Oct. 17, 2009
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TEMPE, Ariz. -
By Carmen Vitali, ASU Media Relations
On a spectacular play made with just seconds left in the game, Danny Sullivan connected with senior Chris McGaha for a 50-yard touchdown pass to overcome the Washington Huskies 24-17.
"I've been in a lot of games in the many, many years I have coached, and I don't know that I've ever won a game on the last play like that," head coach Dennis Erickson said.
The Huskies had punted the ball after a three and out, leaving the Sun Devils at midfield with just 13 seconds left and the score tied 17-17. Sullivan dropped back to pass and found McGaha, who had missed practice all week due to illness, open down the field.
"[I] just told myself 'do not overthrow this,'" Sullivan said. "I made the throw and he made the catch."
Arizona State had led for most of the game, although the Huskies struck first when quarterback Jake Locker connected on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Devin Aguilar on the game's opening drive.
The Sun Devils struck back quickly, moving down the field on their first drive and scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Sullivan.
ASU took the lead early in the second quarter, as senior wide receiver Kyle Williams got the ball on a reverse and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver T.J. Simpson in the back of the end zone.
"We've been practicing that for about two years," Williams said. "It was a terrible throw, but [T.J. Simpson] made a great play. All the credit goes to him for that one."
In the third, Thomas Weber made a 24-yard field goal to extend the Sun Devils' lead to 17-7.
The Huskies answered that field goal with a touchdown to cut the lead 17-14, and then a 29-yard field goal by Eric Folk tied the game with just over three minutes left in the game.
After ASU punter Trevor Hankins put the Huskies at their own 10-yard line with a 36-yard punt, the Sun Devil defense forced Washington to punt the ball with 22 seconds remaining, setting up the game-winning touchdown.
When asked where that final play ranks on the list of best plays he's ever had, Sullivan replied, "That's number one, number two, number three, number four."
The Sun Devils head to Stanford this weekend to play the Cardinal on Saturday at 7:15 p.m.