Arizona State’s running game too little too late in loss to BYU
Sep 18, 2021, 10:56 PM | Updated: 11:34 pm
Rachaad White #3 of the Arizona State Sun Devils up ends Keenan Pili $41of the BYU Cougars as he protects quarterback Jayden Daniels #5 during their game September 18, 2021 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Logan, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
The No. 19 Arizona State Sun Devils fell to the No. 23 BYU Cougars 27-17 in front of 61,570 fans on Saturday night at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.
After trailing 21-7 at halftime, ASU got back into the ballgame by going back to what got the Sun Devils to a 2-0 record: running the football.
In the first half, Arizona State only mustered 24 yards on the ground while junior quarterback Jayden Daniels threw for 176 yards and one touchdown.
But on the Sun Devils’ opening possession of the third quarter, third-string running back Daniyel Ngata had over 50 yards on the ground — including a 10-yard TD run to cap off the drive.
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Ngata served behind starting running Rachaad White due to DeaMonte Trayanum being held out due to injury.
ASU finished the second half with a total of 137 yards on the ground and only 89 through the air, giving the Sun Devils a combined 161 rushing yards and 265 passing yards for 426 yards of offense on the night.
White had 71 yards on 15 carries (4.7 yards per rush) and a score while Ngata had 82 yards on eight attempts (10.3 yards per carry) and a score.
Daniels — who had a career-high 125 rushing yards in last week’s 37-10 win over UNLV — was held to eight yards on 10 attempts.
