Oct. 27, 2012
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TEMPE, Ariz. - The Sun Devils led UCLA, 43-42, with just 1:33 left to go in the fourth quarter after quarterback Taylor Kellyhit running back DJ Foster for a 7-yard touchdown pass, but the Bruins drove down the field for a 33-yard field goal to win, 43-45.
ASU's final drive, which started at their own 44-yard line, lasted six plays and 2:03 minutes and was highlighted by a 32-yard run by Kelly that put the Devils inside the redzone. Consecutive rushes, one by running back Cameron Marshalland one by Kelly, brought up third-and-five for ASU on the 7-yard line before Kelly found Foster in the corner of the endzone.
ASU took advantage of an early mistake in the first quarter by Bruin punt returner Steven Manfro, who fumbled a 68-yard punt by Arizona State punter Josh Hubner that was recovered on the 28-yard line. After a seven-yard carry by freshman running back D.J. Foster, Sun Devil quarterback Taylor Kelly whipped it outside to wide receiver Kevin Ozier, who ran it in for a touchdown just 1:47 into the game.
The Bruins continued to have trouble moving the ball, in part due to Sun Devil defensive end Junior Onyeali, who blocked a pass from Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley, and UCLA was forced to punt two plays later.
The Sun Devils responded with a 2:42 minute, 75-yard drive, topped off with a two-yard touchdown run by running back Marion Grice. With the extra-point good from Alex Garoutte, the Sun Devils led 14-0 just five minutes into the first half.
The Bruins picked up momentum with consecutive touchdown drives of 80 and 98 yards, respectively, to tie the game at 14 at the end of the first quarter.
With about five minutes left in the first half, the Sun Devils held a three-point lead, 17-14. Cornerback Deveron Carrextended for an interception off of a long pass by Hundley towards the end zone to take over at the four-yard line. The interception was Carr's first of the season. However, the Sun Devils were not able to make anything of the drive and were forced to punt.
The Sun Devil defense came up big again on the next UCLA drive as linebacker Chris Youngblocked a third-down conversion to force the Bruins to punt and set the Sun Devils up on their own 4-yard line.
UCLA blitzed to put pressure on Kelly in his own end zone and, trying to avoid a safety, Kelly tossed the football up for an interception. Bruins wide receiver Johna Franklin ran in a five-yard touchdown on the next play to take the lead 21-17 at the end of the half.
The Sun Devils came out in the second half and Kelly quickly found Foster on an outside route that went for 49 yards. Unable to convert a touchdown, however, Mora came in and kicked a 31-yard field goal to shorten the Bruins lead to one.
UCLA answered on their first play of the half as Hundley opened up and found a streaking Damien Thigpen on a route down the middle for a 65-yard touchdown. Bruin kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn had his fourth PAT of the game to extend the Bruins lead to eight.
One punt and a 75-yard drive later, Arizona State quarterback Kelly hit Grice on a 20-yard pass, who then scrambled through Bruin defense on the outside and ultimately reached the goal line for a touchdown. The Sun Devils attempted a two-point conversion that was unsuccessful and trailed, 28-26.
Following a 75-yard touchdown drive by UCLA that put the Bruins up by nine, 35-26, at the end of the third quarter, Kelly hit wide receiver Rashad Rossfor a 23-yard pass and then found Grice two plays later for an 8-yard touchdown that brought ASU within two, 35-33.
Another UCLA touchdown put the Bruins up by nine, but a 3:44 minute drive by ASU resulted in another Mora touchdown to bring the deficit down to six, 42-36.