Trailing 17-0 late in the first quarter, it appeared as if the ASU football team was in for another post-bye week drubbing.
To add to the irony, just like the California game, ASU junior starting quarterback Steven Threet was out after suffering another concussion.
This time, however, sophomore quarterback Brock Osweiler was there to save the Sun Devils.
The sophomore had a banner day off the bench, tossing four touchdowns and running for another to lead the Sun Devils to a 55-34 victory over UCLA, giving the senior class a victory in their final game at Sun Devil Stadium.
“To fall behind 17-0 like we did and to fight back like that and win the game convincingly was huge for us,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “I’m happy for our seniors [in] their last [home] game. It is good to finish the season at home with a win like that.”
Osweiler was nothing short of sensational in relief of Threet, who left the game after getting sacked midway through the first quarter.
Providing a spark to an offense that was forced to punt on each of its first two possessions, Osweiler quickly righted the ship and got momentum back on the ASU sideline.
“My role for the majority of the season was to just work as hard as I could at practice and continue to get better,” Osweiler said. “It is pretty cool to go out and have a performance like that because you finally see all that hard work pay off. It is true; if you work hard, great things will happen.”
Early on, it appeared that it would be the Bruins that would win easily.
But that wouldn’t be the case.
“I got the offense together on the sideline and told them 'we are not losing this football game,'” Osweiler said. “We do what we do and we were going to go out there and win it and we did.”
It took Osweiler just four plays to get the ASU offense in rhythm, leading them down the field and connecting with redshirt junior wide receiver Aaron Pflugrad in the corner of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown.
The ASU offense was in sync and scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter.
The Sun Devils took a 21-20 lead into the half and on the first play of the third quarter, Osweiler hit redshirt junior wide receiver T.J. Simpson for a 78-yard completion down to the UCLA 12-yard line. That set up a 21-yard field goal from redshirt senior Thomas Weber that increased ASU’s lead to 24-20.
On their following possession, the Bruins drove down the field and were aided by a couple of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties called on the Sun Devils.
Following a one-yard run by UCLA sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut, ASU sophomore linebacker Vontaze Burfict was taken down out of bounds after the play by a UCLA offensive lineman. Angered by the lack of a flag, both Burfict and freshman defensive end Junior Onyeali were called for unsportsmanlike conduct.
With the ball on the 6-yard line, it appeared that UCLA was about to take both the momentum and the lead.
Little did they know, the ASU defense was fired up after the penalties.
Junior cornerback Omar Bolden stuffed junior wide receiver Nelson Rosario inches short of the goal line on third down and goal and sophomore defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and redshirt senior linebacker Gerald Munns did the same to redshirt sophomore running back Johnathan Franklin on fourth down.
“Everybody got hyped up,” junior linebacker Brandon Magee said of the penalties. “I was ready to go. I was going to hit anyone with the ball.”
Three plays later, sophomore running back Cameron Marshall burst through the hole for a 71-yard touchdown to extend ASU’s lead to 31-20.
“I feel like that was the turning point in the game,” Osweiler said of the quick swing in momentum. “That was when the entire sideline could look into everyone [else's] eyes and see we weren’t going to lose the game. No matter what, we were going to win it.”
Marshall knew it was only a matter of time before he busted out with a big run.
“The first half we were getting a lot of short yard gains,” Marshall said. “The line told me at halftime to keep being patient and it is going to open up. I trusted my guys.”
The Bruins didn’t go away, answering with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Brehaut to Rosario.
The ultimate answer came on the ensuing kickoff. Sophomore Jamal Miles became the third different Sun Devil to return a kickoff for a score this season, going 99-yards to put ASU up 38-27.
Another Osweiler touchdown pass, a Weber field goal and a touchdown run by Osweiler and the rout was on from there.
The sophomore quarterback finished 27-of-36 for 380 yards and four touchdowns, while running for another 35 yards and a score.
“That’s why we practiced him so much; I had a vision,” Erickson joked. “No, I was really happy with how he played. He came in and made some great throws. He made good decisions and we didn’t turn the football over.”
Marshall had 147 yards on the ground and added his eighth rushing touchdown of the season, the most by a Sun Devil since 2001.
The win keeps ASU’s slim bowl hopes alive. The Sun Devils must get a win in Tucson on Thursday and then hope for an NCAA waiver.
Bowl or no bowl, a win over UA is greatly desired.
“We have no control over that; all we can do is win a sixth game,” Erickson said. “The bottom line is the most important thing is what is coming up on Thursday night against the University of Arizona.”
After initially expressing uncertainty, Erickson told The Arizona Republic on Saturday that Osweiler would start against UA.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
