Saturday marked a career-high night for Baylor junior quarterback DJ Lagway, a night the Sun Devils wish they could forget.
Behind Lagway's four-passing-touchdown day, a career high, Baylor ran through ASU, winning 55-19 Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium.
"DJ threw some really nice footballs on third downs to convert," head coach Kenny Dillingham said. "They made some plays in one-on-one situations."
ASU had a slow start it couldn't overcome as the Sun Devils struggled to get anything going for most of the first half. They didn't do themselves any favors, as senior wide receiver Reed Harris dropped a first-down ball that would've had ASU in the red zone, a drive that ended in a field goal.
On the following drive, senior wide receiver Omarion Miller fumbled, and Baylor capitalized, scoring the second of what would be three consecutive touchdowns in the first half.
"(Omarion) was targeted more down the field," Dillingham said. "The game got out of hand, but he was going to be targeted."
Miller would redeem himself late in the second, reeling in a 30-yard grab for the Sun Devils' first touchdown of the game. He finished the night with five receptions, 85 yards and a touchdown.
Looking to carry that momentum into the second half while down by 11, the Sun Devils' hopes were dashed as the Bears found the end zone in all three of their drives in the third quarter, including a back-breaking 75-yard touchdown run from sophomore running back Caden Knighten on the first play from scrimmage in the quarter.
"I can't just point out one thing," ASU junior linebacker Owen Long said. "We had a great preparation, came in feeling really good about our game plan. They're a good team; they make good plays. We also got in our own way a lot. It's kind of the ups and downs of a season."
In a play that encapsulated the Sun Devils' struggles on the night, junior quarterback Cutter Boley was immediately under pressure from the stout Bears defense. Rather than take the sack, Boley would scramble out before looping a ball up directly into the hands of senior defensive end Ryan Davis.
Boley finished the night with a 58% completion rate, 304 yards and a touchdown through the air.
"There's a lot of areas where we got to get better," Boley said. "We got to find our identity and what we want to lean on, what's our bread and butter."
The running game couldn't get going for the Sun Devils as Dillingham continues to find a number one back. Five different players got carries, with senior Kyson Brown leading the group with seven carries and just 34 yards. ASU finished with 99 yards on the ground in 30 combined carries.
Harris continued his strong start to the season, reeling in seven grabs for 125 yards.
Another bright spot in an otherwise dim night for the Devils was sixth-year kicker Carson Smith, who went 4-for-4 on field goals with a long of 46 yards. The first-year Sun Devil is 7-for-7 to start the season.
"I don't feel like we're overachieving," Dillingham said on figuring out how to get his team to reach their standard. "I felt like we've honestly overachieved in most of my time here, and I do not feel that right now. I got to figure out why. Why are we not overachieving?"
After a peculiar start to the season for ASU, traveling to College Station and then directly going to London from Texas before their bye last week, the Sun Devils will look to clean the slate quickly. They begin with Hawaii at home next weekend to kick off an eight-game stretch to end the season.
Edited by Alex Swift and Carsten Oyer.
Reach the reporter at eapache3@asu.edu.
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Eric Pacheco is a junior studying sports journalism. This is his second semester with The State Press. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Riverside City College student newspaper Viewpoints.
