Not since the dawn of the Great Depression has the ASU football team suffered like this.
The Sun Devils (2-6, 1-4 Pac-10) could not convert on a two-point conversion with 21 seconds remaining in Saturday’s game and were defeated by Oregon State 27-25 in Corvallis, Ore.
The loss was ASU’s sixth straight, tying a school record for consecutive defeats set in 1929.
The Sun Devils must win their remaining four games in order to become bowl-eligible, though that does not necessarily guarantee a postseason berth.
ASU will face Washington in Seattle next weekend and must win to keep hopes of a fifth consecutive postseason appearance alive.
Trailing by eight points with 1:58 left in Saturday’s game, senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter led the Sun Devils on an 11-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Andrew Pettes.
On the potentially game-tying two-point try, OSU senior Victor Butler intercepted Carpenter as the ASU quarterback rolled outside of the pocket.
ASU then attempted an onside kick but were unable to recover it.
That effectively ended the Sun Devils’ chances of a last-second comeback.
The Beavers kept their Rose Bowl hopes alive and moved their record to 5-3, 4-1 in the Pac-10.
“We’re disappointed in the loss,” coach Dennis Erickson said during his post-game radio interview. “Our effort on both sides of the ball was good. We had a chance at the end and obviously we didn’t make the two-point play.”
Carpenter completed 15 of 27 his pass attempts for 217 yards and one touchdown.
Early in the third quarter, ASU took its first lead since Sept. 13 when senior safety Troy Nolan intercepted a pass from OSU junior quarterback Sean Canfield and returned it for a 41-yard touchdown.
Following the score, the first of the year for ASU’s defense, sophomore defensive tackle Jonathan English flipped the ball into the stands resulting in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
The penalty forced the Sun Devils to kickoff from the 15-yard line and the Beavers started their drive near mid-field.
The drive ended with a touchdown pass from Canfield to senior wide receiver Shane Morales, putting OSU back on top 14-13.
The Sun Devils would take their final lead of the game on the next possession after a 44-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Thomas Weber made the score 16-14.
ASU had several chances throughout the game to extend a lead, but settled for five Weber field goal attempts.
The sophomore converted on four of those attempts.
In the fourth quarter, a 54-yard run by junior running back Shaun DeWitty took ASU to the Beaver 15-yard line.
The Sun Devils, though, could not get inside the 10-yard line and were again forced to settle for a Weber field goal.
“When we had opportunities, we couldn’t get it in the end zone for touchdowns,” Erickson told KTAR. “When you play on the road like that, it can happen.”
Defensively, the Sun Devils had difficulty containing OSU freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
The Pac-10’s leading rusher gained 133 yards on 30 carries.
DeWitty led the Sun Devils with 110 yards on 16 carries.
The Sun Devils rushed for 78 yards, but Carpenter lost 45 yards combined the five times he was sacked.
Reach the reporter at nksomide@asu.edu.
