarter. He is the third Sun Devil in school history with a reception in at least 40 consecutive games (Derek Hagan – 41, 2002-05; John Jefferson – 44, 1974-77).
Foster collected 121 yards of total offense in the game and now has 3,965 career all-purpose yards through three seasons at ASU.
Foster had 79 rushing yards in the game and now has 2,075 career rushing yards through three seasons at ASU.
Foster, who now has 62 receptions this season and had 63 in 2013, is just the third player in school history to record 60-plus receptions in consecutive seasons (Jaelen Strong 75 and 80 in 2013-14; Derek Hagan 66, 83 and 77 in 2003-05).
Foster finished the season with 62 receptions, tied for the 10th most in a single season in ASU history. His 163 career receptions are the fifth most in ASU history.
#TooStrong
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong had seven receptions in the game to finish the season with 82 receptions, third most in a single season in ASU history. He also finished his two-year career with 157 career receptions, sixth most in ASU history.
Strong picked up 103 receiving yards to finish the season with 1,1065 receiving yards, 10th most in a single season in ASU history. He also finished his two-year career with 2,287 career receiving yards, fourth most in ASU history.
Strong tallied his 12th career 100-yard receiving game, including his fifth this season, to tie Shaun McDonald for the second most in school history (Derek Hagan owns the record with 18).
Strong had six catches for a first down in the game, and 57 of Strong’s 82 receptions this season have gone for a first down.
Gold zone
The Devils went 6-for-6 inside the red zone today and are now 58-for-64 this season with 39 touchdowns.
AutoZane
With 118 points this season, including 12 today, Zane Gonzalez now holds the first and second all-time single-season scoring marks for a kicker in ASU history. He holds the current school record at 138, set last season.
With a 28-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, Gonzalez collected his 20th field goal of the season and has kicked at least 20 field goals in each of his first two seasons at ASU. He is just the second Sun Devil kicker to accomplish this feat (Luis Zendejas had 24 and 28 in ’82 and '83).
Career days
- Wide receiver Freddy Gammage had a career-high four catches
- Running back Demario Richard had a career-high four catches
- Linebacker Antonio Longino set a career high with 17 tackles
- Defensive lineman Marcus Hardison set a career high with 13 tackles
Turnover factory
The Devils have forced 26 turnovers since the first game of the season and 89 turnovers in the three seasons under Coach Graham.