Oct. 8, 2011
Final Stats | AP Photo Gallery
SALT LAKE CITY (Jessica Schott, ASU Media Relations)- The Arizona State Sun Devils defeated the Utah Utes 35-14 to earn their first road victory of 2011. With three forced fumbles and three interceptions, the Devils limited the Utes offense, while Gerell Robinson had a breakout game with 101-receiving yards, a new career-high. ASU improved to 5-1 with the win, 3-0 in Pac-12 play.
Utah started the game quickly, scoring a 30-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead. The Sun Devils answered right back, evening things up with a five-yard touchdown toss from Brock Osweiler to Jamal Miles.
The two defenses would stymie the opposing offenses for most of the first half, as the teams traded punts. ASU would take the lead late in the second quarter on an Alex Garoutte 27-yard field goal just before the half. With the Sun Devils ahead, the defense found themselves back on the field for Utah's last possession before the half ended. The Utes marched down the field and into the red zone when Eddie Elder came up big, intercepting Utah's John Hays at the goal line to preserve the 10-7 ASU lead at intermission.
Utah got the Rice-Eccles Stadium crowd back into the game on the first possession of the second half, as the Utes drove 79-yards in seven plays, capped by a Dallin Rogers two-yard touchdown catch that put Utah up 14-10.
The Sun Devils answered right back, as Alex Garoutte made another field goal to pull Arizona State within one point at 14-13. Shelly Lyons then picked up the ASU defense, forcing a Utah fumble on their next play from scrimmage. Greg Smith recovered, giving the Sun Devils the ball in Utah territory.
Osweiler then got the offense rolling with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mike Willie. The Sun Devils went for the two point conversion and were successful, thanks to a graceful catch made by Aaron Pflugrad that put Arizona State in the lead at 21-14.
The ASU defense did not let up on the Utes, intercepting Hays on the very next play. After an Osweiler run for 25-yards, Cameron Marshall found the end zone from four-yards out to make the Sun Devil lead 28-14 after three.
Arizona State's defense showed no mercy for the Utes when Floyd forced a fumble on Utah's next possession. Lyons recovered it to give ASU the ball back. Osweiler hit Willie again for a 12-yard touchdown pass, putting the final touch on an ASU victory.
Brock Osweiler was 24 for 41 for 325 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 46-rushing yards. Gerell Robinson had seven catches for 101-yards, his first career 100-yard receiving game.
ABOUT THAT 21-POINT CONFERENCE ROAD WIN
The Sun Devil 21-point win at Utah on Oct. 8 (35-14) is its biggest road conference win since a 41-3 win at Stanford on Sept. 29, 2007 and tied for the second-biggest in the past 15 seasons. To get a bigger margin than 21 points prior to the Stanford win you have to go back to ASU's magical 1996 season when it won at Tucson 56-14 on Nov. 23, 1996. ASU also won by 21 at Washington (28-7) on Oct. 16, 1999.
SUN DEVIL BIGGEST PAC-10/12 ROAD WINS
45-ASU 45, Oregon State 0 (Sept. 29, 1979)
42-ASU 56, Arizona 14 (Nov. 23, 1996)
38-ASU 41, Stanford 3 (Sept. 29, 2007)
37-ASU 44, Arizona 7 (Nov. 29, 1980)
34-ASU 44, Oregon 10 (Nov. 10, 1984)
32-ASU 41, Stanford 9 (Oct. 26, 1996)
31-ASU 34, Oregon 3 (Sept. 4 1982)
26-ASU 62, Stanford 36 (Oct. 24, 1981)
25-ASU 51, Washington State 26 (Nov. 10, 1990)
22-ASU 30, California 8 (Nov. 2, 1985)
22-ASU 44, Oregon State 22 (Nov. 18, 1978)
21-ASU 35, Utah 14 (Oct . 8, 2011)
21-ASU 28, Washington 7 (Oct. 16, 1999)
SUN DEVIL MOST RECENT PAC-10/12 ROAD WINS BY 20+ POINTS
21-ASU 35, Utah 14 (Oct . 8, 2011)
38-ASU 41, Stanford 3 (Sept. 29, 2007)
21-ASU 28, Washington 7 (Oct. 16, 1999)
42-ASU 56, Arizona 14 (Nov. 23, 1996)
32-ASU 41, Stanford 9 (Oct. 26, 1996)
25-ASU 51, Washington State 26 (Nov. 10, 1990)
22-ASU 30, California 8 (Nov. 2, 1985)
34-ASU 44, Oregon 10 (Nov. 10, 1984)
31-ASU 34, Oregon 3 (Sept. 4 1982)
26-ASU 62, Stanford 36 (Oct. 24, 1981)
37-ASU 44, Arizona 7 (Nov. 29, 1980)
45-ASU 45, Oregon State 0 (Sept. 29, 1979)
22-ASU 44, Oregon State 22 (Nov. 18, 1978)