Arizona State cracks top 25 after big win over Michigan State
Sep 9, 2018, 11:37 AM | Updated: 3:03 pm
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Don’t look now.
Head coach Herm Edwards and the Arizona State Sun Devils (2-0) are nationally ranked.
After knocking out then-No. 15 Michigan State, ASU finds itself at No. 23 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
It’s the first time since 2015 that the Sun Devils are nationally ranked.
The Sun Devils, who were unranked to start the 2018 college football season, proved doubters wrong Saturday night, beating the Spartans 16-13 with a game-winning field goal from kicker Brandon Ruiz.
Although it was low scoring, ASU’s offense stepped up when it counted.
Quarterback Manny Wilkins finished with 380 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception. Wide receivers Kyle Williams and N’Keal Harry combined for 193 yards and a touchdown.
The team’s defense also shined as they limited the Spartans’ offense to just three points in the first 20 minutes. ASU defensive back Dasmond Tautalatasi put an exclamation mark on the unit’s performance when he intercepted a pass in the end zone.
“Defenses [from] both sides played really well, but our defense — man, I’m really proud of them and how they played,” Wilkins said after the win. “It was a hell of an effort on their part and without them we would not win this game.”
The Sun Devils gained national attention in the Amway Coaches Poll as well, coming in at No. 25.
But what about the team ASU beat?
MSU saw the biggest drop off in the coaches poll, falling 11 spots to No. 24. They fell 10 spots to No. 25 in the AP Poll.
Looking at the rest of the Pac-12, Stanford (9), Washington (10), Oregon (20) and USC (22) also made the list of 25 in the AP Poll.
The biggest jump came from Oklahoma State, moving up four spots from No. 23 to 19th in the coaches poll, while Alabama remained at the top of both rankings for the second consecutive week.