Oct. 11, 2003
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The Gomez Files: Defense Sets The Tone Early
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State intercepted Oregon's first two passes, returning one of them 50 yards for a touchdown, and ASU went on to beat the Ducks 59-14 on Saturday.
Andrew Walter, who threw for a Pac-10-record 536 yards at Oregon last year, completed 18 of 28 for 316 yards with no interceptions and three second-half touchdowns as the Sun Devils snapped a three-game losing streak.
Walter was 10-for-14 for 215 yards in Arizona State's 38-point second half, when the Sun Devils scored on every possession. He didn't play in the game's final 8* minutes.
Loren Wade scored on a 56-yard run, Arizona State's longest rushing play in two years, and Hakim Hill had TD runs of six and two yards. The Sun Devils (3-3, 1-2 Pac-10) handed Oregon (4-3, 1-2) its third consecutive defeat since the Ducks' home win over Michigan.
In its Pac-10 losses to Washington State and Arizona State, Oregon has been outscored 114-30.
Jason Fife, who replaced Kellen Clemens at quarterback for Oregon after the two quick interceptions, was 7-for-19 for 101 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 66 yards in eight carries, including a one-yard TD run.
Fife's 16-yard scoring pass to Tim Day cut the lead to 24-14 with 9:33 left in the third quarter, but the Sun Devils scored touchdowns on all five of their remaining possessions.
Three came on Walter's TD passes of 2, 5 and 10 yards. Wade scored on his 56-yard run the first play of the fourth quarter, then ASU's reserves mounted the final drive, Cornell Canidate scoring on a 1-yard run with 26 seconds to play.
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Linebacker Ishmael Thrower pressures Oregon quarterback Jason Fife during the second quarter.
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Three plays later, Chris McKenzie picked off Clemens' second pass and returned it 23 yards to the six to set up Hill's first TD run and it was 14-0 with 12:43 still to go in the first quarter.
Hill capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard run that put ASU up 21-0 with 2:38 left in the first half.
Oregon, meanwhile, finally completed its first pass of the game with 2:20 left in the half during a seven-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with Fife's 1-yard run that made it 21-7 with 49 seconds to play.
Arizona State got its longest pass play of the season when Walter threw 49 yards to Matt Miller to set up Jesse Ainsworth's 43-yard field goal early in the third quarter.
By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer