Fork Report: Manny Wilkins’ four touchdowns lead ASU to comeback win over Cal
Sep 24, 2016, 11:33 PM | Updated: Sep 25, 2016, 7:19 pm
(AP Photo/Matt York)
It was not the expected storyline.
With two of the more prolific offenses in the Pac-12 — not to mention the country — taking the field at Sun Devil Stadium, who would’ve believed it would be defense that would be talked about when the game ended.
Specifically, the Arizona State defense.
Two fourth-quarter interceptions, including a pick-six by Laiu Moeakiola, helped seal ASU’s 51-41 win over the California Golden Bears in the conference opener for both teams.
The victory improved the Sun Devils to 4-0, their first 4-0 start since 2007, which also just happens to be the last time ASU beat Cal in Tempe.
Trailing by 14 at halftime, the Sun Devils outscored the Golden Bears 41-17 in the second half, including 31-14 in the fourth quarter.
Manny Wilkins accounted for four touchdowns. Three times he rushed for scores and finished with a team-high 72 yards on the ground. He also threw for a score, completing 21-of-30 passes for 290 yards.
His counterpart, Davis Webb went 32-of-56 for 478 yards, threw five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also fumbled.
ASU had lost four of the past five meetings with Cal prior to Saturday night.
THE GOOD
No place-kicker in Sun Devils history has made more field goals than Zane Gonzalez. His first-quarter 35-yard make was the 82nd of his career, breaking a tie with Luis Zendajas for the school record. Gonzalez, who is the Pac-12’s all-time career scoring leader, needs two field goals to move ahead of UCLA’s Kai Forbath’s conference record of 85 set from 2007-10.
Using his legs rather than his arm, Wilkins scored the Sun Devils’ first touchdown with an eight-yard run late in the second quarter. It was a six-play, 75-yard drive in 1:55 to pull ASU to within seven, 17-10, at the 1:24 mark. On the drive, Wilkins rushed three times for 29 yards. He had 52 of the team’s 76 first-half rushing yards against the nation’s third-worst defense.
Through the first three games, Jalen Harvey caught only four passes. He caught two on the Sun Devils’ first possession of the third quarter. His first grab, good for 20 yards, converted a third-and-four. Later, he had a 22-yard reception, helping set up Wilkins’ second rushing touchdown of the game. Wilkins’ one-yard run pulled ASU to within seven, 24-17, at the 11:19 mark.
THE BAD
Not only did the Sun Devils find themselves outscored in the first quarter, 7-3, they were also outgained, 142-77. Most of those Cal yards came off the right arm of Webb, who went 8-of-14 for 108 yards and a touchdown. He threw a 19-yard score to Demetrius Robertson to cap a nine-play, 98-yard drive in 2:37. Twice on the drive Cal converted on third down, including a 23-yard reception by Chad Hansen on 3rd-and-9.
Penalized only twice in the first half, the Sun Devils saw both of their penalties factor in Cal’s second scoring drive in the second quarter. D.J. Calhoun was flagged for grabbing the facemask of a ball carrier, while Edmond Boateng jumped into the neutral zone; the latter of which nullified Kareem Orr’s endzone interception. Cal still managed to score, kicking a 20-yard field goal to take a 17-3 lead at the 3:19 mark.
Through three quarters, Wilkins had been sacked four times, matching the total number of times he’d been dropped in the season’s first three games combined. Even worse, Cal entered the game with only five sacks. Wilkins was sacked twice in the first quarter and once in each of the second and third quarters; the latter by sophomore defensive end Cameron Saffle for a six-yard loss on second down to the ASU 47.
STAT OF THE GAME
3: The Sun Devils forced three turnovers, one more than they had forced in each of their first three games combined. Each of the three takeaways happened in the fourth quarter and directly led to 10 points, the difference in the game
HE SAID IT
“What a game. That was a heck of a football game,” head coach Todd Graham said. “Really proud of our guys. Just proud of the heart that they showed and figured out a way to get it done. This team has a lot of heart.”
NOTED
Wilkins joined Danny White (10-0) and Todd Hons (8-0) as the only ASU quarterbacks since 1970 to win their first four starts.
Senior linebacker Salamo Fiso, a four-year starter, made his season debut. He missed the first three games due to suspension.
Junior linebacker Christian Sam missed his third straight game after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener versus NAU.
Junior long-snapper Mitchell Fraboni played for the first time this season. He had missed the first three games because of injury.
ASU’s four gameday captains were once again Wilkins, Gonzalez and Tashon Smallwood ,but there was a first-time honoree, D.J. Calhoun.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott attended the game as well as scouts from three NFL teams, including the Arizona Cardinals.
UP NEXT
It’s back on the road for the Sun Devils.
ASU heads to L.A. for a showdown against USC on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kickoff is unknown, but once it’s announced pregame coverage will begin two hours earlier on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
Of course, everyone remembers the Sun Devils last visit to Los Angeles Memorial Stadium, when Mike Bercovici hit Jaelen Strong for a 46-yard game-winning touchdown on the final play. It’s forever known as the “Jael Mary”, and it snapped ASU’s seven-game road losing streak at USC.
Overall, the Sun Devils have won three of the last five meetings, but they dropped the matchup last year, 42-14, at Sun Devil Stadium.
USC leads the all-time series 20-12, dating back to 1978.