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Sun Devil Football Postgame Notes - NAU

SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL POSTGAME NOTES

VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA (SEPT. 1, 2022)
 
THE ASU VICTORY...
  • Gives the Sun Devils their 23 straight win in a home opener dating back to 1999, excluding the unusual circumstances of 2020 that didn’t see ASU open at home until December.
    • That streak is the fourth-longest active streak in the nation behind Florida (32), Oklahoma State (26).
  • Marks the program’s 20th consecutive Opening Day win when the game is at Sun Devil Stadium.
  • Moves ASU to 80-28-2 all-time in season openers and 62-15-1 when Opening Day is played at home.
  • Extends the Sun Devils’ advantage in the all-time series against the Lumberjacks to 23-14-4.
    • Arizona State has won all seven matchups against the Lumberjacks since 2000.
OPENING DAY NOTABLES
  • The Sun Devils won by 37 points, boasting their average margin of victory on opening day to 24.7 points on Opening Day.
  • Another win over a Big Sky foe moves Arizona State to 11-0 against the team’s from the conference in week one matchups.
  • ASU has scored 40 points 26 times on Opening Day (second straight season and third time under Herm Edwards).
  • After allowing only 3 points, ASU now allows an average of 13.9 points in season openers.
  • This was the third straight season opener that we’ve rushed for 250+ yards (258 Vs. USC in 2020, 228 vs. Southern Utah in 2021).
QUICK HITS
  • Herm Edwards moves to 26-18 as the Head Coach of Sun Devil Football.
  • ASU is 8-2 in non-conference games under Herm Edwards.
  • The Sun Devils move to 41-14-4 against current Big Sky schools (last loss in 1927).
  • The Sun Devils have reached double digit scoring at home in 75 straight HOME games - tied for the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
  • ASU had just four penalties for 35 yards. The four penalties were the teams fewest since USC in 2020 and tied for the fourth-fewest in a game since 2018.
  • The 35 total yards were the fifth-fewest yards on penalties since 2018 and carry over nicely from ASU’s 27 total penalty yards against Wisconsin in the Las Vegas Bowl last season.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
  • Northern Arizona only managed 120 yards of offense against the Sun Devils, the fourth-lowest output against ASU since 1996.
Fewest Yards Allowed (Since 1996)
37, Idaho State (Sept. 5, 2009)
100, Iowa (Sep. 20, 2004) 
115, San Jose State (Sept. 1, 2007)
120, Northern Arizona (Sept. 1, 2022)
  • Only the seventh time since 1996 that Arizona State has held an opponent to under 100 passing and rushing yards. 
  • ASU has held opponents to less than 30 points in 31 of 44 games under Herm Edwards, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back to a span from 2013-17.
  • Arizona State was the only team in the FBS to not allow a 50-yard play last year. The Sun Devils extended their streak to 16 straight games without allowing a 50-yard play, the longest active streak in the FBS.
  • The Sun Devils shutout the Lumberjacks in the second half, building off their three second half shutouts last season. 
  • Donnie Henderson's defense did not allow a rush of over 11 yards or a passing play over 14 yards.
MILESTONE WATCH
  • X Valladay had 116 all-purpose yards and is now only 13 yards away from 4,000 for his career (currently at 3,987)
  • Khoury Bethey is now four tackles away from 300 for this career (currently at 296)
  • Emory Jones is now approaching 5,000 total yards for his career, currently sitting at 4.819 (1320 rushing, 3499 passing).
GROUND AND POUND
  • The Sun Devils ran for 267 yards on the Lumberjacks, the most rushing yards an ASU team has had on opening night/home opener since 2016 (vs. NAU)
  • ASU has rushed for at least 100 yards as a team in 19 straight regular season games. It is the longest streak of rushing for over 100 yards as a team since the last 10 games of 1995, all 11 in 1996 and the first two of 1997 - a 23-game stretch over three seasons. The 19-game streak is the eighth-longest active streak in the nation.
  • Five different Sun Devils ran for 20+ yards and two had multi-touchdown performances.
X FACTOR
  • X Valladay rushed for 116 yards in his Sun Devil debut, giving the active FBS leading rusher 3,334 yards in his career.
  • It is his 15th career game going over 100 yards in his career.
  • Valladay ran for two touchdowns in his first game in the Maroon & Gold.
    • In 42 career games at Wyoming, he had two rushing touchdowns in three games.
THE CARTER THREE 
  • Freshman kicker Carter Brown made quite the debut for the Sun Devils, going 4-for-4 on his field goal attempts and and 4-for-4 on his extra point attempts.
  • Brown’s final two kicks were both 44-yard blasts.
  • His four field goals are tied for the fourth-most in a single game since 1996 and are the most for any Sun Devil kicker in their debut performance in program history.
HEART AND SOELLE
  • Kyle Soelle secured his third career interception in the second quarter.
  • He now has an interception in each of his last three seasons.
  • In combination with his brother Connor, the two linebacker compiled seven tackles on the night.
SWINNING
  • Transfer tight end Messiah Swinson made an instant impact during his first game as a Sun Devils.
  • He set a new career high with three catches and 50 yards.
  • In 23 games at Missouri, he caught eight passes for 84 yards.