BERKELEY, Calif. – Eno Benjamin rushed for three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter as Sun Devil Football knocked off #15/16 California, 24-17, on Friday night.
The Sun Devil defense held Cal to just 11 total fourth-quarter yards, forcing a pair of turnovers on downs in the final five minutes of game to seal the deal and lock up the second ASU victory over a ranked road team this season.
Benjamin finished with 100 yards on the ground – his 11thcareer game rushing for 100 or more yards – while freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels added a career-best 84 yards on the ground over 12 rushes, including several key third-down scrambles. The freshman quarterback added 174 yards through the air on 14-of-24 passing.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Unfazed by a sack and fumble and Cal's ensuing go-ahead field goal with 10:50 remaining in the game, the Sun Devils marched down the field to the tune of some smashmouth football to retake the lead on Benjamin's third touchdown of the game – a three-yard plunge right up the middle.
The 15-play drive was the longest of the season for ASU – surpassing the previous high of 11. The Sun Devils converted three third-down conversions in the effort – two coming from Benjamin and a third from Daniels. ASU rushed it 10 times on the drive, with Benjamin recording seven of those and a pivotal 12-yard third-down pass reception as well.
The defense did the rest.
Aashari Crosswell had two key pass breakups on Cal's last-gasp efforts of the game after the go-ahead score – one coming on a fourth-down turnover with 3:16 remaining. That would lead to a 43-yard Cristian Zendejas insurance score with 2:53 left, a career long for the redshirt-sophomore and his 10thfield goal of the season.
It proved unnecessary as the Sun Devil defense laid the hammer down on the final Cal drive of the game, with Crosswell breaking up another big third-down attempt to set up a frantic fourth-down play that saw Jermayne Lole pressure the Bear quarterback into an incomplete pass and allowed the Sun Devil offense to assume the victory formation and head back to Tempe with the win.
-Marks just the second time in history that ASU won two straight road games against ranked opponents in back-to-back opportunities, joining the 1986 campaign (Oct. 4 at #15 UCLA and Oct. 18 at #15 USC).
-Is just the third time in ASU history, period, that the Devils have won two road games in one season against ranked teams (1986 and 1997).
-Improves the Sun Devils to 4-1 to start the season for the first time since 2016 and just the 10th time in the last 32 years
-Is only the second victory over Cal in a game played in Berkeley since 1999 (2012 being the other).
-Is the first time ASU has defeated a ranked Cal team in Berkeley (0-3 with losses in 2006, 2004 and 1991).
-Moves ASU within 17-18 in the all-time series record against the Bears and 6-10 in road games.
-Is the second victory over a ranked team this season and fourth in two seasons under Herm Edwards, improving ASU to 4-3 against AP-ranked opponents in that time.
NOTABLES
-Cal recorded 138 yards on its two touchdown scoring drives – the second drive of the first half and the first of the second. Outside of that, ASU held the Bears to just 107 total yards on their nine other drives throughout the contest.
-Cal had held 11 straight opponents under 24 points, which was the longest active streak in the country coming into the weekend and tied for the longest in the FBS since 2013.
-Cal was one of just 12 teams in the country that had scored on every red zone possession this season until Aashari Crosswell's interception in the end zone at the end of the first half.
-The Sun Devils have scored double-digit points in 124 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS and the second-longest streak in the modern era of football behind only Louisiana Tech (125 straight games from 2008-2018).
-Cal was 8-13 on third down over the first three quarters and 0-4 in the fourth quarter. The ASU defense posted four three-and-outs in the fourth quarter.
-ASU has held opponents to 30 or less points in 13 of 18 games in Danny Gonzales' defensive scheme, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back in a span from 2013-17.
-The Sun Devils have forced a turnover in 10 consecutive games dating back to last season.
-The Sun Devils were down two starters in their defensive backfield as both senior cornerback Kobe Williams and redshirt freshman safety Cam Phillips did not play due to injuries incurred in last week's game against Colorado. Williams entered the game tied with senior center Cohl Cabral for most consecutive starts on the team (30).
First quarter
Daniels used his arm (85 yards passing) and his legs (29 yards rushing) to account for 114 of ASU's 142 yards in total offense in the first quarter. After an exchange of punts, a 38-yard strike from Daniels to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall helped set up ASU's first score of the game, an 11-yard dash by Benjamin that put ASU up 7-0. Prior to his scoring run, Benjamin ran for 10 yards on 3rd & 8 to help extend the drive he finished off on the ensuing play. The Golden Bears trailed ASU for less than three minutes as they marched 75 yards in six plays to tie the score at 7-7 on a 16-yard pass from quarterback Chase Garbers to wide receiver Trevon Clark. ASU continued the back-and-forth offensive exchange, moving the ball 57 yards to eat up the last 5:37 of the first quarter. The drive included a successful fourth-down conversion (Daniels found wide receiver Kyle Williams for 13 yards on 4th & 4 at the Cal 32). The quarter ended with ASU facing a 3rd & 9 at the 18. The Sun Devils held the ball for 10:16 in the opening quarter.
Second quarter
The Sun Devils came up empty as Cristian missed a 37-yard field goal one play after ASU failed to convert on third & 9. Cal went backwards on its first drive of the second quarter, losing seven yards on three plays. On 4th & 17, ASU DB Timarcus Davis got a piece of the punt off the foot of Cal's Dari Longhetto and the ball traveled only 24 yards. Starting at the Cal 37, ASU was not able to take advantage of the great field position as it moved the ball only five yards and Zendejas was unable to convert from 50 yards on fourth down. Cal's best scoring opportunity of the quarter was thwarted by ASU sophomore safety Aashari Crosswell who intercepted a Cal pass in the endzone with 10 seconds left in the half after the Bears drove to the Sun Devil 20. The two offenses combined for only 107 yards (ASU 43, Cal 64) in the quarter. Daniels was responsible for all of ASU's yards (34 on the ground and nine through the air), as the freshman signal-caller surpassed his previous single-game career high in rushing of 37 yards.
Third quarter
Cal started the second half with a 12-play, 63-yard drive (all 12 plays were runs) that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Chri Brown Jr., and a 14-7 lead for the Bears. The Sun Devils responded with a similar drive, dialing up runs on six of seven plays to go 50 yards for the game-tying touchdown, a four-yard run by Benjamin, who rushed for 29 yards on the drive. With 24 of the 28 plays coming on the ground, the third quarter moved by at a fairy rapid pace. The teams went to the fourth quarter knotted at 14-14.
Up Next
After a bye week, the Sun Devils return to action on Sat., Oct. 12 when they host Washington State (time TBA). Single-game tickets for ASU's next two home games – vs. Washington State (Oct. 12) and vs. USC (Nov. 9) – are currently on sale and can be purchased at www.sundeviltickets.com or by contacting the Sun Devil Athletics Ticket Office at 480-727-0000.
The Sun Devil defense held Cal to just 11 total fourth-quarter yards, forcing a pair of turnovers on downs in the final five minutes of game to seal the deal and lock up the second ASU victory over a ranked road team this season.
Benjamin finished with 100 yards on the ground – his 11thcareer game rushing for 100 or more yards – while freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels added a career-best 84 yards on the ground over 12 rushes, including several key third-down scrambles. The freshman quarterback added 174 yards through the air on 14-of-24 passing.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Unfazed by a sack and fumble and Cal's ensuing go-ahead field goal with 10:50 remaining in the game, the Sun Devils marched down the field to the tune of some smashmouth football to retake the lead on Benjamin's third touchdown of the game – a three-yard plunge right up the middle.
The 15-play drive was the longest of the season for ASU – surpassing the previous high of 11. The Sun Devils converted three third-down conversions in the effort – two coming from Benjamin and a third from Daniels. ASU rushed it 10 times on the drive, with Benjamin recording seven of those and a pivotal 12-yard third-down pass reception as well.
The defense did the rest.
Aashari Crosswell had two key pass breakups on Cal's last-gasp efforts of the game after the go-ahead score – one coming on a fourth-down turnover with 3:16 remaining. That would lead to a 43-yard Cristian Zendejas insurance score with 2:53 left, a career long for the redshirt-sophomore and his 10thfield goal of the season.
It proved unnecessary as the Sun Devil defense laid the hammer down on the final Cal drive of the game, with Crosswell breaking up another big third-down attempt to set up a frantic fourth-down play that saw Jermayne Lole pressure the Bear quarterback into an incomplete pass and allowed the Sun Devil offense to assume the victory formation and head back to Tempe with the win.
THE SUN DEVIL WIN…Great team win!
— EB3™? (@eno_benjamin5) September 28, 2019
Thank you to all the Sun Devil fans that travel from afar for both home and away games. You all are difference makers, we feel the energy! You guys are very much appreciated! ??
-Marks just the second time in history that ASU won two straight road games against ranked opponents in back-to-back opportunities, joining the 1986 campaign (Oct. 4 at #15 UCLA and Oct. 18 at #15 USC).
-Is just the third time in ASU history, period, that the Devils have won two road games in one season against ranked teams (1986 and 1997).
-Improves the Sun Devils to 4-1 to start the season for the first time since 2016 and just the 10th time in the last 32 years
-Is only the second victory over Cal in a game played in Berkeley since 1999 (2012 being the other).
-Is the first time ASU has defeated a ranked Cal team in Berkeley (0-3 with losses in 2006, 2004 and 1991).
-Moves ASU within 17-18 in the all-time series record against the Bears and 6-10 in road games.
-Is the second victory over a ranked team this season and fourth in two seasons under Herm Edwards, improving ASU to 4-3 against AP-ranked opponents in that time.
NOTABLES
-Cal recorded 138 yards on its two touchdown scoring drives – the second drive of the first half and the first of the second. Outside of that, ASU held the Bears to just 107 total yards on their nine other drives throughout the contest.
-Cal had held 11 straight opponents under 24 points, which was the longest active streak in the country coming into the weekend and tied for the longest in the FBS since 2013.
-Cal was one of just 12 teams in the country that had scored on every red zone possession this season until Aashari Crosswell's interception in the end zone at the end of the first half.
-The Sun Devils have scored double-digit points in 124 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS and the second-longest streak in the modern era of football behind only Louisiana Tech (125 straight games from 2008-2018).
-Cal was 8-13 on third down over the first three quarters and 0-4 in the fourth quarter. The ASU defense posted four three-and-outs in the fourth quarter.
-ASU has held opponents to 30 or less points in 13 of 18 games in Danny Gonzales' defensive scheme, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back in a span from 2013-17.
-The Sun Devils have forced a turnover in 10 consecutive games dating back to last season.
-The Sun Devils were down two starters in their defensive backfield as both senior cornerback Kobe Williams and redshirt freshman safety Cam Phillips did not play due to injuries incurred in last week's game against Colorado. Williams entered the game tied with senior center Cohl Cabral for most consecutive starts on the team (30).
First quarter
Daniels used his arm (85 yards passing) and his legs (29 yards rushing) to account for 114 of ASU's 142 yards in total offense in the first quarter. After an exchange of punts, a 38-yard strike from Daniels to wide receiver Ricky Pearsall helped set up ASU's first score of the game, an 11-yard dash by Benjamin that put ASU up 7-0. Prior to his scoring run, Benjamin ran for 10 yards on 3rd & 8 to help extend the drive he finished off on the ensuing play. The Golden Bears trailed ASU for less than three minutes as they marched 75 yards in six plays to tie the score at 7-7 on a 16-yard pass from quarterback Chase Garbers to wide receiver Trevon Clark. ASU continued the back-and-forth offensive exchange, moving the ball 57 yards to eat up the last 5:37 of the first quarter. The drive included a successful fourth-down conversion (Daniels found wide receiver Kyle Williams for 13 yards on 4th & 4 at the Cal 32). The quarter ended with ASU facing a 3rd & 9 at the 18. The Sun Devils held the ball for 10:16 in the opening quarter.
Second quarter
The Sun Devils came up empty as Cristian missed a 37-yard field goal one play after ASU failed to convert on third & 9. Cal went backwards on its first drive of the second quarter, losing seven yards on three plays. On 4th & 17, ASU DB Timarcus Davis got a piece of the punt off the foot of Cal's Dari Longhetto and the ball traveled only 24 yards. Starting at the Cal 37, ASU was not able to take advantage of the great field position as it moved the ball only five yards and Zendejas was unable to convert from 50 yards on fourth down. Cal's best scoring opportunity of the quarter was thwarted by ASU sophomore safety Aashari Crosswell who intercepted a Cal pass in the endzone with 10 seconds left in the half after the Bears drove to the Sun Devil 20. The two offenses combined for only 107 yards (ASU 43, Cal 64) in the quarter. Daniels was responsible for all of ASU's yards (34 on the ground and nine through the air), as the freshman signal-caller surpassed his previous single-game career high in rushing of 37 yards.
Third quarter
Cal started the second half with a 12-play, 63-yard drive (all 12 plays were runs) that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Chri Brown Jr., and a 14-7 lead for the Bears. The Sun Devils responded with a similar drive, dialing up runs on six of seven plays to go 50 yards for the game-tying touchdown, a four-yard run by Benjamin, who rushed for 29 yards on the drive. With 24 of the 28 plays coming on the ground, the third quarter moved by at a fairy rapid pace. The teams went to the fourth quarter knotted at 14-14.
Up Next
After a bye week, the Sun Devils return to action on Sat., Oct. 12 when they host Washington State (time TBA). Single-game tickets for ASU's next two home games – vs. Washington State (Oct. 12) and vs. USC (Nov. 9) – are currently on sale and can be purchased at www.sundeviltickets.com or by contacting the Sun Devil Athletics Ticket Office at 480-727-0000.