By Nate Policar, ASU Sports Information
Sept. 25, 2005
CORVALLIS, Ore. - A 28-point third quarter and a career night from senior All-American receiver Derek Hagan helped lead the No. 18/17 Arizona State Sun Devils to a 42-24 Pac-10 opening victory over the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium in The Sun Devils improved to 3-1 overall and continued to display their high-powered offense with 475 yards of total offense. Through four games, ASU is averaging 47.0 points and 591.8 yards of total offense per game. OSU fell to 2-2 on the season, losing for just the seventh time in the last 25 Pac-10 games at Reser Stadium.
With his career-best 193-yards, Hagan moved past John Jefferson as ASU's alltime leading receiver with 3,160 yards. He also tied his career high with 11 catches andrecorded the 10th-best receiving performance in school history. In addition to extending his school record with his 15th 100-yard game, Hagan also had a pair of touchdown catches to move into a tie for 10th place in the Pac-10 career record books with 24.
Getting things going early, the Devils wasted no time in scoring, as Sam Keller found his tailback Rudy Burgess on ASU's third play from scrimmage on a 49-yard reception up the middle of the field. Less than three minutes into the game, the Sun Devils had an early 7-0 lead, which they would never relinquish.
Holding the Beavers scoreless for the remainder of the first quarter and much of the second, the ASU defense forced a costly turnover for the Beavers when senior linebacker Jamar Williams intercepted a Matt Moore pass on ASU's 33-yard line. Keller quickly turned the turnover into a score, finding Hagan for a 39-yard reception that set up a one-yard rush by Burgess to extend the lead to 14-0 late in the second quarter. OSU mounted a 74-yard drive near the end of the half, but was stuffed inside the five, forcing the Beavers to settle for a 22-yard field goal, which cut the lead to 14-3 heading into halftime.
The Sun Devil defense made another statement to open the third quarter. With the Beavers threatening from the ASU 36-yard line, Keno Walter-White forced a fumble and the Sun Devils recovered. Quickly attacking down the field, Keller found tight end Brent Miller on a 41-yard completion to set up a five-yard touchdown strike from Keller to Hagan. The Beavers found the endzone on their next possession as found receiver Mike Hass twice for receptions of 49 and 29 yards to set up a two-yard rush by Yvenson Bernard to cut the ASU lead to 21-10.
After a sideline official was injured on the ensuing kickoff, forcing a 15 minute delay, the Sun Devils struck hard, scoring 21 unanswered points in less than five minutes to end the third quarter. Moving 87 yards in under two minutes, Keller found receiver Matt Miller on a 37-yard touchdown reception to give the Sun Devils a 28-10 advantage. After two more turnovers by the defense, Keller hit Hagan on a 28-yard TD pass and freshman tailback Keegan Herring rushed up the sideline for a 29-yard touchdown, punctuating the 28-point quarter.
Keller turned in another strong performance for the Devils, going 19-for-36 for 365 yards and four touchdowns. Herring and Burgess combined for 94 rushing yards and each scored a touchdown. The defense was led by the aggressive play of Williams, who recorded a game-high 13 tackles (nine solo) in addition to a forced fumble, an interception, and one sack for a loss of six yards. DeWayne Hollyfield collected three of ASU's season-high eight sacks. Zach Catanese, Dale Robinson, Chad Lindsey, and Jordan Hill, also recorded one sack in the game.