Nov. 24, 2000
TUCSON, Ariz. - Mike Barth kicked three field goals and ran 13 yards for a touchdown on a fake field-goal play as Arizona State beat mistake-prone Arizona 30-17 on Friday to give Bruce Snyder one more game as Sun Devils' coach.
Terrell Suggs recovered a fumble by Arizona's Clarence Farmer in the end zone for a touchdown. An interception and fumble by the Wildcats set up two of Barth's field goals.
The Sun Devils (6-5 overall, 3-5 Pac-10) snapped a three-game losing streak and will advance to a bowl game, probably the Oahu Bowl, where Snyder will coach the team a final time. He was fired last week after nine seasons at the school.
Arizona (5-6, 3-5) lost its fifth straight, its longest losing streak in one season since 1958. Coach Dick Tomey, in his 14th season with the Wildcats, is 11-12 the last two years. He will find out his fate in a meeting, probably next week, with athletic director Jim Livengood.
Ortege Jenkins, in his final game for Arizona, threw for a touchdown and ran for another. He completed 16 of 31 passes for 176 yards but was sacked eight times.
The punting game was a major difference in the contest.
Donnie O'Neal blocked a running, rugby-style punt attempt by Arizona's Chris Palic early in the third quarter to give Arizona State the ball at the Arizona 15. The Sun Devils couldn't move the ball, but on a field-goal attempt, holder Griffin Goodman handed the ball to Barth, who ran up the middle for the score to put Arizona State up 13-10 with 12:09 left in the third quarter.
The Wildcats responded with a seven-play, 77-yard drive. Clarence Farmer's 44-yard run was the big play. Jenkins threw 14 yards to wide-open tight end Brandon Manumaleuna for a touchdown to give Arizona its final lead, 17-13, with 3:40 left in the third.
On Arizona State's next possession, Nick Murphy's 45-yard punt went out of bounds at the Arizona 3. On the next play, Farmer fumbled, the freshman Suggs recovered and ASU led for good, 20-17, with six minutes left in the third.
The Sun Devils went 60 yards in 11 plays to make it 27-17 on Tom Pace's 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Leo Mills' fumble, recovered by Arizona State's Willie Daniel, set up Barth's 48-yard field goal that put ASU up 30-17 with 9:05 remaining.
Arizona had it second-and-goal at the 5 in the fourth quarter, but Jenkins threw two incomplete passes to end the threat.
Arizona led 10-6 at halftime on Jenkins' 3-yard touchdown run, set up by Bobby Wade's 54-yard punt return.
Arizona outgained Arizona State 371-264.
Snyder finished his Arizona State career 4-5 against Arizona. With the Wildcats, Tomey is 8-5-1 against ASU. The Wildcats lost four of their six home games.
By Bob Baum
AP Sports Writer