Arizona State defeated Iowa State 24-19 in a game that was marked by flashy quarterback performances, defensive interceptions, and a dramatic ending on 1of Nov. The Sun Devils placed a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of their quarterback, Jeff Sims. He made a historic record in rushing, which turned out to be the difference on a night where both teams had the chances to take the lead.
First Half: momentum swings and turnovers
The game began with both teams exchanging early field goals, but Iowa State took advantage of penalties to punch in the first touchdown. Arizona State responded, but misfortune struck when Jeff Sims fumbled, setting up another scoring possession for the Cyclones. But an erroneously held snap on the extra point made the margin a narrow one.
On the offensive side, ASU, nonetheless, recovered its pace towards the end of the second quarter. Behind a decisive scoring drive and more controlled possessions, the Sun Devils entered halftime with a 17–16 lead in a tense, back-and-forth contest.
Second Half: Sims Takes Over
The turning point was the third quarter, when Jeff Sims escaped with an 88-yard TD run. The run that shifted the momentum to the side of ASU. Not only did that, but later on, that run was the cherry on the cake of his record-breaking night.
It was an extremely surprising performance with Sims completing the game with a record of 228 rushing yards on 29 carries and a new single-game rush record by an Arizona State quarterback. His capacity to avoid the pressure and convert failed plays into huge fortunes continued to put Iowa State's defense out of balance despite the Cyclones making three turnovers in the course of the game.
Fourth Quarter: late drama falls short
The fourth quarter was intense since Iowa State made one last push. The Cyclone pushed within the ASU territory up to the 20-yard position, and the game was in the air. However, the Arizona State defense stood firm in fourth-and-6 with the last 16 seconds, and the ball was turned over on downs, assuring victory.
This was also a blow to Iowa State as the tight end Benjamin Brahmer left the field in the fourth quarter. Citing an undisclosed injury, leaving the Cyclones with little to no passing choices during their last two possessions.