Record Updates
In its 102nd season of competition, Sun Devil Football’s all-time record is 576-370-24. The Devils are now 6-0 all-time against the Buffaloes, including 3-0 in Boulder. ASU’s six-game winning streak against CU is its second longest active streak against a current Pac-12 school.
A Good Start
Since football picked back up after World War II in 1946, ASU has gone 3-0 just 17 times and last achieved the feat in the 2007 season. Opening Conference Play ASU is 15-20-2 all-time in Pac-12 openers and 15-21-1 all-time in Pac-12 road openers.Getting It Done On The Road
Todd Graham is 8-5 at Arizona State in true road games and the Sun Devils are winners of five straight on the road and four-straight Pac-12 road contests. their last loss coming in the Notre Dame game last season. ASU had 8 road wins in the entirety of the previous coaching regime 2007-11.
Strike First
ASU has now scored first in 24 of 30 games under Coach Graham and are 19-5 in such contests.
Start Strong
ASU outscored Colorado 14-0 in the first quarter. The Devils have outscored opponents 53-7 in the opening quarter in 2014 and 331-146 overall under Coach Graham.
A Game of Firsts
· Linebacker Antonio Longino became the 12th different Sun Devil this season to earn their first career start this season
· Quarterback Taylor Kelly's nine-yard pass to tight end De'Marieya Nelson on the opening drive was the first completion to a tight end this season for the Sun Devils
· Tight end Kody Kohl caught his first career pass, an eight-yard gain near the end of the first quarter
· Safety Jordan Simone recorded his first career interception, and the first interception of the season for the Devils, and also forced his first career fumble
· True freshman linebacker Christian Sam collected his first career sack (a loss of three yards) in the third quarter and added his first career interception in the fourth quarter
Offense
Red Zone Efficiency
ASU is now 16-for-16 in the red zone this season with 13 TDs and 3 FGs.
A Sustained Drive
The first score of the game was the first drive this season that ASU had a scoring drive over three minutes (3:07). Nevertheless, ASU’s five other scoring drives in the game came in under three minutes and 133 of 177 scoring drives (75.1 percent) in Todd Graham’s tenure have come in less than three minutes.
40-yard Rushes
ASU now has seven rushes this season of 40 or more yards. They entered tonight’s game with a NCAA-best five, and added two more against the Buffaloes (Foster 52-yard rush in the first quarter, Kelly 50-yard rush in the third quarter). The number is notable as ASU had five in the entirety of 2013.
#FosterFacts
Through three games in 2014, running back DJ Foster has 510 rushing yds. In 2013, he didn't pass the 400-yard mark until the Holiday Bowl. It took Marion Grice 7 games in 2013 to reach the 400-yard plateau.
Foster has now scored in eight consecutive games and has a rushing touchdown in seven of those eight. He now has nine rushing touchdowns in the last six games. He had four total in 24 games prior to the current streak.
Foster now has four 40-plus rushes this year after putting together a 52-yard carry in the first quarter. No Sun Devil had more than two in 2013.
Kelly Tidbits
Quarterback Taylor Kelly’s 50-yard touchdown run was the longest touchdown run of his career and marked his second consecutive game with a rush of 50 or more yards (52-yarder in first quarter vs. New Mexico).
Kelly’s three touchdown passes vs. CU gives him 63 in his career, one behind Danny White for fourth on ASU’s career passing touchdown list.
Kelly now has 11 touchdown rushes in the last 12 games. He had one in 18 games as a starter prior to that. The school record for rushing touchdowns by a QB is 21 by Mark Malone (1977-79).
A Barrage of Ballage
True freshman running back Kalen Ballage scored his first career receiving touchdown – a 38-yard catch-and-run from Taylor Kelly - and now has four touchdowns in three career games.
How The Devils Scored
· Running back DJ Foster 15-yard rush in first quarter to put ASU ahead, 7-0
· Running back Kalen Ballage 38-yard pass from quarterback Taylor Kelly in first quarter to put ASU ahead, 14-0
· Kicker Zane Gonzalez 31-yard field goal in second quarter to put ASU ahead, 17-0
· Foster 5-yard pass from Kelly in second quarter to put ASU ahead, 24-14
· Wide receiver Jaelen Strong 1-yard pass in third quarter to put ASU ahead, 31-14
· Kelly 50-yard rush in third quarter to put ASU head, 38-17
Defense
Capitalizing On Turnovers
ASU outscored Colorado 14-0 in points off turnovers in this game and 35-7 in 2014. Under Coach Graham, ASU has outscored opponents 310-107 in the category.
Simone’s Impact
Redshirt junior safety Jordan Simone forced two turnovers in the game, including an interception in the first quarter and a forced fumble in the second quarter, and led the team with a career-high 13 tackles, including 12 solo and two for a loss. Both turnovers led to touchdowns for the Devils. His interception was the first of his career and the first interception of the season for the Sun Devils. Simone also recovered a fumble against New Mexico in week two. His forced fumble was also the first career.
The 13 tackles were the fourth-most by a Graham-coached Sun Devil in the past three seasons (Damarious Randall had 17 at Notre Dame last season, Brandon Magee had 17 at Arizona in 2012 and Chris Young had 14 at Utah last season).
Fourth Down is ASU’s Down
Opponents are 1-for-6 on fourth down this season. The Devils have stopped opponents on fourth down once in all three games this season, including two goal line stands (against Weber State and at Colorado).
Tackles For Loss
ASU had nine tackles for loss against CU, including two each by safety Jordan Simone and linebacker Antonio Longino.
Three And Out
ASU forced Colorado to three three-and-outs in the game. CU entered the game with three total in its first two games this season.
Career Highs
· Linebacker Antonio Longino set a new career high in tackles for the second consecutive game with 10.
· Safety Jordan Simone set a new career high in tackles with 13
· Armand Perry had a new career high with nine tackles
· DJ Calhoun had a new career high with seven tackles
· Christian Sam set a career high in tackles and had his first career sack and interception in the game