PASADENA, Calif. — On a crisp, autumn day in southern California, desperation wilted into despair for the ASU football team.

ASU turned the ball over six times — including an interception and a fumble that were returned for touchdowns — and was unable to rally late in a 23-13 loss to UCLA on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

The loss guaranteed ASU back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1946-1947, and winter break plans for the Sun Devils will not include a bowl appearance for the second straight season.

In last year’s matchup against UCLA, the ASU defense returned four turnovers for touchdowns in a 34-9 romp of the Bruins, but on Saturday, it was the Sun Devils who coughed up the ball in critical situations.

“It’s frickin’ ridiculous,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said after emerging from the visitor’s locker room beneath the stands of the hallowed stadium. “We played well enough at times to win that football game, but we didn’t make the plays, we turned the thing over. … It’s disheartening because we’ve played pretty well on defense the whole year, and then you turn it over like that — it’s tough.”

The turnovers started on ASU’s first drive of the game.

After picking up three first downs and moving the ball to the UCLA 42-yard line, sophomore Samson Szakacsy, making his first collegiate start, was picked off by senior cornerback Alterraun Verner, who turned the quarterback’s mistake into a 68-yard touchdown to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead before their offense took the field.

Szakacsy said he made a mistake in reading the coverage that led to the interception.

“I made too many mistakes, and I take responsibility for what I did wrong,” Szakacsy said. “I feel like defense held it down — they always hold it down — and offensively, we’ve got to step it up. … It’s a learning experience, and I’ll keep fighting.”

Another mishap for the quarterback came near the end of the first half.

With ASU trailing 10-7 with 1:30 left before the break, Szakacsy was sacked from behind by junior defense tackle Brian Price, causing a fumble that was picked up and returned for a 9-yard touchdown by sophomore linebacker Akeem Ayers.

On the ensuing kickoff, freshman Jamal Miles fumbled and UCLA recovered at the ASU 17-yard line. Four plays later, senior Kai Forbath made his second of three field goals, and suddenly what looked to be a three-point contest at the break had turned instead into a 20-7 UCLA advantage.

After leading the nation in turnover margin through two games this season, the Sun Devils have dropped to 66th.

ASU gathered some momentum at the beginning of the fourth quarter on a big play made possible by Szakacsy’s mobility.

The sophomore avoided pressure, sprinted to his right and found senior Kyle Williams wide open behind the defense for a 70-yard touchdown.

Szakacsy also found Williams, who finished with six catches for 128 yards, on a similar play in the first half for a 35-yard touchdown.

But after the fourth quarter score, senior tight end Jovon Williams dropped a pass on the two-point attempt, junior Thomas Weber missed a field goal, and a series of penalties cut ASU’s best chance to shrink the deficit, evaporating the team’s postseason hopes.

Mike Nixon, the 26-year-old senior linebacker who has been the team’s unquestioned leader, voiced his disappointment in a season he said fell far short of what he expected in the final year of his stellar career.

“I think everybody is real frustrated,” Nixon said. “Obviously the offense would like to play better, and as a team we’d like to be winning these ball games. It’s really a season of woulda, coulda, shouldas.”

While the offense continued its season-long struggles, the defensive side of the ball was its usual dominant self.

Outside of the 17 points the offense gave UCLA due to turnovers, the defense allowed just two field goals and held the Bruins to 292 yards of total offense.

Erickson, who has experienced back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in his 21-year head coaching career, described his team’s offensive performance the past two seasons as “horrifying.”

“It’s something we better get straight,” the coach said. “I’m not happy with where we’re at, and neither is our team.”

Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu.