Sept. 26, 2004
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
By Nate Policar
ASU Sports Information
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Twenty seven unanswered points and solid play from the defense helped the Arizona State Sun Devils stay perfect on the year as they downed the Oregon State Beavers 27-14 in front of a rowdy Sun Devil crowd.
Atoning for a devastating 45-17 loss last year in Corvallis, the Sun Devils responded to a Beaver team with their own brand of smash mouth football that left OSU looking for an answer to the swarming defensive attack of the Sun Devils.
Striking first, Oregon State (1-2) quarterback Derek Anderson found wide receiver Mike Hass on a 34-yard pass that gave the Beavers their only lead of the night at 7-0 with 10:10 remaining in the first quarter.
After stopping the Sun Devils (4-0) on offense, the Beavers looked to build on their lead from the Sun Devil 20-yard line, but junior Jamar Williams picked off his first of two passes on the night and returned it 30-yards to the OSU 1-yard line. With an impressive goal line stand, the Beavers forced the Sun Devils to kick the field goal and responded by blocking the kick and recovering in their own end zone for a touchback. Looking to regroup on offense following a Beaver punt, the Sun Devils took possession and gained 16 yards on a quarterback keeper by senior Andrew Walter. Handing the ball off to junior tailback Hakim Hill on the next play, the Devils scored their first touchdown of the night on a three-yard run. As the first quarter came to a close, the Sun Devils had tied the score at 7-7.
The Sun Devils opened the second quarter by taking advantage of a Beaver miscue with a touchdown-saving play from senior safety Emmanuel Franklin. With the right side pass coverage having been beaten by OSU receiver Joe Newton, who hauled in a 20-yard pass reception, Franklin charged towards Newton and stripped the ball from his hands on the one-yard line. With the ball loose in the ASU end zone, Franklin quickly covered it up to stop the Beavers' scoring drive and return possession to the Devils on the 20-yard line. The Devils responded by gaining 64 yards on the Beavers before turning to sophomore Jesse Ainsworth for a 33-yard field goal to put ASU out in front 10-7 with 2:01 left in the first half.
Turning the momentum of the game in their favor, the Sun Devils capitalized on another Beaver turnover, as OSU quarterback Derek Anderson fumbled the ball on their ensuing possession and allowed ASU senior tackle Jordan Hill to recover on the Sun Devils' 12-yard line. On a wide receiver reverse, sophomore Terry Richardson carried the ball 12 yards into the end zone for the Sun Devils to help them take a 17-7 lead into the locker room at half.
Beginning the second half with good field position, the Sun Devils started from their own 43-yard line and utilized two 15-yard penalties by the Beavers to set up a 17-yard touchdown on a slant route from Walter to freshman receiver Zach Miller. With 10:11 remaining in the third quarter, the Sun Devils led the Beavers 24-7.
"Oregon State made it hard on us as I felt like they played really physical and got their hands on us. They were able to put some pressure on me. I had to release a couple of balls before I wanted," said Walter. "I guess that says how good our defense is and it also says that we are able to fight adversity. A win is a win and it doesn't matter to me how it comes. We are going to keep moving."
The Sun Devils continued to dominate on the defensive side of the ball, opening the fourth quarter by intercepting another pass from Derek Anderson. Two possessions later, Anderson fumbled again allowing Jordan Hill to recover on the ASU 32-yard line. Again taking advantage of costly penalties, the Sun Devils brought the ball down to the OSU 27-yard line and called on Ainsworth for a 45-yard field goal which split the uprights and secured the Sun Devil lead at 27-7.
After 52 minutes of shutout defense, the Sun Devils surrendered a score to the Beavers, as tailback Dwight Wright carried the ball 1-yard across the goal line to inch OSU closer at 27-14, but it proved to be too late as the Devils held on to win their fourth straight game and open 4-0 for the first time since the 1996 campaign when they earned a trip to the Rose Bowl.