Strike First
ASU has scored first in 15 of 18 games under head coach Todd Graham. The Devils took a 3-0 lead on a 40-yard field goal with 14:03 left in the second quarter. With the loss, ASU is now 10-5 when scoring first.
Against Notre Dame and Independents
ASU is now 0-3 against Notre Dame and 5-3 against independent programs who are not affiliated to a conference.
Game Captains
The season captains (Taylor Kelly and Alden Darby) were joined by game captains Gannon Conway, Lloyd Carrington and Marion Grice.
Honorary Game Captains
Danny White (QB-P, 1971-73), Darren Woodson (LB, 1989-91), Bob Breunig (LB, 1972-74) and Bryan Caldwell (DL, 1978-82) – each of them played for both ASU and the Dallas Cowboys.
Explosive Play Counter
The Sun Devils have recorded 50 explosive plays this season, which the Sun Devil coaching staff defines an explosive play as a 12-yard (or more) run or a 16-yard (or more) reception. The Sun Devils had 10 on Saturday against Notre Dame:
Strong 16-yard reception
Strong 27-yard reception
Strong 31-yard reception
Kelly 16-yard run
Strong 23-yard reception
Ozier 31-yard reception
D. Nelson 21-yard reception
Ozier 22-yard reception
Foster 22-yard reception
Grice 16-yard reception
They had 13 against USC, nine against Stanford, 12 against Wisconsin and six against Sacramento State.
Taylor Made
Taylor Kelly had his fifth game this season throwing for over 300 yards and now has eight such games in his career – good for sole possession of third on ASU’s all-time 300+ yard passer list. Entering the game, he was one of just three FBS quarterbacks to throw for over 300 yards in each game this season.
Grice is Nice
Marion Grice kept his consecutive games with a touchdown streak going – just barely – with an touchdown reception with 11 seconds left in the game. Grice now has a TD in eight straight games dating back to last season. The record record is 13, set by J.D. Hill back in 1969-70. Grice now has 13 touchdowns this season had 19 touchdowns in his last eight games. He is currently seventh all-time on ASU’s career touchdown list.
The Force Is Strong
Jaelen Strong led all receivers with 136 yards on eight receptions with a touchdown against Notre Dame. He now has 569 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 39 receptions this season.
Strong has accounted for more than 23 percent of ASU’s total first downs this year (29 of 126)
Strong leads the team with seven receptions for a first down on either third or fourth down
Strong has now recorded 100-plus receiving yards in each of the past four games
Foster Getting It Done Through The Air
DJ Foster set a new career high with nine receptions in the game, and now has 31 receptions this season and 69 in his 18 career games.
Defensive Timeouts
On six of eight defensive timeouts that have been called on third down this season, the Devils have forced a fourth down.
Against Notre Dame
3:42 first quarter, 3rd-and-5 – resulted in incomplete pass
11:28 second quarter, 3rd-and-11 – resulted in incomplete pass
1:35 in fourth quarter, 3rd-and-9 – resulted in incomplete pass
New Career Marks
Field safety Damarious Randall made his first career start, and doubled his total tackles this season in the first eight minutes of the game and set a new career high in that category with 17 in the game – the most since Brandon Magee logged the same total against Arizona last season.
Devil backer Carl Bradford set a new career high with two pass breakups.
Cornerback Osahon Irabor recorded his first career interception return for a touchdown and his fifth career interception, including his second this season.
Freshman wide receiver Cam Smith set a new career high with two catches.
Making Them Count
All three of De’Marieya Nelson’s catches this season have gone for a first down or touchdown following his 21-yard snag in the fourth quarter.