Replay the game with a transcript of the gameday live blog here.
The outcome was the same; only the opponent and score had changed.
In a game much like any other in the 2010 season, the ASU football team fell to No. 6 Stanford on Saturday night, 17-13.
“Once again it boils down to things that have hurt us all year,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “Turnovers, missing a kick, a penalty, those are things that jump out.”
The loss, which was ASU’s first to the Cardinal (9-1, 6-1 Pac-10) in Tempe since 1999, essentially eliminated the Sun Devils (4-6, 2-5) from a bowl game for the third straight season.
The slight chance of a bowl game hinges on ASU winning out and receiving an NCAA waiver, if there aren’t enough bowl eligible teams.
“It is very disappointing,” Erickson said. “Obviously [a bowl game] was our goal going into the season and we knew we had to win the last three games to get there. Our goal was to get there and we’re not going.”
Against an offense averaging 42.3 points per game, the ASU defense put forth an effort worthy of winning the game. Stanford redshirt sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck didn’t throw a touchdown pass for the first time all season and the Cardinal’s 17 points was a season-low.
The defense, however, wore down because they were on the field too long, especially in the fourth quarter when Stanford had the ball all but two minutes and 37 seconds.
The defense’s fatigue was evident on the game's final drive, when Stanford drove 85 yards in 10 plays with fullback Owen Marecic eventually scoring the game-winning touchdown from one yard out.
The drive was aided by three crucial penalties called against the Sun Devils. Junior safety Eddie Elder appeared to have his second interception of Luck, but a holding penalty away from the play gave Stanford the ball back.
Later on the drive, ASU sophomore linebacker Vontaze Burfict was flagged for a facemask penalty and immediately after was given another 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct for arguing the call.
That set the Cardinal up in prime position to take the lead.
“I couldn’t see the penalty at the end,” Erickson said. “When I watched him it looked like he grabbed him [on the shoulder], not the facemask. Then the one they called on the other side when we got the interception, I wasn’t sure about that one either.”
While replays may support Erickson’s gripe about the facemask penalty, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was something ASU could control.
“Déjà vu,” Erickson said of his thoughts on the extra flag. “I don’t know what happened. I asked the official and apparently Vontaze said something to him about it not being a facemask and the guy threw the flag.”
Both teams scored quickly to open the game, but it was a defensive battle after that.
Marecic got Stanford on the board with a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and the Sun Devils answered on their next drive, going 74-yards in just 1:54, scoring on a four-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Steven Threet.
Neither team scored again in the first half, but both teams had opportunities.
The most costly mistake was a fumble coughed up by ASU early in the second quarter. After driving to the Cardinal 2-yard line, Threet scrambled on second and goal, but was hit short of the goal line by junior corner back Michael Thomas, forcing the ball loose. Freshman defensive back Barry Browning recovered for a Stanford touchback.
Stanford had a chance to take the lead heading into the half, but senior kicker Nate Whitaker missed a 34-yard field goal wide right.
Whitaker did redeem himself and gave Stanford a 10-7 lead on a 44-yard field goal with 6:57 to play in the third quarter.
On the ensuing possession, ASU answered with a six-play drive that resulted in an eight-yard touchdown pass from Threet to senior wide receiver Kerry Taylor.
Senior kicker Thomas Weber missed the extra point, leaving ASU’s lead at 13-10 with 4:43 left in the third quarter.
The Sun Devils’ defense continued to get stops, but the ASU offense continued to go three-and-out.
“Defensively, it was an outstanding effort,” Erickson said. “We were just on the field too long.”
After Marecic’s go-ahead score, ASU got the ball back, but couldn’t score. Stanford took over with 3:58 to play and ran the remaining time off of the clock.
ASU’s offense had five drives that resulted in three-and-outs and the Sun Devils were held to just 268 yards of total offense. Threet finished 16-of-26 passing for 158 yards one touchdown and one interception, his 16th of the season.
“The bottom line is we had opportunities,” Erickson said. “We had a chance to go ahead and get it in the end zone in the second quarter and we end up fumbling on the 1-foot line. It’s kind of how it’s been all the time when we lose these close games.”
Now, the Sun Devils must again respond from a heartbreaking loss. The difference this time around is that they don’t control their bowl hopes anymore.
“It’s disappointing,” Threet said of bowl elimination. “Our goals were much higher than this, and it’s tough, but after the fact, there have been too many close losses. We had opportunities to win games, and we weren’t able to pull them out.”
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
Replay the game with a transcript of the gameday live blog here.
