ASU 42, UCLA 34
October 12, 1996
Rose Bowl
Attendance: 66,107
Weather: 87 degrees, clear
See Jake pass, see Jake catch, see Jake run.
Simple, yes, but a formula that does not lack any dramatics. And if your team is down 13 on the road in the fourth quarter, with perhaps a conference crown and an undefeated season on the line, the formula simply works.
ASU quarterback Jake Plummer threw for a touchdown, caught a pass for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown -- all in the final 7:24 of the game -- to rally No. 4 Arizona State to a 42-34 win against UCLA before 66,107 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Plummer's heroic hat trick helped lift the Sun Devils to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-10. The Bruins fell to 2-3, 1-1 in conference play.
ASU fell behind 28-7 early and trailed 34-21 late. But befitting a team with tremendous leadership, the Sun Devils refused to push the proverbial panic button.
Plummer found sophomore wideout Kenny Mitchell in the end zone with 7:24 left, trimming the lead to 34-28. UCLA got the ball at its own 20, but tailback Skip Hicks fumbled the ball and strong safety Damien Richardson recovered, giving ASU the ball at the Bruin 16.
After UCLA stuffed a running play for no gain, tailback J.R. Redmond took a pitch, drifted right, then threw the ball back across the field in the direction of Plummer. Plummer caught the ball, followed a block from wideout Keith Poole, then slithered through two tackles en route to a dive across the goalline.
"It didn't totally go as we had planned," ASU head coach Bruce Snyder said. "We felt we could get Jake open down the boundary, but he cut right back into the teeth of the Bruins. It was a great run. He is so slippery. I guess that's why he is the Snake."
Indeed. In fact, the play -- installed in practice that week -- was christened the "Snake Pass" in deference to Plummer's nickname.
"I had some jukes in my bag and I pulled them out when I needed to," Plummer said. "Keith Poole owed me one for a couple of those reverses where I threw some blocks for him. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have gotten in."
Robert Nycz tacked on the extra point and the Sun Devils suddenly had a 35-34 lead ith 6:33 remaining.
Score By Quarters
1 2 3 4 F
Arizona State 7 7 7 21 42
UCLA 21 7 6 0 34
Team Statistics
ASU UCLA
25 First Downs 26
119 Net Yards Rushing 112
291 Net Yards Passing 395
410 Total Offense 507
20-38-2 Passing: Cmp-Att-Int 22-42-1
6-46.2 Punting 7-38.3
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
7-51 Penalties 9-44
26:57 Time of Possession 33:03
Individual Statistics
Rushing (Att-Yds-TD)
ASU: Redmond 15-45-0; Plummer 14-34-1; Paulk 2-20-0; Battle 8-16-0; Martin 2-4-0.
UCLA: Hicks 22-114-2; Walendy 3-7-0; Price 11-7-0; McNown 8-(-)16-0.
Passing (Comp-Att-Yds-TD-Int)
ASU: Plummer 19-36-275-3-1; Redmond 1-1-16-1-0; Boyer 0-1-0-0-1.
UCLA: McNown 22-41-395-3-1; Price 0-1-0-0-0.
Receiving (Rec-Yds-TD)
ASU: Poole 7-112-2; Boyer 6-57-0; Jackson 5-83-0; Mitchell 1-23-1; Plummer 1-16-1.
UCLA: Farmer 4-43-0; Clark 3-65-0; Ayers 3-60-1; McBride 3-27-1; Scott 3-49-0; McElroy 2-105-1; Caldwell 1-13-0; Grieb 1-8-0; Walendy 1-7-0; Hicks 1-18-0.
Scoring Quarter Team-Scoring Play (Conversion) Score 1 UCLA- McBride 11-yard pass from McNown (Merten kick) 7-0 1 ASU- Battle 99-yard kickoff return (Nycz kick) 7-7 1 UCLA- McElroy 55-yard pass from McNown (Merten kick) 14-7 1 UCLA- Hicks four-yard run (Merten kick) 21-7 2 UCLA- Ayers 39-yard pass from McNown (Merten kick) 28-7 2 ASU- Poole 15-yard pass from Plummer (Nycz kick) 28-14 3 ASU- Poole 17-yard pass from Plummer (Nycz kick) 28-21 3 UCLA- Hicks two-yard run (kick failed) 34-21 4 ASU- Mitchell 23-yard pass from Plummer (Nycz kick) 34-28 4 ASU- Plummer 16-yard pass from Redmond (Nycz kick) 34-35 4 ASU- Plummer one-yard run (Nycz kick) 34-42