USC redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler stretches to score a touchdown in a game against ASU on Oct. 4, 2014. ASU won against USC 38-34. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)If redshirt junior Jaelen Strong wasn't at the end line, just before the near hash mark, ASU football would have lost 34-32 to USC. If redshirt junior Mike Bercovici doesn't heave the ball to a perfect spot for Strong, ASU football would have lost 34-32 to USC. If the USC defenders don't try to catch the ball and instead try to tip it like they should have, ASU football would have lost 34-32 to USC.
Among a handful of other scenarios, there was only one way the Sun Devils were going to beat the Trojans on Saturday night once the game clock ticked down to 0:07. And it happened.
If it didn't, everything would be different. USC would be in the driver's seat for the Pac-12 South. ASU's season would be in jeopardy. SportsCenter wouldn't be giving ASU extensive coverage (and referring to the University as Arizona State!). I'd be writing about mistakes made, rather than a miraculous catch. Fans would be bemoaning coach Todd Graham for burning through his timeouts again.
But that's not the case. Strong did catch the 46-yard bomb from Bercovici, and the Sun Devils are 4-1, with redshirt senior Taylor Kelly due back after the bye week to face Stanford.
That's the last time the "Jael-Mary" will be mentioned here, though. Let's take a look at the other 59 minutes of the game.
Positive
Jordan Simone and the secondary: The redshirt junior transfer-walk-on-now-on-scholarship had his best game as a Sun Devil, and that's high praise for how well he's played this season. Simone collected 20 tackles, the first time an ASU player has done so since 1988. The rest of the secondary also had its best game this season. USC redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler threw for 273 yards, but that came on 45 attempts. He had only four completions for more than 20 yards all game.
Negative
Defensive communication: Almost all of Graham's timeouts were devoted to fixing his defensive alignment when the wrong number of players were on the field. The first play I saw after going to the field for the final minutes of the game, Graham called redshirt sophomore Edmond Boateng over to the sideline, only to have him go back on the field, then run off again. As someone tweeted during the game, at some point, the blame turns from the inexperience of the defense to the coaching staff.
Positive
The passing game: Entering Saturday's contest, the Trojans hadn't allowed a passing touchdown in four games this season. Jaelen Strong quickly changed that, and he finished with three, himself. Junior D.J. Foster and sophomore Cam Smith added one each. Five total, all from Mike Bercovici. The redshirt junior backup quarterback also added 510 yards to follow up on his 488-yard debut performance. Better yet, Bercovici went from three turnovers against UCLA to none against USC.
Negative
The running game: For the second straight game, the Sun Devils' running game was almost nonexistent. Although ASU ran for 138 yards last week, it came on 36 attempts, for a measly 3.8 yards per attempt. This week, ASU ran for just 31 yards. If you thought an average of 3.8 yards per carry was bad, try just 1.4. After establishing himself in the discussion of the best running back in the nation, D.J. Foster has disappeared the last two weeks. Against the best two defensive lines he's faced this season, Foster has a combined 43 yards. Foster hadn't been held to 43 yards on the ground in one game, let alone two, since before Marion Grice's injury last season, when he was used primarily as a receiver.
Positive
Pass blocking: We'll end this on a positive note, just like the game. I'll also throw Mike Bercovici a bone here. He couldn't stop thanking the offensive line after the game; he said he's giving his game ball to redshirt senior Tyler Sulka, whose protection on the final play was the key to it working. It seemed as though Bercovici faced pressure fairly consistently, though he was only sacked twice. Overall, this was one of the line's better games, and it came against an incredibly talented front-seven of USC.
Honorable mentions
Positives: DJ Calhoun, Jaelen Strong, the view from the Coliseum press box, ASU fans in LA, free parking courtesy of local SoCal Honda dealership.
Negatives: Defensive line, #ToddGrahamTimeoutWatch, the dysfunctional pregame setup at the Coliseum.
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
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