by Justin Gaither, Sun Devil media relations intern
TEMPE, Ariz. -- It was a Senior Day to remember at Sun Devil Stadium as the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-4, 4-3 Pac-12) outlasted the UCLA Bruins (2-8, 2-5) in a 31-28 win.
"I'm happy for them more than anything," said ASU head coach Herm Edwards. "They've come a long way since the beginning of the season and to find themselves in this position where they are eligible for a bowl it's fantastic."
The win marked just the fifth time in school history that the Sun Devils have defeated both USC and UCLA in the same season following ASU's 38-35 win at the Coliseum earlier this season.
The team was led once again by senior quarterback Manny Wilkins, who racked up 259 total yards and three total touchdowns, ending his Sun Devil Stadium career with a very emotional win.
"I'm ecstatic though," said Wilkins following the win. "I'm blessed to be a part of this football team, it means the world to me."
It didn't take long for the Wilkins-led offense to get going, piecing together a 13-play, 60-yard drive to start the game out with a Brandon Ruiz field goal that put the Devils up 3-0.
A UCLA touchdown and an ASU punt ran out the remainder of the first quarter with the Devils trailing 7-3, but it didn't take long into the second period for the momentum to shift.
With the Bruins driving in the red zone once again, the ASU defense made a stand, forcing a 4th & 1 which was stuffed, turning the ball over to the offense.
Propelled by N'Keal Harry, who hauled in a 39-yard catch and run, the Devils marched down the field in just minutes to reclaim the lead. Wilkins punched it in for ASU on the drive, trotting in from 13 yards out on a quarterback keeper.
Following a missed field goal attempt by the Bruins, the Devils faced their first bit of real adversity in the form of a 31-yard pick-six that gave UCLA back the lead, 14-10, late in the half.
As it has so many times this year, though, the offense bounced back. Wilkins recorded his second touchdown of the game finding Nick Ralston in the flat for his first career receiving touchdown to cap off a 75-yard drive, making it 17-14 with under a minute left.
Wilkins ended the first half with 181 yards of total offense (148 passing and 33 rushing) and two total touchdowns (one passing and one rushing).
The second half got off to a slow start for the Devils, offensively, with a three-and-out on their first possession but an interception by Chase Lucas on the ensuing UCLA drive gave ASU new life.
After having a relatively quiet first half by his standards, sophomore running back Eno Benjamin put his stamp on the game on that possession, running wild for 74 yards and a touchdown to extend the lead, 24-14.
"Coach Christensen was preaching it in the locker room, saying he thinks we need to go to the zone and this is what he's seeing and just trusting it," said Benjamin on the halftime adjustments. "We trust our coaches. Like I've always said, they've always put us in a really good position to be successful on the field."
Benjamin ended the game with 182 rushing yards, giving him possession of the school record for rushing yards in a season in the Pac-10/12 era and putting him just 68 yards away from the overall regular season record set in 1972 by Woody Green.
The Bruins had yet another answer with a touchdown of their own to make it a one score game again with their first offensive points since the first drive of the game.
With the score 24-21 Devils, both teams failed to score on consecutive drives. Momentum seemed to be up in the air, and the Devils took full advantage.
Sparked by a few big plays courtesy of Wilkins, and his second rushing touchdown of the game, ASU extended the lead once again making it 31-21 Devils with just under four minutes left to play.
"I thought our offense, for the most part, did a nice job," said Edwards. "When we needed them to move the ball, they did. Especially at the end there when it got sticky, they went on a nice long drive and really closed the game out."
UCLA would tack on another touchdown to make it a three-point game but a failed onside kick and some huge plays on the defensive end late gave Edwards and his team their sixth win of the season, securing the Devils' bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.
Arizona State outgained the Bruins, 480-440, and had the edge in first downs, 29-25, in the winning effort.
Although they allowed 28 points, 21 excluding the pick-six, it was the defense that ultimately came up big, holding the Bruins on the game's final drive to secure the win.
ASU will end the season with back-to-back road games, in Eugene next week to face the Ducks followed by the Territorial Cup in Tucson to finish the month.
"We've got two left," said Wilkins. "It's time to move on, enjoy this one, and then time to take care of business next week."
Still in control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 South, the Devils have won three straight, their best stretch of the season.
TEMPE, Ariz. -- It was a Senior Day to remember at Sun Devil Stadium as the Arizona State Sun Devils (6-4, 4-3 Pac-12) outlasted the UCLA Bruins (2-8, 2-5) in a 31-28 win.
"I'm happy for them more than anything," said ASU head coach Herm Edwards. "They've come a long way since the beginning of the season and to find themselves in this position where they are eligible for a bowl it's fantastic."
The win marked just the fifth time in school history that the Sun Devils have defeated both USC and UCLA in the same season following ASU's 38-35 win at the Coliseum earlier this season.
The team was led once again by senior quarterback Manny Wilkins, who racked up 259 total yards and three total touchdowns, ending his Sun Devil Stadium career with a very emotional win.
"I'm ecstatic though," said Wilkins following the win. "I'm blessed to be a part of this football team, it means the world to me."
It didn't take long for the Wilkins-led offense to get going, piecing together a 13-play, 60-yard drive to start the game out with a Brandon Ruiz field goal that put the Devils up 3-0.
A UCLA touchdown and an ASU punt ran out the remainder of the first quarter with the Devils trailing 7-3, but it didn't take long into the second period for the momentum to shift.
With the Bruins driving in the red zone once again, the ASU defense made a stand, forcing a 4th & 1 which was stuffed, turning the ball over to the offense.
4th Down conversion in OUR House??? That's gonna be a no for me dawg ? pic.twitter.com/fMBg1eAfj0
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 10, 2018
Propelled by N'Keal Harry, who hauled in a 39-yard catch and run, the Devils marched down the field in just minutes to reclaim the lead. Wilkins punched it in for ASU on the drive, trotting in from 13 yards out on a quarterback keeper.
See ya later ?? pic.twitter.com/pQU82ewIRS
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 10, 2018
Following a missed field goal attempt by the Bruins, the Devils faced their first bit of real adversity in the form of a 31-yard pick-six that gave UCLA back the lead, 14-10, late in the half.
As it has so many times this year, though, the offense bounced back. Wilkins recorded his second touchdown of the game finding Nick Ralston in the flat for his first career receiving touchdown to cap off a 75-yard drive, making it 17-14 with under a minute left.
Wilkins ended the first half with 181 yards of total offense (148 passing and 33 rushing) and two total touchdowns (one passing and one rushing).
The second half got off to a slow start for the Devils, offensively, with a three-and-out on their first possession but an interception by Chase Lucas on the ensuing UCLA drive gave ASU new life.
After having a relatively quiet first half by his standards, sophomore running back Eno Benjamin put his stamp on the game on that possession, running wild for 74 yards and a touchdown to extend the lead, 24-14.
"Coach Christensen was preaching it in the locker room, saying he thinks we need to go to the zone and this is what he's seeing and just trusting it," said Benjamin on the halftime adjustments. "We trust our coaches. Like I've always said, they've always put us in a really good position to be successful on the field."
Benjamin ended the game with 182 rushing yards, giving him possession of the school record for rushing yards in a season in the Pac-10/12 era and putting him just 68 yards away from the overall regular season record set in 1972 by Woody Green.
.@Eno_Benjamin5 is a BAAAD MAN ???? pic.twitter.com/jrCTwQN7tx
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 10, 2018
The Bruins had yet another answer with a touchdown of their own to make it a one score game again with their first offensive points since the first drive of the game.
With the score 24-21 Devils, both teams failed to score on consecutive drives. Momentum seemed to be up in the air, and the Devils took full advantage.
Sparked by a few big plays courtesy of Wilkins, and his second rushing touchdown of the game, ASU extended the lead once again making it 31-21 Devils with just under four minutes left to play.
"I thought our offense, for the most part, did a nice job," said Edwards. "When we needed them to move the ball, they did. Especially at the end there when it got sticky, they went on a nice long drive and really closed the game out."
UCLA would tack on another touchdown to make it a three-point game but a failed onside kick and some huge plays on the defensive end late gave Edwards and his team their sixth win of the season, securing the Devils' bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.
?? MOOD ?? pic.twitter.com/aQFjKbM10u
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 10, 2018
Arizona State outgained the Bruins, 480-440, and had the edge in first downs, 29-25, in the winning effort.
Although they allowed 28 points, 21 excluding the pick-six, it was the defense that ultimately came up big, holding the Bruins on the game's final drive to secure the win.
ASU will end the season with back-to-back road games, in Eugene next week to face the Ducks followed by the Territorial Cup in Tucson to finish the month.
"We've got two left," said Wilkins. "It's time to move on, enjoy this one, and then time to take care of business next week."
Still in control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 South, the Devils have won three straight, their best stretch of the season.