EL PASO, Texas – Manny Wilkins had a season-high 352 passing yards and matched his career best with three touchdown passes but Sun Devil Football fell to No. 24 N.C. State, 52-31, on Friday in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.
Wilkins added another touchdown on the ground while N'Keal Harry had 142 receiving yards on nine catches with a touchdown reception.
Demario Richard rushed for 50 yards to go over 1,000 rushing yards on the season for the second time in his career while Wilkins went over the 3,000-yard passing mark in the effort to give ASU a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver (Harry) for just the third time in school history.
Jay Jay Wilson had a career-high 13 tackles while Khaylan Thomas added seven tackles and a sack in his first career start to lead the Sun Devil defense.
The Sun Devils didn't go quietly into the night, rallying from 28 points down to cut it to a two-possession game with two quick scores in the fourth quarter. Wilkins scored on a one-yard keeper as he hurdled a defender for his seventh rushing touchdown of the season to make it 38-17 with 9:52 left in the game. Chase Lucas recovered the ensuing onside kick and ASU used just four plays to go 45 yards as Wilkins found Kyle Williams on a 19-yard strike to cut the deficit to 38-24 with 8:53 left in the game.
SUN DEVIL CAREER RUSHING
Woody Green (1971-73), 4,188
Freddie Williams (1973-76), 3,424
J.R. Redmond (1996-99), 3,299
Demario Richard (2014-17), 3,202
Wilford White (1947-50), 3,173
SUN DEVIL CAREER RUSHING PAC-10/12 ERA
J.R. Redmond (1996-99), 3,299
Demario Richard (2014-17), 3,202
Darryl Clack (1982-85), 2,737
Cameron Marshall (2009-2012), 2,700
Keegan Herring (2005-08), 2,635
ASU CAREER RUSHING TOP-10 YPC
Woody Green (1971-73), 4,188 yards (675 carries/6.2 ypr)
Freddie Williams (1973-76), 3,424 yards (648 carries/5.3 ypr)
J.R. Redmond (1996-99), 3,299 yards (633 carries/5.2 ypr)
Demario Richard (2014-17), 3,202 yards (647 carries/4.9 ypr)
Wilford White (1947-50), 3,173 yards (505 carries/6.3 ypr)
The Wolfpack would dash any hope ASU had of coming back after recovering the subsequent onside kick and driving 48 yards for a touchdown to once again go up by three scores, 45-24.
The Devils added another score on Wilkins' third touchdown pass of the game, a 21-yard pass to Frank Darby with 2:13 left to make it 45-31 but N.C. State recovered the onside kick and scored again to close out the scoring in the contest at 52-31.
Wilkins threw for 193 yards and a touchdown in the first half to go over 3,000 passing yards on the season. He connected on a 37-yard bomb to Harry in the second quarter as the sophomore wide receiver made an incredible one-handed bobbling catch to set up ASU's first touchdown of the game just two plays later.
Wilkins found Harry in the corner of the end zone for his third-straight completion to the receiver as Harry's toe-drag cut the N.C. State lead to 21-10.
The Wolfpack immediately responded with a long touchdown drive in the opposite direction, making it 28-10 at the half following a missed field goal from Brandon Ruiz as the second quarter expired.
Ryan Newsome had his best game as a Sun Devil, catching three balls for 65 yards in the contest. Fellow receiver Williams caught seven passes for 85 yards and running back Eno Benjamin ran for 42 yards and had ASU's longest run of the game (21 yards).