By Lucas Robbins
SDA Digital Communications Intern
TEMPE, Ariz. — The No. 9 Arizona State Sun Devils defeated the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 55-31 in front of sellout crowd of 65,870 at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday afternoon to record their fourth win of the season over a ranked opponent.
The Sun Devils (8-1, 5-1) countered Notre Dame’s 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarters by scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull ahead for good. The win was ASU’s first over the Irish and the first over a top-10 opponent since ASU upset then-No. 6 Oregon 45-42 on Oct. 19, 2002 in Eugene, Ore.
ASU led 34-31 with more than six minutes remaining in the game when the Sun Devil offense fought down the field in five plays for 75 yards to increase its lead, 41-31. Junior tailback D.J. Foster rushed three times for 31 yards on the drive while freshman tailback Demario Richard caught two passes for 44 yards, including the latter for a four-yard touchdown.
Foster led the ground attack with 120 yards on 21 attempts and Richard added 50 yards and touchdown on 13 carries.
Redshirt sophomore cornerback Lloyd Carrington returned an interception for a 58-yard touchdown on Notre Dame’s (7-2) following possession to make the score 48-31 in favor of the Devils.
The Sun Devil defense held strong on Notre Dame’s second-to-last possession as they forced three incomplete passes, and on fourth down sophomore defensive tackle Viliami Latu sacked Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson for a 22-yard loss to set up ASU’s final touchdown of the game, a two yard run by redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly.
Kelly threw three touchdowns and completed 17 of his 28 pass attempts for 224 yards. He also added 18 yards rushing to become the all-time career rushing leader for quarterbacks with 1,396 yards as he passed Mark Malone’s 1,390.
ASU’s defense finished the game with 61 tackles, including 10 for loss and seven sacks, and added four interceptions and two forced fumbles. They also held Golson to minus-11 yards rushing. Redshirt junior safety Jordan Simone led the defense with nine tackles and Carrington added eight and a forced a fumble. Senior safety Damarious Randall returned an interception for a 59-yard touchdown in the opening minute of the second quarter and ASU’s two pick-sixes on the day marked 11 interceptions returned for touchdowns under head coach Todd Graham.
The first half was loaded with big plays for the Sun Devil defense as they forced three turnovers, scored one touchdown and sacked the quarterback a season-high six times. On the offensive side, ASU’s 34 points were the most scored in one half this season.
ASU’s defense held the Irish to a field goal on their first possession of the game. Notre Dame marched 59 yards down field and threatened in Sun Devil territory, but Carrington forced a fumble that was recovered by the Irish when he sacked Golson. The next play was another sack on third down by senior defensive end Marcus Hardison that forced Notre Dame kicker Kyle Brindza to make a 46-yard field goal for the first score of the game.
ASU answered when sophomore kicker Zane Gonzalez made a 47-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 with more than three minutes remaining in the first quarter. He made both of his field goal attempts to improve his season total to 16.
The Sun Devil defense forced a turnover on Notre Dame’s second possession to set up the first touchdown of the game. Freshman defensive tackle Tashon Smallwood earned his first career sack as he forced and recovered a fumble by Golson. Kelly connected with redshirt junior wide receiver Jaelen Strong for a 13-yard touchdown catch that gave ASU the lead 10-3.
Strong was the high-man for catches among receivers with five catches for 58 yards and one touchdown. He now has 2,001 career receiving yards and 16 career touchdowns.
Hardison intercepted Golson’s pass on the first play of Notre Dame’s third possession to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Richard that gave the Sun Devils a 17-3 lead late in the first quarter.
Kelly found sophomore wide receiver Cameron Smith for a 43-yard touchdown pass and catch with more than 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter to give the Sun Devils a 31-3 lead.
Golson completed a 59-yard pass to wide receiver C.J. Prosise on first down of the last drive of the first half to set up the Irish’s first touchdown of the game, which was a nine-yard pass from Golson to wide receiver Will Fuller. Notre Dame trailed 34-10 at halftime.
The Irish offense threatened on their first possession of the second half as they drove into the redzone, but their attack ended when Golson threw his third interception of the game to junior cornerback Kweishi Brown.
Notre Dame managed to bring the score to within 10 with more than nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Running back Cam McDaniel ran in two goal-line touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. The Irish rebound continued in the fourth quarter as Golson connected with wide receiver Chris Brown on a 34-yard pass to set up a 25-yard touchdown catch by Carlisle that made the score 34-31.
Golson finished 22-for-41 with 446 passing yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Next up for Arizona State is an away game against the Oregon State Beavers at 8:45 p.m. AZ time in Corvallis, Ore.