Sept. 13, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. -
By Matt Storey, ASU Media Relations
UNLV rallied from 10 points down at the start of the fourth quarter to defeat Arizona State 23-20 in overtime Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium. The loss drops ASU to 2-1 on the season.
The Rebels scored the game-tying touchdown when wide receiver Phillip Payne made a diving, one-handed catch with 18 seconds to play in regulation. Then, after they converted a field goal on the first possession of overtime, Malo Taumua blocked Thomas Weber's 35-yard field goal attempt to secure the victory.
"We didn't make any plays offensively," head coach Dennis Erickson said of the loss. "Defensively, we had them at third down a lot of times and they converted it, and they made some big plays at the end of the game to get it in there. It starts with me. I didn't have them ready to play, and I'll take the blame."
ASU quarterback Rudy Carpenter was 13-of-23 for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
"UNLV, we have to give all the credit to them," Carpenter said. "They played a great game, and they're the reason why we lost. We didn't do well in all three aspects of the game, and when you don't, you're going to lose."
Kyle Williams led the ASU receivers with three catches for 115 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown catch on the Sun Devils' opening possession of the third quarter that put them in front 20-10. Chris McGaha also had a touchdown reception in the game.
With Keegan Herring sidelined by injury, Dimitri Nance and Shaun DeWitty stepped in to share the running back duties. Nance led the way with 92 yards on 20 carries, while DeWitty ran for 48 yards on 13 carries.
"They were playing a lot of two deep, and that forced us to run the football," Erickson said. "That's what we were trying to do and we were getting some pretty good chunks. When we had some momentum going we just killed it either with a penalty or an incompletion or whatever the case may be. It's just a hard loss."
The Sun Devils scored on their opening drive with a 20-yard field goal by Weber, but they punted and turned the ball over on downs the next two possessions.
UNLV would tie the game with a field goal in the second quarter, but Carpenter connected with McGaha for a 22-yard touchdown on ASU's ensuing possession to put the Sun Devils back on top.
The Rebels tied the game late in the second quarter. Beau Orth intercepted Carpenter and returned the ball inside the 10. Three plays later, UNLV quarterback Omar Clayton threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Payne with 33 seconds left in the half.
However, ASU responded with a quick drive before halftime, and Weber made a 49-yard field goal to put the Sun Devils up 13-10 at the half.
Carpenter's 49-yard touchdown pass to Williams made it a 10-point lead early in the third, but that would be the last points ASU scored in the game.
UNLV went on an 18-play, 87-yard drive that lasted more than nine minutes and ended with a 20-yard field goal by Kyle Watson to move within seven points. They got the ball back with just over three minutes to play in the fourth, and after converting a fourth down, Clayton's touchdown pass to Payne tied the score with 18 seconds left.
Watson's 20-yard field goal in overtime gave UNLV its first lead, and after the Sun Devils couldn't convert a third-and-3 on their first possession of the extra period, Weber's field goal attempt was blocked and the game was over.
"No disrespect to them, they won the game and I give all the credit," safety Troy Nolan said. "But we let them hang around in the game and then they beat us."
Still, Carpenter said he expects the team to bounce back as they enter a difficult stretch that begins with No. 3 Georgia this week.
"I know the character of this team is really good," he said. "I know we have great leadership. All this anger and aggression that we have, we are going to put toward practice and we are going to come and hopefully play a great game next week."