ASU football sent their seniors off in style and kept their Pac-12 South hopes alive with a 31-28 victory against UCLA.
The day, the game and the senior send-off shaped an emotional roller coaster. But at the end of the home finale, Arizona State escaped with a 31-28 victory to secure a bowl berth and keep their Pac-12 championship goals alive.
The game symbolized senior recognition, but it was an underclassman that stole the show. Eno Benjamin‘s 182 yards made him program’s single season rushing leader in the Pac-10/12 era, passing a record previously set by Ryan Torian (1,229) in 2006.
In his final home game, quarterback Manny Wilkins delivered, passing for 199 yards and rushing for 60 more with three touchdowns. His top target, N’Keal Harry, added 100 yards in what may have been his final appearance at Sun Devil Stadium.
With two games remaining in the regular season, let’s take a look at what stood out in the victory.
A Key Loss
After Wilton Speight threw for 135 yards in the first half, the Sun Devil defense needed to make a difference. In UCLA’s second drive of the third quarter, Merlin Robertson shot a gap and rocked Speight before a 32-yard completion to Caleb Wilson.
The hit was deemed illegal.
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Robertson’s targeting call ejected him for the rest of the second half and will keep him out in the first half of next Saturday’s game at Oregon.
The freshman linebacker, who leads ASU with 66 tackles and five sacks, will be a huge loss. Danny Gonzales has called him the most consistent player on his defense, and his talent has played a pivotal role in building the 3-3-5 scheme.
Without him, the Sun Devils will have to find another way to get pressure on Justin Herbert. If they can play tight in the first half, the emotions of Robertson’s return could give them a huge advantage.
A Resilient Group
Last season, Wilkins’ interception throw to Nate Meadors deterred ASU’s momentum in a 44-37 loss to the Bruins at the Rose Bowl. This time, an interception returned by Darnay Holmes lit a fire.
Wilkins responded to the pick by leading a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown toss to Nick Ralston to put the Sun Devils in front before halftime. With momentum in check, the defense closed the half with a three-and-out on a hot Bruin offense.
In spite of Robertson’s loss, ASU’s defense maintained composure. Chase Lucas intercepted a pass from Speight two plays later, and in the ensuing offensive possession, Benjamin carried a drive with 74 of his own yards to put ASU’s lead back at double-digits and deplete UCLA’s energy.
In the fourth quarter, adversity hit again when the offense had a three-and-out that couldn’t put the game away with 1:33 remaining. Speight started UCLA’s final drive with back-to-back completions to midfield, but they wouldn’t inch any closer.
Tyler Johnson‘s sack dropped the Bruins back in the next play, and thanks to the energy from Sun Devil Stadium, UCLA was called for back-to-back false starts before launching a desperation heave as the clock expired.
Even with emotions running wild, the team responded in key moments. It shows how they’ve grown from their four 7-point defeats.
Bowl Eligibility Clinched
In spite of heavy odds, the Sun Devils will be bowl eligible come December.
Originally picked to finish last in the Pac-12 South, ASU remains in the driver’s seat to win the conference. Looking at where things were three weeks ago, it wouldn’t have seemed possible.
But in those past three weeks, something clicked. On offense, Benjamin’s prowess has boosted him among the elite backs in program history. Criticized for missing open throws and making questionable plays, Wilkins responded with perhaps his two best games in a Sun Devil uniform.
On defense, Gonzales and the 3-3-5 scheme have made huge ground. Their progress helped force their fourth turnover in the last two weeks, continuing the program’s biggest turnaround from a season ago.
In two high-emotion games, both sides succeeded in posting ASU’s first three-game winning streak since opening 4-0 in 2016. Even with two games remaining, the Sun Devils can take pride in defeating UCLA and USC in the same season for only the fifth time.
For their championship hopes, it’s huge. For recruiting in California, it’s even bigger. These last two games are sure to tell even more about the program’s future.