The ASU football team's offense outgunned Nevada's "pistol" offense in a Saturday evening showdown the Sun Devils won, 52-21.
ASU scored the first of its seven touchdowns after receiving the opening kickoff and starting at its own 20-yard line.
The 11-play, 80-yard drive was capped off by sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter finding junior tight end Zach Miller in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Carpenter's pass was thrown into heavy traffic, but Miller was able to come down with the ball and tie Joe Petty for the most career touchdowns by a Sun Devil tight end (11).
The catch was also Miller's 100th career reception as a Sun Devil.
"I didn't know about it [being one away from the record] till I was reading the program right before the game," Miller sid. "But I don't really think about records during the game. I'm just trying to get as many catches as I can and help the team win."
Miller had a total of 53 receiving yards and led all ASU receivers with five receptions.
Nevada kept things close early by blocking a 44-yard field-goal attempt by senior Jesse Ainsworth near the end of the first quarter and scoring a touchdown on an interception by junior linebacker Ezra Butler.
But things fell apart for the Wolf Pack in the second quarter when ASU went on to score 24 unanswered points.
The Sun Devils answered the touchdown by Butler by again driving 80 yards for a touchdown, this time doing it in 10 plays.
Sophomore wide receiver Mike Jones capped the drive by getting past Nevada's secondary and diving for a Carpenter pass that seemed to be out of his reach.
The 20-yard catch by Jones was a sign of things to come, as Nevada's secondary had trouble staying with ASU's wide receivers all night.
After a fumble caused and recovered by ASU senior safety Zach Catanese, the Sun Devils added 10 points in less than eight minutes.
Ainsworth nailed a 32-yard field goal and Carpenter connected with sophomore wide receiver Nate Kimbrough on a 52-yard touchdown.
The touchdown was similar to one Carpenter and Kimbrough made during ASU's final preseason scrimmage, when Kimbrough used his speed to run along the sideline and get past the defense.
"I was just happy to be out there and catch the ball and show everyone what I can do," Kimbrough said.
After an Ainsworth kick off, the very next play from the line of scrimmage sealed Nevada's fate.
Starting at his own 22-yard line, Nevada senior quarterback Jeff Rowe came under heavy pressure from ASU junior safety Josh Barrett on a blitz and threw the ball directly into the hands of ASU freshman safety Ryan McFoy, who returned the interception for a touchdown.
"I just was in the right place at the right time," McFoy said. "I was on my man and I thought he [Rowe] was going to throw it inside, but he threw it outside so I just went for it."
It was the second consecutive week that ASU scored a defensive touchdown. Both scores have come off interceptions.
Nevada closed out the first half by driving 80 yards in nine plays, ending with a touchdown pass from Rowe to sophomore wide receiver Marko Mitchell.
The Sun Devils would pour it on in the second half, adding three touchdowns to their lead.
Carpenter completed touchdown passes of 22 yards to sophomore running back Shaun DeWitty and 25 yards to senior wide receiver Terry Richardson.
Carpenter overall was 17-of-26 for 333 yards and five touchdowns. The five touchdowns are a new career-best for Carpenter, whose previous best-of-four touchdowns came in last season's Insight Bowl.
He also completed passes to nine different receivers.
"The best thing to happen for us tonight was having guys like Michael Jones, Chris McGaha and Nate Kimbrough - who really came through - play well tonight," Carpenter said. "It is really going to help us when the season goes on and guys wear down, start to get hurt or tired."
One ASU player that did get hurt was junior wide receiver Rudy Burgess.
Burgess played on the Sun Devils' opening drive, catching two passes for a total of 41 yards, but missed the rest of the game after sustaining a concussion.
"He [Burgess] told me in the locker room that he remembered everything that happened," coach Dirk Koetter said. "I think he was disappointed that he couldn't go back in.
"But I am happy with those other receivers. Those guys have been practicing well. I'm pleased with our wide receiver depth right now."
Reach the reporter at Christopher.D.Ramirez@asu.edu
