BERKELEY, Calif. – Trenton Bourguet threw for 344 yards and Sun Devil Football's defense limited California to under 350 yards of total offense, but the Sun Devils came up short in their first road game of the season, 24-21 on Saturday.
Bourguet made his second start of the season but played in his first full game since last season. He completed 63 percent of his passes (26-of-41) and added a rushing touchdown and a 18-yard reception in the all-around effort.
Cam Skattebo continued to impress in all facets of the game, catching four balls for 98 yards, adding 59 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground and completing a pass for 18 yards. Elijhah Badger added 75 receiving yards, a two-point conversion and 128 yards on kickoff returns to finish with 203 all-purpose yards.
The Sun Devil defense had its back against the wall in the field position battle all game but was able to limit Cal to just 24 total points despite Cal starting drives on an average of ASU's 40-yard line. Dashaun Mallory dominated the trenches, recording a career-best four tackles for loss while tying his career high in combined tackles (six). It was the first time a Sun Devil defender had 4.0 tackles for loss since Tyler Johnson's 4.5 against UCLA in 2020.
Chris Edmonds had a career-best 10 combined tackles in a gutty effort while Shamari Simmons led the team with 11 combined tackles. Also recording career highs in combined tackles were Caleb McCullough (7), James Djonkam (7), Anthonie Cooper (5), Macen Williams (4) and RJ Regan (4) in a total team-effort on a side of the ball depleted by injuries before and during the game.
The defense recorded a season-high 8.0 tackles for loss and harried Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V throughout the contest, holding him to 12-of-29 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown.
ASU held Cal to just 326 yards in total offense adding to a trend it has continued since the 2018 season in which it has held opponents to 400 yards or less of total offense on 33 occasions over 60 games (55.0 percent of the time). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013-2017. ASU has held opponents to less than 30 points in 36 of 59 games since 2018 (61.0 percent), notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of the 43 previous games (74.4 percent) in a span from 2013-17.
It proved to be a contest where the little things were the difference as ASU was penalized just five times for 35 yards but the timing of the penalties proved critical. An illegal substitution wiped a touchdown off that board that would have cut Cal's lead to 17-14 midway through the third quarter. ASU would settle for a field goal – a four-point swing that inevitably proved to be the difference in the contest.
Trailing 24-21, ASU had Cal dead to rights on a late fourth-down hurry in the fourth quarter that would have given ASU the ball back with over three minutes remaining and all three timeouts on at least its own 32-yard line. Instead, a pass interference on a prayer extended the Cal drive, allowing it to take another minute off the clock and pinning ASU at its own one-yard line with just 2:50 remaining and needing to drive at least 60 yards for a chance to tie the game.
The Sun Devils return home to face Colorado at Mountain America Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m. AZT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. Click here to purchase tickets.
NOTES: ASU had a season-best 430 total yards...it marked the second game with eight tackles for loss this season, joining the Fresno State game...nine receivers had catches, seven of them with multiples catches...
TRENTON BOURGUET TOP PASSING YARDAGE GAMES
435 at Colorado (Oct. 29, 2022)/32-43 with three touchdowns
376 at Arizona (Nov. 26, 2022)/37-49 with three touchdowns
348 vs. No. 12 UCLA (Nov. 5, 2022)/38-49 with two touchdowns
344 at California (Sept. 30, 2023)/26-41 with a rushing touchdown
Bourguet made his second start of the season but played in his first full game since last season. He completed 63 percent of his passes (26-of-41) and added a rushing touchdown and a 18-yard reception in the all-around effort.
Cam Skattebo continued to impress in all facets of the game, catching four balls for 98 yards, adding 59 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground and completing a pass for 18 yards. Elijhah Badger added 75 receiving yards, a two-point conversion and 128 yards on kickoff returns to finish with 203 all-purpose yards.
The Sun Devil defense had its back against the wall in the field position battle all game but was able to limit Cal to just 24 total points despite Cal starting drives on an average of ASU's 40-yard line. Dashaun Mallory dominated the trenches, recording a career-best four tackles for loss while tying his career high in combined tackles (six). It was the first time a Sun Devil defender had 4.0 tackles for loss since Tyler Johnson's 4.5 against UCLA in 2020.
Chris Edmonds had a career-best 10 combined tackles in a gutty effort while Shamari Simmons led the team with 11 combined tackles. Also recording career highs in combined tackles were Caleb McCullough (7), James Djonkam (7), Anthonie Cooper (5), Macen Williams (4) and RJ Regan (4) in a total team-effort on a side of the ball depleted by injuries before and during the game.
The defense recorded a season-high 8.0 tackles for loss and harried Cal quarterback Sam Jackson V throughout the contest, holding him to 12-of-29 passing for 130 yards and a touchdown.
ASU held Cal to just 326 yards in total offense adding to a trend it has continued since the 2018 season in which it has held opponents to 400 yards or less of total offense on 33 occasions over 60 games (55.0 percent of the time). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013-2017. ASU has held opponents to less than 30 points in 36 of 59 games since 2018 (61.0 percent), notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of the 43 previous games (74.4 percent) in a span from 2013-17.
It proved to be a contest where the little things were the difference as ASU was penalized just five times for 35 yards but the timing of the penalties proved critical. An illegal substitution wiped a touchdown off that board that would have cut Cal's lead to 17-14 midway through the third quarter. ASU would settle for a field goal – a four-point swing that inevitably proved to be the difference in the contest.
Trailing 24-21, ASU had Cal dead to rights on a late fourth-down hurry in the fourth quarter that would have given ASU the ball back with over three minutes remaining and all three timeouts on at least its own 32-yard line. Instead, a pass interference on a prayer extended the Cal drive, allowing it to take another minute off the clock and pinning ASU at its own one-yard line with just 2:50 remaining and needing to drive at least 60 yards for a chance to tie the game.
The Sun Devils return home to face Colorado at Mountain America Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m. AZT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. Click here to purchase tickets.
NOTES: ASU had a season-best 430 total yards...it marked the second game with eight tackles for loss this season, joining the Fresno State game...nine receivers had catches, seven of them with multiples catches...
TRENTON BOURGUET TOP PASSING YARDAGE GAMES
435 at Colorado (Oct. 29, 2022)/32-43 with three touchdowns
376 at Arizona (Nov. 26, 2022)/37-49 with three touchdowns
348 vs. No. 12 UCLA (Nov. 5, 2022)/38-49 with two touchdowns
344 at California (Sept. 30, 2023)/26-41 with a rushing touchdown