By Nate Policar, ASU Sports Information
Sept. 1, 2005
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TEMPE, Ariz. - True freshman Keegan Herring rushed 12 times for 134 yards and one touchdown in his Sun Devil debut to lead ASU to a 63-16 season-opening victory against the Temple Owls at Sun Devil Stadium. Herring set the school record for net rushing yards in the first game of a career, passing the mark of 117 yards set by Woody Green against Houston in 1971.
Junior quarterback Sam Keller led the Sun Devils on an impressive 14-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a three-yard run by sophomore Rudy Burgess to give ASU a 7-0 lead with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter. After forcing Temple into a punt, Keller took the Sun Devils to the air, finding junior receiver Jamaal Lewis on a 28-yard pass to cross midfield and then on a 24-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-0 lead as the first quarter ended.
Temple opened the second quarter by punting away but got on the board with a safety after an eight-yard sack of Keller in the end zone. ASU answered with an interception by senior cornerback Mike Davis Jr. that set up a four-yard touchdown reception by sophomore tight end Zach Miller. Halfway through the second, ASU led 21-2.
With the clock winding down in the first half, ASU got a 45-yard punt return from junior Terry Richardson to set up senior preseason All-American Derek Hagan on an 18-yard TD pass from Keller to give ASU a 28-2 halftime lead.
ASU wasted no time in picking up where they left off in the second half as Herring rushed deep into Temple territory on a 33-yard gain before punching it into the end zone on a four-yard run to give the Sun Devils a 35-2 lead.
Halfway through the third quarter, Herring got the call again, gaining 30 yards on the ground during a seven-play, 85-yard drive that resulted in another ASU touchdown, this time a 31-yard pass from Keller to Hagan. Temple responded with an 80-yard drive of its own, scoring when tailback Josh Bundy found the end zone on a one-yard rush. Through three quarters of play, the score was 42-9.
In the final quarter of play, the Sun Devils' No. 2 offense took over and added three touchdowns to the score with a 17-yard touchdown reception by redshirt freshman Nate Kimbrough, a two-yard TD rush by sophomore Antone Saulsberry, and a four-yard touchdown rush by sophomore Preston Jones. ASU gave up a second touchdown to Temple late in the fourth quarter but emerged with a 63-16 win.
In just his second career start, Keller led the Sun Devils with 208 yards on 14-of-24 passing for a career-best four touchdowns. Ten different receivers made catches for the Sun Devils with four players scoring ASU's five touchdowns in the victory. ASU's receivers were led by Hagan who caught three passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns, while Lewis had two catches for 52 yards and his fifth career TD reception.