"The first half we just broke down in the secondary too many times, big play after big play and spotted them points," ASU head coach Herm Edwards said. "Then we decided to rally again and we fell a little short. That's what I told the team today: We have to learn how to play a whole football game, not half a football game."
Yellen impressed in his first collegiate start, passing for 292 yards and four touchdowns. As the second true freshman quarterback to start for the Sun Devils this season, Yellen's four touchdown passes are the most ever by any Sun Devil quarterback in their first career-start, and the fifth most by a quarterback in their first career-start.
"Well I thought he did a great job of playing against a talented group of defensive players from USC," Edwards said. "Four touchdown passes, it's the first time he's ever played a college game and to do that, I give him a lot of credit."
After allowing 28 points in the first quarter, the Sun Devil defense buckled down to allow just three points in the remaining three quarters, giving Yellen and the Sun Devil offense the chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Frank Darby caught two passes for touchdowns, including a season-long 62-yard touchdown and a 15-yard scoring strike from Yellen on a 3rd & 9 with under nine minutes that brought ASU within one score.
Fellow receiver Brandon Aiyuk also had a monster game against the Trojans finishing with 220 all-purpose yards: 51 yards receiving and 169 yards on kickoff returns. With his effort, Aiyuk has now logged 1290 all-purpose yards, a mark that leads the Pac-12 to this point in the season.
"Quarterback play, just going out there in his first start," said Aiyuk on what he thought went well in the game. "We were just on the same page throughout the game."
Aiyuk was instrumental in keeping the Sun Devils in striking distance early, returning three kick returns for a career-high 169 yards, including one for a career-long 97 yards that led to Yellen's first touchdown pass as a Sun Devil, a four-yard toss to Kyle Williams for the senior receiver's first touchdown of the season.
"I think Frank Darby and Brandon Aiyuk definitely played an unbelievable game," Yellen said. "They definitely stayed in it. We had some adversity and all that, but there were a couple of times where the game kind of came down to them - if USC is bringing pressure and Darby and Aiyuk have their isolation matchups out there and they were exactly where they were supposed to be each time."
Arizona State travels to Oregon State next week for a matchup with the Beavers in Corvallis, Ore. Kickoff in Saturday's game is set for 5:30 p.m. MST, and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
Things to know:
- Eno Benjamin rushed for 52 yards, passing Ben Malone for 13th in ASU history with 2,515
- Eno Benjamin eclipsed the 2,500 rushing yard mark
- Brandon Aiyuk set a new career-high for total kickoff return yards in a game with 169 yards
- Michael Turk's 59-yard punt in the first quarter and 51-yarder in the third quarter and 63-yarder in the fourth total 17 punts of 50+ yards this season
SUN DEVIL BLACKOUT SCORES
USC 31, ASU 26 (Nov. 9, 2019)
ASU 16, #15 Michigan State 13 (Sept. 8, 2018)
ASU 13, #5 Washington 7 (Oct. 14, 2017)
#13 Utah 49, ASU 26 (Nov. 10, 2016)
ASU 48, Colorado 23 (Oct. 10, 2015)
#11 UCLA 62, #15 ASU 26 (Sept. 25, 2014)
ASU 32, #20 Wisconsin 30 (Sept. 14, 2013)
#2 Oregon 43, ASU 21 (Oct. 18, 2012)
ASU 37, #21 Missouri 30, OT (Sept. 9, 2011)