Tempe, Ariz- Like in many of the big moments this season, Jayden Daniels used his legs to make a play.
With 34 seconds left, he took off and leaped for a 17-yard touchdown that gave No. 18 Arizona State a 38-34 win over the Washington State Cougars.
It was Daniel's third game-winning drive in his six-game career.
@FOOTBALLASU IN GAMES OF 4 POINTS OR LESS UNDER HERM EDWARDS (6-2)
ASU 38, Washington State 34 (Oct. 12, 2019)
Colorado 34, #24 ASU 31 (Sept. 21, 2019)
ASU 10, @#18 Michigan State 7 (Sept. 14, 2019)
ASU 41, @Arizona 40 (Nov. 24, 2018)
@Oregon 31, ASU 29 (Nov. 17, 2018)
ASU 31, UCLA 28 (Nov. 10, 2018)
ASU 38, @USC 35 (Oct. 27, 2018)
ASU 16, #15 Michigan State 13 (Sept. 8, 2018)
"In big moments it doesn't get him flustered, he just continues to play," said Coach Herm Edwards, now 6-2 in games decided by four points or less since arriving at ASU. "He'll probably tell you he made some throws he'd like to take back. Three touchdowns is pretty good and he ran for about 41 yards and the big one was for the score."
Daniels threw for a career-high 363 passing yards and recorded a career-high four total touchdowns. When Washington State's air raid offense made a play, Daniels would try and find Brandon Aiyuk who continues to electrify Sun Devil Stadium with his ability to make plays after the catch.
"I've been saying that since day one," said Eno Benjamin. "We stepped in here, we knew what the situation was going to be, and no one panicked about it. We knew we were going to have a freshman at quarterback. I say it all the time, the way he goes through practice, you would never be able to tell he's a freshman, so that's really just a testament to him."
Aiyuk notched career-highs in receiving yards (196) and touchdowns (three), including a game-tying touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. He scored on an 86-yard slant in the second quarter, the eighth-longest completion in program history and the longest since Mike Bercovici's 93-yard pass to Demario Richard in 2015 against New Mexico.
"He caught the ball on the slant and just kind of ran away with it," said Edwards. "When you throw a slant you're not expecting an 86-yard touchdown, you're expecting maybe 10 or 12 yards. He was good enough to score."
MOST PASSING YARDS BY A SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN
467 – Rudy Carpenter vs. Rutgers, Dec. 27, 2005
432 – Jeff Krohn vs. Oregon, Oct. 28, 2000
401 – Rudy Carpenter vs. Washington, Oct. 29, 2005
381 – Rudy Carpenter at Washington State, Nov. 5, 2005
363 – Jayden Daniels vs. Washington State, Oct. 12, 2019
345 -- Jayden Daniels vs. Colorado, Sep. 21, 2019
334 – Rudy Carpenter at #14 UCLA, Nov. 12, 2005
304 – Jayden Daniels vs. Sacramento State, Sept. 6, 2019
304 – Rudy Carpenter at Stanford, Oct. 22, 2005
302 – Dillon Sterling-Cole at Oregon, Oct. 29, 2016
All five of Aiyuk's touchdown receptions in 2019 have been for more than 30 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that tied things at 31. In his career-high receiving day, Aiyuk eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in his second year as a Sun Devil and now has 1,125.
"I just try to play my game," said Aiyuk. "After we kind of came out a little bit slow, those type of plays are what Jayden (Daniels) looks at me for (as well as the) offense, the team and the other receivers. The receiver in me just kind of said that we want to have those big plays and take pressure off Eno (Benjamin) and take pressure off Jayden as well."
ASU rushed 22 more times than WSU, including 137 yards and a third quarter go-ahead touchdown from Eno Benjamin. It was his 12th time in his Sun Devil career rushing for more than 100 yards and his eighth-straight game getting into the endzone.
"Even just before that last possession, me, Jayden (Daniels) and Brandon Aiyuk were talking and we were saying this is Michigan State all over again and so everyone was calm," said Benjamin. "I think we do a good job with our coaches as far as them making a game plan, and I think the players do a good job trusting them."
Most of the afternoon was within one score but neither offense let off the pedal. The conference opponents totaled 1,030 yards of offense in the afternoon and a perfect seven-for-seven in the red zone.
"I think when you look at the whole team and the way they reacted and responded from being down early in this football game they never really panicked," said Edwards. "Going into this I said all week, this is not going to be a 17-14 games. We knew offensively we were going to have to score in the 30s to win a game like this, and low and behold."
The No. 18 Sun Devils are now 5-1 (2-1 Pac-12) and head to Utah on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m MT on Pac-12 Networks and can be heard on 98.7 FM.
THINGS TO KNOW
2 - Freddie Williams, 17
3 - Wilford White, 16
4 - Art Malone, 14
5 - Demario Richard, 13
T6th - Eno Benjamin, 12
T6th - Leon Burton, 12
T6th - J.R. Redmond, 12
With 34 seconds left, he took off and leaped for a 17-yard touchdown that gave No. 18 Arizona State a 38-34 win over the Washington State Cougars.
It was Daniel's third game-winning drive in his six-game career.
@FOOTBALLASU IN GAMES OF 4 POINTS OR LESS UNDER HERM EDWARDS (6-2)
ASU 38, Washington State 34 (Oct. 12, 2019)
Colorado 34, #24 ASU 31 (Sept. 21, 2019)
ASU 10, @#18 Michigan State 7 (Sept. 14, 2019)
ASU 41, @Arizona 40 (Nov. 24, 2018)
@Oregon 31, ASU 29 (Nov. 17, 2018)
ASU 31, UCLA 28 (Nov. 10, 2018)
ASU 38, @USC 35 (Oct. 27, 2018)
ASU 16, #15 Michigan State 13 (Sept. 8, 2018)
That @JayD__5 Game Winner ??????
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 12, 2019
The freshman has ?? in his veins pic.twitter.com/AcgJSTsf7t
"In big moments it doesn't get him flustered, he just continues to play," said Coach Herm Edwards, now 6-2 in games decided by four points or less since arriving at ASU. "He'll probably tell you he made some throws he'd like to take back. Three touchdowns is pretty good and he ran for about 41 yards and the big one was for the score."
Daniels threw for a career-high 363 passing yards and recorded a career-high four total touchdowns. When Washington State's air raid offense made a play, Daniels would try and find Brandon Aiyuk who continues to electrify Sun Devil Stadium with his ability to make plays after the catch.
"I've been saying that since day one," said Eno Benjamin. "We stepped in here, we knew what the situation was going to be, and no one panicked about it. We knew we were going to have a freshman at quarterback. I say it all the time, the way he goes through practice, you would never be able to tell he's a freshman, so that's really just a testament to him."
Aiyuk notched career-highs in receiving yards (196) and touchdowns (three), including a game-tying touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. He scored on an 86-yard slant in the second quarter, the eighth-longest completion in program history and the longest since Mike Bercovici's 93-yard pass to Demario Richard in 2015 against New Mexico.
?? x ??
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 13, 2019
Aiyuk today ?? 7 catches, 196 yards, 3 touchdowns
The last Sun Devil to catch 3 touchdowns in a single game? The GOAT, N'keal Harry ?? pic.twitter.com/aSZ13tgBUf
"He caught the ball on the slant and just kind of ran away with it," said Edwards. "When you throw a slant you're not expecting an 86-yard touchdown, you're expecting maybe 10 or 12 yards. He was good enough to score."
MOST PASSING YARDS BY A SUN DEVIL FRESHMAN
467 – Rudy Carpenter vs. Rutgers, Dec. 27, 2005
432 – Jeff Krohn vs. Oregon, Oct. 28, 2000
401 – Rudy Carpenter vs. Washington, Oct. 29, 2005
381 – Rudy Carpenter at Washington State, Nov. 5, 2005
363 – Jayden Daniels vs. Washington State, Oct. 12, 2019
345 -- Jayden Daniels vs. Colorado, Sep. 21, 2019
334 – Rudy Carpenter at #14 UCLA, Nov. 12, 2005
304 – Jayden Daniels vs. Sacramento State, Sept. 6, 2019
304 – Rudy Carpenter at Stanford, Oct. 22, 2005
302 – Dillon Sterling-Cole at Oregon, Oct. 29, 2016
All five of Aiyuk's touchdown receptions in 2019 have been for more than 30 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that tied things at 31. In his career-high receiving day, Aiyuk eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in his second year as a Sun Devil and now has 1,125.
"I just try to play my game," said Aiyuk. "After we kind of came out a little bit slow, those type of plays are what Jayden (Daniels) looks at me for (as well as the) offense, the team and the other receivers. The receiver in me just kind of said that we want to have those big plays and take pressure off Eno (Benjamin) and take pressure off Jayden as well."
ASU rushed 22 more times than WSU, including 137 yards and a third quarter go-ahead touchdown from Eno Benjamin. It was his 12th time in his Sun Devil career rushing for more than 100 yards and his eighth-straight game getting into the endzone.
"Even just before that last possession, me, Jayden (Daniels) and Brandon Aiyuk were talking and we were saying this is Michigan State all over again and so everyone was calm," said Benjamin. "I think we do a good job with our coaches as far as them making a game plan, and I think the players do a good job trusting them."
Most of the afternoon was within one score but neither offense let off the pedal. The conference opponents totaled 1,030 yards of offense in the afternoon and a perfect seven-for-seven in the red zone.
"I think when you look at the whole team and the way they reacted and responded from being down early in this football game they never really panicked," said Edwards. "Going into this I said all week, this is not going to be a 17-14 games. We knew offensively we were going to have to score in the 30s to win a game like this, and low and behold."
The No. 18 Sun Devils are now 5-1 (2-1 Pac-12) and head to Utah on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m MT on Pac-12 Networks and can be heard on 98.7 FM.
Party in the end zone ???? @942Crew pic.twitter.com/gLCSyyycF5
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 12, 2019
THINGS TO KNOW
- ASU's recorded 12 pass breakups today are the most by the team since at least 2000, the 12 pass breakups are tied for the second-most by a team in FBS this season
- The Sun Devils have scored double-digit points in 125 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS and the second-longest streak in the modern era of football behind only Louisiana Tech.
- ASU also holds the FBS active streak for consecutive games scoring more than 7 points, extending their streak to 140 straight games.
- Benjamin's 12th 100-yard rushing performances moves him into a tie for sixth in school history
2 - Freddie Williams, 17
3 - Wilford White, 16
4 - Art Malone, 14
5 - Demario Richard, 13
T6th - Eno Benjamin, 12
T6th - Leon Burton, 12
T6th - J.R. Redmond, 12
- With three catches today, Frank Darby now has 40 career receptions
- Zendejas continues to be a reliable piece of the Sun Devil offense, responsible for 50 points through six games. He is now 11-of-14 on field goals and a perfect 17-for-17 on extra points.