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Despite seemingly outplaying a top-ranked opponent for a second straight week, the ASU football team once again lost, falling victim to a bevy of eye-popping mistakes in its 42-31 loss to Oregon.
Down 11 points and having already squandered two possessions inside No. 5 UO’s 6-yard line, ASU redshirt junior quarterback Steven Threet took the first down snap from the Ducks' 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Dropping back into a strangely secure pocket, Threet locked onto sophomore receiver Jamal Miles streaking open down the seam into UO’s end zone.
State Press Television By Andrew Boven
As if the Sun Devil on Threet’s helmet convinced his subconscious into another self-sabotaging toss, the football turned to a dead duck, floating lifelessly behind Miles and into the hands of a live Duck in the end zone for UO’s third red zone drive kill of the night.
Threet would wing one more red zone interception before the night was through, finishing with four total, and the Sun Devils (2-2, 0-1 Pac-10) lost their Pac-10 opener Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium in front of over 60,000 people.
“It’s very disappointing to play well and then make a couple plays that cost the team the game,” Threet said. “You’re not going to win the game when you turn the ball over seven times. I think that it’s plain and simple. It’s the only way to look at it.”
It was a second consecutive defeat for the Sun Devils that left fans tickled with the show of talent between the 20-yard lines, but tortured by untimely turnovers and mistakes. The Sun Devils had seven turnovers, possibly prompting ASU faithful to ponder all the possible could-have-scored-points-and-won permutations.
But for all the mishaps, many of which confounded even the most experienced observers, ASU outplayed, if not dominated at times, a team many believe to be a national championship contender. UO came into the contest allowing 4.3 points a game, 2.7 yards per carry and less than 100 passing yards per while scoring more than 60 points and accumulating nearly 400 yards per game on the ground in its first three contests.
ASU moved the ball to the tune of 597 yards, including 210 on the ground and 387 from the arm of Threet. The Sun Devils, with few exceptions, moved the ball up and down the field with ease and did it without starting left tackle junior Dan Knapp, who suffered a knee sprain early and missed most of the contest.
While the Ducks had four quick-strike scoring drives, all of which came in under two minutes and totaled 21 plays, they were forced to punt 11 times, including seven three and outs.
UO averaged just 4.0 yards per carry on 36 tries, with ASU storming the Duck backfield for nine plays for a loss.
“It's the best defense I've faced in my whole career in Oregon,” UO star running back LaMichael James said. “They were fast and strong. It felt like they were everywhere.”
Much like last week, however, ASU was not left satisfied with moral victories or laudatory post-game reaction from the opponent.
“This was much more frustrating than the Wisconsin loss,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “I mean, a league game, the No. 5 team in the country and we just beat ourselves. That doesn’t happen very often but you look at everything and we pretty much controlled the game physically but again it just boils down to the seven turnovers. You just have no chance.”
The Sun Devils took their first drive nine plays and 48 yards before senior kicker Thomas Weber missed from 48 yards. After forcing a quick punt, the Sun Devils took their second drive 81 yards when freshman running back Deantre Lewis broke free on fourth down and one, galloping through a final would-be tackler down the sideline for a 53-yard touchdown.
The Ducks answered with two scores. The first, a quick strike drive, and the second, a 39-yard interception return from UO sophomore safety John Boyett, who capitalized on a poor third and nine decision by Threet.
ASU would come back with 17 unanswered points, highlighted by two touchdown throws from Threet. On the first, Threet rolled out of the pocket and lofted a pass just over three Duck defenders into the hands of junior receiver Mike Willie, who alertly kept a foot inbounds.
After senior cornerback Omar Bolden intercepted UO sophomore quarterback Darron Thomas, taking it from near midfield and returning it to the Ducks’ 28-yard line, ASU struck in just one play when Threet found senior receiver Kerry Taylor in the back of the end zone between two converging defenders.
The Ducks would then score 28 unanswered points, combining explosive offensive plays with fortunate bounces on defenses. Two UO touchdown drives were completed in a combined one minute and 53 seconds, putting them up 28-24 going into halftime.
That’s when play had folks questioning their calendars—as a full moon, Friday the 13th, or Halloween could be the only possible explanations for second half events.
After ASU recovered the Ducks second half kick-off, the Sun Devils took their ensuing drive to the UO 2-yard line when sophomore Cameron Marshall fumbled.
The Sun Devils had an opportunity to gain control of a muffed punt return less than three minutes later, but senior cornerback LeQuan Lewis could not hold onto the football – diving over the top of it.
After the Ducks only successful second-half possession was capped by a 54 yard scoring strike from Thomas to freshman receiver Josh Huff, ASU appeared to be gaining momentum on a drive when a patented play went awry.
A swing pass to Marshall at ASU’s 39-yard line was dropped and ruled a lateral. Marshall and his teammates did not pursue the play, believing it was incomplete. The Ducks' redshirt freshman linebacker Boseko Lokombo returned it 32 yards for their final score. ASU answered with a touchdown on its next drive when Threet found Willie from 15 yards out.
But after taking its next possession to the Ducks 32-yard line in an attempt to close the game within double digits, it was Lewis this time with the inexplicable error—fumbling a pass by appearing to hyperextend his ankle without being contacted. Both Marshall and Lewis’ fumbles were challenged and Lewis’ play was originally ruled down before being overturned.
It was as if the Sun Devils were attempting to penetrate a self-imposed force field near the Ducks goal line.
“It hurts deep because we had them in our back pocket,” Willie said. “We could have put them away.”
ASU finished with just two touchdowns in seven red zone trips.
“When we start finishing,” Willie said. “We’re going to be the top team (in the nation).”
Notes
Sophomore linebacker Vontaze Burfict limped on and off the field multiple times Saturday, though he still finished with a team high 10 tackles including two and a half for loss. Erickson was unsure of Burfict’s injury status after the game but indicated that he limped into the locker room. Junior defensive tackle Lawrence Guy was also in and out with apparent muscle cramps which also affected Burfict according to Erickson. Junior receiver Gerell Robinson made his first impact of the season, catching seven balls for 94 yards.
Replay the game from our live blog here.
