EL PASO, Texas – Willie Harts recorded ASU's first pick-six of the season to go ahead with 10:06 left and Cristian Zendejas matched a Sun Bowl record with four field goals as ASU defeated Florida State, 20-14, in the 86th Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon.
After giving up 14 unanswered points to lose a 9-0 halftime lead, the Sun Devil defense rallied with a fourth quarter for the ages and closed the game with a go-ahead interception return for a touchdown, a fourth-down stop, an interception and a fumble recovery on FSU's final four possessions of the game.
The Sun Devils intercepted a season-high four passes and added two fumble recoveries for six total turnovers – the most since they recorded seven against Washington State on Oct. 10, 2009. It was ASU's fourth come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter of a game this season.
THE BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devil defense - which had been exceptional on third down all after – got its biggest stop with 10:06 remaining in the final frame. Trailing 14-12 following Zendejas' fourth field goal of the game early in the fourth quarter, a broken route on third-and-short led to Harts' first career interception deep in Florida State territory and the true freshman went 25 yards untouched to the house to put the Sun Devil back on top. It was ASU's first pick-six since the first game of last season
Jayden Daniels made it a six-point game following the two-point conversion, rolling out and shaking nearly half the Seminole defense to punch it in and make it a 20-14 ballgame.
STICKING A NAIL IN IT
Twice in the final possessions of the game, Florida State drove into Arizona State territory looking for the go-ahead score but ASU picked up a huge fourth-down stop from Darien Butler before closing the game on Merlin Robertson's second fumble forced of the game with under two minutes remaining in the game to seal the victory.
PLAYER STATABLES
HOW IT GOT THERE
First Quarter
The was a lot of action and little to show for it in the opening frame. The Sun Devils fumbled the first play from scrimmage inside their own red zone but Aashari Crosswell helped ASU avoid a catastrophic start with his second interception of the season in the end zone to keep the Seminoles off the board. Florida State would drive back into Sun Devil territory midway through the quarter but Chase Lucas recorded ASU's first field goal block since Oct. 25, 2014 against Washington to again keep FSU off the board. ASU got its third turnover of the half on a Merlin Robertson strip sack and recovery in FSU territory that set up the first points of the game on a Cristian Zendejas' first field goal of the game.
Second Quarter
Both teams continued to struggled finding a rhythm offensively, though ASU did manage two more field goals from Zendejas to head into the locker rooms with a 9-0 advantage. ASU recorded its fourth turnover of the game behind a Evan Fields interception facilitated by a quarterback hit from Jermayne Lole that set up Zendejas' third field goal of the opening half. It was the fourth scoreless first half of the season by the Sun Devil defense, as ASU held FSU to just 139 total yards of offense and a paltry 36 passing yards. Florida State was 0-for-7 on third downs, a notable area of struggle for the Sun Devils this season.
Third Quarter
The injury bug bit the Sun Devils in the third quarter as the Seminoles became the first team to cross the goal line following an 11-play, 91-yard drive in which ASU was down to several third and fourth-string players along the defensive line and secondary. They immediately followed it up with a one-play, 91-yard scoring play in the following drive against the backup secondary to take FSU's first lead of the game – a 14-9 advantage.
THREE-GAME SUN DEVIL WIN STREAKS TO END SEASON FOR SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL IN PAC-10/12 ERA
2019
ASU 20, Florida State 14 (Dec. 31, 2019/Sun Bowl)
ASU 24, Arizona 14 (Nov. 30, 2019)
ASU 31, #6 Oregon 28 (Nov. 23, 2019)
2012
ASU 62, Navy 28 (Dec. 29, 2012/Hunger Bowl)
ASU 41, #24 Arizona 34 (Nov. 23, 2012)
ASU 46, Washington State 7 (Nov. 17, 2012)
1978
ASU 34, Rutgers 18 (Dec. 16, 1978/Garden State Bowl)
ASU 18, Arizona 17 (Nov. 25, 1978)
ASU 44, Oregon State 22 (Nov. 18, 1978)
--ASU won the Territorial Cup and its bowl game for the ninth time. It also happened in 2012, 2005, 1978, 1975 and from 1970-73.
--In addition to the three times in the Pac-10/12 era, ASU also ended the season on a three-game win streak in 1975, from 1965-73, 1963, 1957-59, 1904 and 1899.
After giving up 14 unanswered points to lose a 9-0 halftime lead, the Sun Devil defense rallied with a fourth quarter for the ages and closed the game with a go-ahead interception return for a touchdown, a fourth-down stop, an interception and a fumble recovery on FSU's final four possessions of the game.
The Sun Devils intercepted a season-high four passes and added two fumble recoveries for six total turnovers – the most since they recorded seven against Washington State on Oct. 10, 2009. It was ASU's fourth come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter of a game this season.
THE BIG MOMENT
The Sun Devil defense - which had been exceptional on third down all after – got its biggest stop with 10:06 remaining in the final frame. Trailing 14-12 following Zendejas' fourth field goal of the game early in the fourth quarter, a broken route on third-and-short led to Harts' first career interception deep in Florida State territory and the true freshman went 25 yards untouched to the house to put the Sun Devil back on top. It was ASU's first pick-six since the first game of last season
Jayden Daniels made it a six-point game following the two-point conversion, rolling out and shaking nearly half the Seminole defense to punch it in and make it a 20-14 ballgame.
STICKING A NAIL IN IT
Twice in the final possessions of the game, Florida State drove into Arizona State territory looking for the go-ahead score but ASU picked up a huge fourth-down stop from Darien Butler before closing the game on Merlin Robertson's second fumble forced of the game with under two minutes remaining in the game to seal the victory.
PLAYER STATABLES
- Jayden Daniels was named the game's Most Valuable Player, 12-28 for 195 yards and added 36 rushing yards. He also added a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter.
- Cristian Zendejas was named the game Most Outstanding Special Teams Player, matching a Sun Bowl record with five field goals.
- Darien Butler led all tacklers with 11 tackles and a tackle for loss.
- Merlin Robertson forced two fumbles, both of which were recovered by the Sun Devils. He also added 1.5 sacks and two total tackles for loss on eight total tackles.
- Roe Wilkins had two tackles for loss and Jermayne Lole added a 1.5 sacks. The Sun Devils record 10 total tackles for loss.
- ASU held the Seminoles to just 2-of-15 (13.3 percent) on third-down conversions - easily it's best output on the season. Following the UCLA weekend, ASU was ranked 102 in the nation in opponent third-down conversions at 43.9 percent. Over the final five games of the year, opponents converted just 25-of-69 third-downs (36.2) - a total that would rank among the Top-40 nationally.
- It was ASU's first bowl victory since the 2014 Sun Bowl win over Duke and improves the Sun Devils to 15-16-1 all-time in bowl games.
- The win marks ASU's first three-game win streak to end a season since 2012 and is just the third time since joining the Pac-12 that the Sun Devils have accomplished the feat. Gives ASU's its first season with at least eight victories since 2014.
- ASU's six turnovers forced were the most since forcing seven against Washington State in October of 2009
- Chase Lucas's blocked field goal attempt was ASU's first blocked field goal since Oct. 25, 2014 against Washington.
- Cristian Zendejas kick four field goals in the contest, matching a Sun Bowl record in the process. He finished the season with 23 total field goals - the sixth-highest single game total in program history.
HOW IT GOT THERE
First Quarter
The was a lot of action and little to show for it in the opening frame. The Sun Devils fumbled the first play from scrimmage inside their own red zone but Aashari Crosswell helped ASU avoid a catastrophic start with his second interception of the season in the end zone to keep the Seminoles off the board. Florida State would drive back into Sun Devil territory midway through the quarter but Chase Lucas recorded ASU's first field goal block since Oct. 25, 2014 against Washington to again keep FSU off the board. ASU got its third turnover of the half on a Merlin Robertson strip sack and recovery in FSU territory that set up the first points of the game on a Cristian Zendejas' first field goal of the game.
Second Quarter
Both teams continued to struggled finding a rhythm offensively, though ASU did manage two more field goals from Zendejas to head into the locker rooms with a 9-0 advantage. ASU recorded its fourth turnover of the game behind a Evan Fields interception facilitated by a quarterback hit from Jermayne Lole that set up Zendejas' third field goal of the opening half. It was the fourth scoreless first half of the season by the Sun Devil defense, as ASU held FSU to just 139 total yards of offense and a paltry 36 passing yards. Florida State was 0-for-7 on third downs, a notable area of struggle for the Sun Devils this season.
Third Quarter
The injury bug bit the Sun Devils in the third quarter as the Seminoles became the first team to cross the goal line following an 11-play, 91-yard drive in which ASU was down to several third and fourth-string players along the defensive line and secondary. They immediately followed it up with a one-play, 91-yard scoring play in the following drive against the backup secondary to take FSU's first lead of the game – a 14-9 advantage.
THREE-GAME SUN DEVIL WIN STREAKS TO END SEASON FOR SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL IN PAC-10/12 ERA
2019
ASU 20, Florida State 14 (Dec. 31, 2019/Sun Bowl)
ASU 24, Arizona 14 (Nov. 30, 2019)
ASU 31, #6 Oregon 28 (Nov. 23, 2019)
2012
ASU 62, Navy 28 (Dec. 29, 2012/Hunger Bowl)
ASU 41, #24 Arizona 34 (Nov. 23, 2012)
ASU 46, Washington State 7 (Nov. 17, 2012)
1978
ASU 34, Rutgers 18 (Dec. 16, 1978/Garden State Bowl)
ASU 18, Arizona 17 (Nov. 25, 1978)
ASU 44, Oregon State 22 (Nov. 18, 1978)
--ASU won the Territorial Cup and its bowl game for the ninth time. It also happened in 2012, 2005, 1978, 1975 and from 1970-73.
--In addition to the three times in the Pac-10/12 era, ASU also ended the season on a three-game win streak in 1975, from 1965-73, 1963, 1957-59, 1904 and 1899.