ASU 48, USC 35 (2 OT)
October 19, 1996
Sun Devil Stadium
Attendance: 74,947
Weather: 82 degrees, clear
The game had more twists and turns, rises and falls, elation and heartbreak than a good night at the theater. There were interceptions, fumbles, fourth down conversions, blown calls, great runs, tremendous catches, utter confusion and, yes, that latest accessory to collegiate football -- oooooohvertime.
And when the final gun finally sounded, a record Sun Devil Stadium crowd of 74,947 breathed a huge sigh of relief, then erupted. For their fourth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils had risen from the ashes yet again, fighting from behind on four occasions before pulling out a 48-35, two-overtime marathon over defending Pac-10 champion USC.
ASU improved to 7-0 and took sole possession of the conference race at 4-0. The Trojans, the preseason favorite to win the league, fell to 4-3, 2-2.
"There is so much to talk about, it would probably would take hours to analyze it," ASU head coach Bruce Snyder said after the game. "I thought we had been through everything up to this point. But today was totally different. I had no idea it would end up this way."
Who did? The Sun Devils had come from 34-21 down in the fourth quarter at UCLA a week earlier. But that contest could not in the least have prepared the crowd for what transpired on this day at Frank Kush Field.
The afternoon was initially viewed by many as Jake Plummer's coming-out party, the chance for the Heisman hopeful to shine once more before an ABC regional audience. But Plummer threw an interception on each of the Sun Devils' first two drives. USC capitalized on the picks, taking a 14-0 lead just four and a half minutes into the game.
"I had to fight through the interceptions, I knew there was still time to come back," Plummer said. "I said 'You can throw six touchdowns or six more interceptions from here.' I just played my best and let the guys around me carry the team."
Actually, the defense had to carry the burden before the Sun Devil offense started clicking. After those two quick scores on a short field, the USC offense was limited to just two first downs and 50 yards thre remainder of the first half. That gave ASU some time to find its first offensive hero, former backup tailback Terry Battle.
Battle raced 32 yards for a touchdown with 7:22 left in the first half to cut the USC lead to 14-7. And with 2:42 left, on fourth and one from the Trojan 18, Battle followed Juan Roque and Jeff Paulk around left tackle, evoking memories of John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII as he sprinted into the end zone for the tying score.
In one half, Battle, who replaced the injured Michael Martin, had the first 100-yard rushing game of his career.
The third quarter was a nasty war of attrition. Neither team could move the ball, in fact, ASU punter Lance Anderson trotted out on the field on six straight occasions. USC moved the ball down to the Sun Devil 20 on one drive, but defensive end Brent Burnstein blocked a field goal attempt for the second consecutive game, preserving the tie.
Yet it took little time for some fireworks to go off in the fourth quarter. They weren't supplied by anyone in maroon and gold or cardinal and gold, but by the men in black and white.
USC had the ball second and 10 from the ASU 29, when Trojan quarterback Brad Otton found Chris Miller in the right corner of the end zone. The line judge signaled touchdown. The Sun Devil secondary begged to differ. And replays showed the latter was correct.
Nevertheless, ASU trailed 21-14 and didn't show any signs of answering on the next drive, going three plays and out. The Sun Devil defense held, but USC punter Jim Wren floated a beauty that was downed at the ASU 2. Who needs John Elway when you have Jake Plummer?
Plummer, coming off his worst offensive half in recent memory, methodically marched the Sun Devils down the field, aided by a pair of 26-yard runs by Battle and J.R. Redmond. Plummer's favorite target? Tight end Steve Bush, another of the day's offensive heroes. Bush had not played since injuring his MCL in the Nebraska game and limped noticeably after his first catch in the second quarter. But he caught two passes on the drive, a drive which hit reverse at the USC 15. Facing a third and 16 from the 21, Plummer looked for his tight end.
"We had seen on film the safeties move to the hash mark," Bush said. "They don't pay much attention to the tight end. I thought it might be there."
Bush got the Trojans' attention, but not until he had crossed the end zone, tying the game at 21 with 7:11 left. ASU had once again seized momentum...
For precisely 16 seconds. As ASU cornerback Marcus Soward watched from the sidelines, his kid brother, Trojan freshman R. Jay Soward, broke four tackles and raced 98 yards with the kickoff for a touchdown, giving USC a 28-21 lead. The Sun Devils were faced with yet another deficit.
But Plummer (26 for 44, 277 yards) again moved ASU into striking range, finding three different receivers and unveiling more of the jukes in his bag from the previous week on a seven-yard scramble on a third and six.
"He's sick and crazy," wideout Keith Poole said. "I told him to quit running around back there and throw the ball."
Plummer was forced to run again on third and 10 from the USC 25, but could manage just eight yards. ASU faced a fourth and two with its undefeated record on the line.
Again, Plummer looked to Bush, this time for a 10-yard gain. Bush finished with 78 yards on seven catches. Battle scored his third touchdown from seven yards out one play later and the game was tied at 28 with 1:30 remaining.
USC had one last drive but could not convert a third and one at the ASU 48. The Trojans and Sun Devils welcomed their first overtime game.
The Sun Devils won the toss and elected to play defense first. But after a holding call on the first play, Otton found tight end Jeff Diltz for 22 yards, then tailback Rod Sermons for a touchdown two plays later. ASU again was forced to score a tying touchdown.
No problem. Plummer found Bush for 11 yards on the first play. Battle gained eight yards on two carries before Plummer threw a six-yard strike to Poole in the end zone. Robert Nycz's extra point fluttered through and the game was tied for the fourth time.
But now ASU had to go first, so the Sun Devil offense marched to 25 at the other side of the field. As soon as Plummer pitched the ball to Battle, Snyder's assistants were screaming touchdown into his headset. Battle found a hole on the right side and accelerated through it, scoring his fourth touchdown of the game.
"I felt like I had to be the man with Michael Martin out, and I was a pretty nervous guy," Battle said. "But coach (Dan) Cozzetto came up to me and told me to show everyone Terry Battle today, and that gave me a real boost."
Terry Battle, who wrote Martin's No. 29 on his wristbands, showed the crowd a career-high, 184 -yard effort.
The ASU defense had to keep the Trojans out of the end zone to seal the win. Otton completed his first two passes, but cornerback Jason Simmons and Scott Von der Ahe each made key tackles, ensuring the receivers would not stray far. Otton faced a third and seven from the ASU 22.
Defensive end Albrey Battle beat his man and got his hands around the USC quarterback, who promptly underhanded the ball to avoid a sack. The ball fell at Courtney Jackson's feet. What next? Nobody in the stadium was quite sure.
So Jackson started running.
"When Courtney picked the ball up, I looked directly at the referee," Snyder said. "He let him run so I said 'Go, Courtney, go!'"
Courtney went 85 yards to be exact, putting a most-bizarre finishing touch on a most bizarre college football game.
So Battle, Bush, Poole, Burnstein, Pat Tillman (who intercepted Otton in the second quarter) and the rest of the Sun Devil players and coaches all put a heroic effort into a hard day's work. But Plummer, whether it was running for his life, hitting the open man or charging his unit up in the huddle, was the undisputed catalyst.
"Plummer is the heart and soul of their team," USC defensive lineman Darrell Russell said. "They would not function without him.
"He makes them believe."
Game Notes
- ASU moved to 7-0 for the first time since 1982.
- Terry Battle rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time in his career.
- Jake Plummer set career highs for completions (26) and attempts (44).
- The Sun Devils were 3 for 3 in the red zone, moving their season total to 24 for 24.
- ASU remained fourth in the AP Poll and moved up to fourth in the USA Today/CNN Coaches' Poll.
Score By Quarters
1 2 3 4 OT F
USC 14 0 0 14 7 35
Arizona State 0 14 0 14 20 48
Team Statistics
USC ASU
13 First Downs 29
90 Net Yards Rushing 266
205 Net Yards Passing 277
295 Total Offense 543
16-40-1 Passing: Cmp-Att-Int 26-44-3
11-49.1 Punting 10-46.3
1-1 Fumbles-Lost 3-0
12-92 Penalties 8-60
22:02 Time of Possession 37:58
Individual Statistics
Rushing (Att-Yds-TD)
USC: Woods 15-56-1; Washington 5-21-0; Sermons 2-5-0; Otton 1-7-0; Walters 1-1-0.
ASU: Battle 30-184-4; Redmond 9-43-0; Plummer 13-31-0; Paulk 3-8-0.
Passing (Comp-Att-Yds-TD-Int)
USC: Plummer 26-44-277-2-3.
ASU: Otton 16-39-205-3-1; Bastianelli 0-1-0-0-0.
Receiving (Rec-Yds-TD)
USC: Allred 4-38-1; C. Miller 3-66-1; Sermons 3-23-2; B. Miller 2-16-0; Bastianelli 2-36-0; Diltz 1-22-0; Woods 1-4-0.
ASU: Poole 7-103-1; Bush 7-78-1; Jackson 3-13-0; Mitchell 2-36-0; Kendall 2-14-0; Mustafa 1-18-0; Boyer 1-9-0; Bates 1-7-0; Redmond 1-3-0; Battle 1-(-)4-0.
Scoring Quarter Team-Scoring Play (Conversion) Score 1 USC- Allred 15-yard pass from Otton (Abrams kick) 7-0 1 USC- Woods 13-yard run (Abrams kick) 14-0 2 ASU- Battle 32-yard run (Nycz kick) 14-7 2 ASU- Battle 18-yard run (Nycz kick) 14-14 4 USC- C. Miller 29-yard pass from Otton (Abrams kick) 21-14 4 ASU- Bush 21-yard pass from Plummer (Nycz kick) 21-21 4 USC- Soward 98-yard kickoff return (Abrams kick) 28-21 4 ASU- Battle seven-yard run (Nycz kick) 28-28 OT USC- Sermons 11-yard pass from Otton (Abrams kick) 35-28 OT ASU- Poole 6-yard pass from Plummer (Nycz kick) 35-35 OT ASU- Battle 25-yard run (Nycz kick) 35-42 OT ASU- Jackson 85-yard fumble return 35-48