Fork Report: Arizona State comes up short in triple OT thriller against Oregon

And the winner of the matchup between the Pac-12’s two most disappointing teams is Oregon.

The 56,534 in attendance, including conference commissioner Larry Scott, at Sun Devil Stadium were treated to an exciting, high-scoring affair that needed triple overtime to produce a winner, 61-55 over Arizona State, the Ducks ninth straight victory over the Sun Devils.

Arrion Springs sealed the win intercepting Mike Bercovici’s pass intended for Tim White near the goal line.

Each team scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of overtime; and then in OT number-three Vernon Adams threw a 20-yard score to Bralon Addison. The two-point conversion failed.

Oregon (5-3, 3-2) forced extra football with a Adams fourth-and-goal nine-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Stanford with 12 seconds left.

ASU (4-4, 2-3) had taken a 41-34 lead—on a Kody Kohl five-yard touchdown catch—but then with a chance to seal the win in regulation, Bercovici was intercepted in the end zone, the Sun Devils one and only turnover of the game. The Ducks marched 60 yards on 13 plays for the game-tying score.

The two teams combined for more than 1,200 yards of total offense with ASU accounting for a season-best 742 on a school-record 108 plays.

Against the conference’s worst defense, Bercovici passed for 398 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for a score. But two costly interceptions is why the Sun Devils have lost back-to-back games for the first time in three seasons.

Demario Richard (135) and Kalen Ballage (127) each ran for over 100 yards with Richard scoring both rushing and receiving.

Oregon was led by Adams’ 315 yards passing and four touchdowns plus Royce Freeman’s 113 yards rushing and two scores.

The Sun Devils are now 7-4 all-time in overtime.

THE GOOD

With his seven-yard first-quarter catch, D.J. Foster tied the all-time Pac-12 record of consecutive games (48) with at least one reception, sharing the honor with Kareem Kelly of USC (1999-2002). It’s also the longest active streak in the country and further extended his school record. Foster has caught one pass in every game of his Sun Devil career. John Jefferson previously held the ASU record at 44 straight games.

Leading the Pac-12 in tackles for a loss, linebacker Salamo Fiso added to his total (14.5) early in the first quarter. On the Ducks’ second posession, Fiso dropped Freeman a yard behind the line of scrimmage on third-and-one from the Oregon 28. Freeman was operating out of the wildcat, taking the direct snap from center.

Finally. After 19 consecutive offensive possessions without a touchdown, the Sun Devils reached the end zone. On first-and-goal at the Oregon 3, Bercovici threw a quick slant pass to Devin Lucien to cap an eight-play, 80-yard drive that took 3:20 off the clock and pulled ASU to within 10-7 at 6:36 of the second quarter.

Hey, a new streak; make it back-to-back possessions with a touchdown. On third-and-10 at the Oregon 39, Bercovici placed the football into the arms of Gary Chambers as he raced down the left sideline and his first score of the season to cap a six-play, 75-yard drive that took 1:27 off the clock and pulled ASU to within 17-14 at 2:33 of the second quarter.

Back after a one-week absence due to injury, Richard looked explosive during a 22-yard touchdown run that gave the Sun Devils their first lead of the game, 24-17 at 9:27 of the third quarter. It was Richard’s 11th score in his past eight games. The touchdown was set up by Kareem Orr’s third interception of the season, a one-handed grab off a deflection.

THE BAD

Limited to zero yards on his first two carries, Freeman exploded for a 64-yard run on his third touch of the night, going straight up the middle untouched for his 12th touchdown of the season. The 64-yard run was the third of three first-quarter plays of 10 or more yards by Oregon.

Ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in red zone offense, the Sun Devils failed on their first trip inside the 20 yard line. On third-and-goal at the Oregon 8, Lucien dropped a sure score, ASU’s third dropped touchdown in the past two games. Worse yet, the first-quarter drive produced zero points as Zane Gonzalez was wide left on a 26-yard field goal, which snapped a streak of seven consecutive makes. Gonzalez later missed from 52 and 54 yards.

Blown coverage or a blown assignment; however it’s described, it’s a blown play that resulted in an Oregon touchdown. Facing fourth-and-one at the ASU 39, Adams found a wide open Darren Carrington down the middle of the field for perhaps his easiest score of the season and a 17-7 lead at 4:00 of the second quarter. It appeared Orr was caught out of position.

Momentum gained, momentum lost. Seconds after Richard’s touchdown catch gave the Sun Devils an 11-point lead, Charles Nelson returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a score and pulled Oregon to within 31-27 at 3:53 of the third quarter. And then two-and-a-half minutes later Kani Benoit ran 62 yards by the ASU defense and into the end zone, allowing Oregon to regain the lead, 34-31 at 1:36 of the third quarter.

Penalites. Uncharacteristic of a Todd Graham-coached team, the Sun Devils were flagged a season-high nine times, including a pair of third-quarter personal fouls (Tashon Smallwood and Jordan Simone) that helped the Ducks sustain a drive that resulted in a field goal. ASU was also called three times for a false start.

STAT OF THE GAME

20-14: Oregon’s scoring advantage in the three overtimes

HE SAID IT

“I thought our guys fought hard. Obviously, really proud of our offense,” Graham said. “Really disappointed in the (nine) penalties…disappointed that we played so poorly defensively.”

NOTED

Eight different Sun Devils receivers caught a first-half pass to make up Bercovici’s 16 completions for 189 yards

Richard and Ballage combined for 124 first-half rushing yards with each averaging 6.9 yards or better per carry

Richard and Ballage became the first set of Sun Devil teammates to top 100 yards rushing in the same game since Foster and Taylor Kelly in the 2013 Holiday Bowl

Scouts from 11 NFL teams—Bears, Bills, Broncos, Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs, Jaguars, Raiders, Steelers, Titans, Vikings—were in attendance

The matchup against Oregon was ASU’s annual Salute to Service game, which pays respect to the men and women who protect and serve our nation

The Sun Devils wore their new PT-42 Primeknit alternate football uniforms, which were designed in collaboration with the Pat Tillman Foundation

UP NEXT

It’s back out on the road for the Sun Devils.

They visit Washington State (5-2) on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with pregame coverage beginning two hours earlier on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

ASU has won three straight—by an average margin of victory of more than 31 points—and 10 of 11 against the Cougars, including its most recent trip to Pullman, 55-21 in 2013.

Overall, the Sun Devils lead the all-time series 26-13-2 with a 10-8 mark away from Tempe.

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