Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo throws clutch touchdown pass in win over UCLA

In the final Pac-12 matchup between Arizona State and UCLA football at the Rose Bowl, ASU running back Cam Skattebo threw a key 25-yard touchdown pass in the second half of a 17-7 victory on Saturday.

Skattebo later scored a 17-yard touchdown rush late in the fourth quarter to secure ASU’s third victory of the season (3-7).

ASU led 3-0 in the third quarter when its 225-pound running back took a direct snap, faked the handoff and rolled to his right. Before the pass rush closed in, he launched the ball between the seams right into wide receiver Elijhah Badger’s bread basket on a crosser. It capped a 99-yard, seven-minute drive to give ASU a 10-0 lead (after the extra point).

Skattebo was the third Sun Devil to throw a pass after quarterback Trenton Bourguet and tight end Jalin Conyers, who tossed a screen pass from the shotgun in the second quarter. Bourguet was limping through much of the game after exiting last week’s 55-3 loss to Utah with a leg injury.

What a toss by @camskattebo5 🏈#ForksUp /// #ActivateTheValley

📺: @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/K2x7y1YbyP

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 12, 2023

Head coach Kenny Dillingham tried whatever he could to get the upper hand over UCLA with a depleted roster. He was without 14 players, including five offensive linemen. ASU used swinging gate formations, ran quarterback draws with its tight end and attempted to waste clock with delay of game penalties on fourth-and-long early in the fourth quarter.

Arizona State, leading 10-7 with 9:47 remaining, burned 6:35 on a drive propelled by Skattebo wildcats, two crushing UCLA penalties and a fourth-down completion from Bourguet to Badger in field-goal range, an aggressive call from Dillingham. Conyers threw a deep ball on a third-and-1 to draw a pass interference, and Skattebo bounced off defenders for the game-icing touchdown.

Skattebo had 61 yards rushing on 12 carries, and Badger had 11 receptions for 109 yards.

On the other side, the Sun Devil defense held UCLA scoreless through three quarters and came up with a clutch fourth-down stop after Skattebo’s rushing touchdown.

ASU turned UCLA over on downs four times, twice inside the Sun Devils’ 10-yard line. The Sun Devils racked up three sacks and six pass defenses.

ANOTHER 4th DOWN STOP 🛑#ForksUp /// #ActivateTheValley

📺: @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/A1R295XDUE

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 12, 2023

Saturday was a gutty team effort from ASU to avoid going winless on the road in Dillingham’s first campaign in charge.

The Bruins lost at home for the first time this season. UCLA fell to Arizona last week, 27-10, in Tucson.

Arizona State returns to Tempe to face Oregon on Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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