ASU Sun Devils pad division lead, upend Utes in overtime: By the Numbers
Nov 2, 2014, 6:55 AM | Updated: 7:04 am
It was the last FBS game in the nation to end Saturday, but for the 53,754 fans who occupied Sun Devil Stadium, it was well worth the wait.
It required a few extra minutes of football, but the No. 14 Sun Devils (7-1, 5-1) padded their Pac-12 South lead with a 19-16 overtime win over the No. 17 Utah Utes (6-2, 3-2).
After Utah kicker Andy Phillips missed two field-goal attempts in the first and only overtime — the first attempt was nullified by a Utah timeout — sophomore kicker Zane Gonzalez was true from 36 yards out to lift the Sun Devils to their fourth straight victory.
Utah rallied from a 13-6 halftime deficit to take a 16-13 lead going into the fourth quarter. But the Sun Devils mustered enough offense to drive for a game-tying field goal and set up the extra session.
Here’s how ASU improved its chances to win a second-straight Pac-12 South title, by the numbers:
2
The Sun Devils overcame a minus-2 turnover margin Saturday, as Utah forced two ASU giveaways while the Utes played a turnover-free game.
4
ASU needed all four of Gonzalez’s field goals Saturday. The sophomore connected from 20, 45, 30 and 36 yards, out-dueling Phillips, his Utah counterpart.
55
For the second straight game since his return from an injury, ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly had a mixed night, but he looked more like himself in the run game, picking up 55 yards on 14 carries. The senior completed 18-of-32 passes for 205 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
57
Utah tailback Devontae Booker got his numbers on the ground (146 yards on 37 carries), but ASU cut off the Utes’ air supply, limiting quarterback Travis Wilson to just 12 completions and 57 passing yards.
77
ASU star wideout Jaelen Strong did his Jaelen Strong thing, hauling in five receptions for a game-high 77 yards and a first-half touchdown.
203
ASU had to grind out a win despite outgaining the Utes by a near 2-to-1 margin. The Devils racked up 444 yards of total offense to Utah’s 241, a difference of 203 yards.
233
ASU’s running game had been stagnant for several weeks until Saturday. Led by freshman Demario Richard’s 116 rushing yards, the Devils piled up 239 yards on the ground.
2011
You have to go back to Sept. 9, 2011 for the last time ASU had played an overtime period. In that game, the Sun Devils were equally as successful, beating Missouri 37-30 at home.
