It wasn’t the most ideal spot to prove one’s mettle.

But in the midst of an ugly outing for the ASU football team that resulted in a 44-21 loss to No. 11 Oregon, sophomore quarterback Samson Szakacsy provided bewildered Sun Devil fans reasons for optimism.

Stuck into a rough situation of his own, freshman quarterback Brock Osweiler — making his first collegiate start inside the raucous, unfriendly confines of Autzen Stadium — was harassed, knocked down, and knocked out of the contest in the second quarter with a shoulder injury.

Enter Szakacsy, whose promise had been previously stalled by an inability to shake a lingering elbow injury.

The sophomore entered the game with his team trailing 31-7, but after the ASU defense forced a rare UO punt to open the second half, Szakacsy led the Sun Devils on a 14-play, 78-yard drive that ended in his one-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 31-14 and breathe some life into a dejected sideline.

“He came in and gave us a spark,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “He’s athletic. He gave us a second chance there.”

Following the touchdown, ASU (4-6, 2-5 Pac-10) recovered a UO fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and three plays later, Szakacsy completed a 15-yard touchdown pass on the run in the back of the end zone to senior Kyle Williams, cutting the lead to 10 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. But it was the last time ASU would score.

“It sucks that we lost, but I got in and got some experience,” Szakacsy said. “I thought we’re making a little comeback there for a second. We stalled on a couple offensive drives and didn’t take advantage of opportunities. We could have played better.”

Szakacsy showed flashes of his mobility during ASU’s 23-21 loss to Cal two weeks ago when he rolled out and found senior Jovon Williams for a 3-yard touchdown pass on his first career pass attempt.

While Erickson has not made a decision yet as to who will start when the team travels to UCLA on Saturday, Szakacsy — who completed 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards in a little more than a half of duty — could be an intriguing option because of the ability he demonstrated to keep plays alive.

The sophomore said he “blacked out” during his first series, attributing it to the excitement of his first significant action.

“I couldn’t have even told you what happened,” Szakacsy said. “I was just kind of excited. It definitely broke me in a little bit. It was good to go out there and get some experience, especially against a great team like Oregon. It was fun.”

ASU must win its final two games (at UCLA, UA) in order to become bowl eligible. Even if they accomplish that feat, though, a bowl game would not be guaranteed.

“The motto of this team is to keep fighting,” Szakacsy said. “We’re not just going to put our heads down.”

Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu.