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Instant Recap: ASU football falls 28-21 in seesaw game against Colorado

The Sun Devils are still winless on the road this season

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ASU redshirt senior Manny Wilkins (5) scrambles to the sideline in the Sun Devils' 16-13 victory over the Michigan State Spartans in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.


In a pivotal game regarding the Pac-12 south standings, the ASU football team dropped its matchup with the Colorado Buffaloes 28-21 on Saturday.

First Half:

Following a defensive stop near midfield on the first drive of the game, ASU's offense got the ball from its own 14-yard line. The group proceeded to storm down the field on a 13-play drive that was capped off with a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Eno Benjamin.

Colorado's offense wouldn't stay down for long though, as the Buffs proceeded to answer right back with a one-yard touchdown run of their own from sophomore wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. The touchdown was set up after a 39-yard completion from CU on a free play following an ASU offsides penalty.

Then after a couple of missed field goals by both teams that left points off the board, ASU was able to sustain a drive thanks to more help from Benjamin, who picked up his second rushing touchdown on a 13-play drive that featured 10 running plays. 

However, once again following an ASU touchdown, Colorado would respond. Buffs junior quarterback Steven Montez took his team down the field, and he would find Shenault for another touchdown on a three-yard grab inside the five-yard line. That tied the game at 14 as both teams went to the locker room.

Second Half:

Starting with the ball in the second half, ASU redshirt senior quarterback Manny Wilkins led the offense to begin the third quarter, and Wilkins connected with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frank Darby for a 40-yard touchdown to begin the half. 

But as the old saying goes, "Anything you can do, I can do better." Colorado responded again with a 30-yard touchdown catch from Montez to Shenault, and the seesaw game continued.

After a couple of drives that faltered on third and short for ASU, Colorado was able to take its first lead of the game after a 51-yard pass down the sideline from Montez to sophomore wide receiver K.D. Nixon.  That set up yet another Shenault rushing touchdown to make the score 28-21. 

Although the momentum turned, the ASU defense then bent, but didn't break. The defensive unit allowed Colorado to get near midfield in the fourth quarter before forcing a stop with the help of a holding call that sent back an apparent Montez first down. 

ASU's next offensive drive was a three and out, however, the most discouraging aspect of the drive for ASU wasn't the drive itself, but the result of a Wilkins sack on third down in which he was pummeled, and was in obvious pain. The training staff came out to attend to him, but he would walk off under his own power. 

Colorado would go on to ice the game out over the last five minutes, resulting in a 28-21 final.

Note: The State Press will have updates on injuries in the full game recap.


Reach the reporter at atbell1@asu.edu or follow @AndrewBell7 on Twitter.

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