Win is better than a push as Sun Devils rally on road
Eno Benjamin scored on a 22-yard touchdown and Arizona State survived a last-second field-goal attempt, rallying from a 19point deficit to beat rival Arizona 41-40 on Saturday at Tucson.
Arizona (5-7, 4-5 Pac-12) led 40-21 heading in the fourth quarter after Khalil Tate threw his third touchdown pass of the game, an eight-yarder to Tony Ellison.
Arizona State (7-5, 5-4) started its rally with Manny Wilkins’ 11-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion. Aashari Crosswell’s interception return to Arizona’s 22-yard line set up Brandon Ruiz’s 39-yard field goal, then the Sun Devils recovered J.J. Taylor’s fumble at Arizona’s 22-yard line.
Benjamin burst up the middle, cut outside and finished off his third touchdown of the game to put the Sun Devils up 41-40 with 3:08 left.
The Wildcats got the ball back and marched down the field, but Josh Pollack, who made four field goals, pushed a 45-yard attempt wide right with 11 seconds left.
Wilkins threw for 265 yards and a touchdown for the Sun Devils, who denied Arizona’s bid to become bowl eligible in coach Kevin Sumlin’s first season.
Tate threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns, and Taylor had 144 yards in 28 carries.
Arizona State clinched bowl eligibility with last week’s win over Oregon.
at California 33, Colorado 21: Elijah Hicks and Ashtyn Davis scored on interception returns in the first quarter to lead a defense that forced a seasonhigh five turnovers, handing the Buffaloes their seventh loss in a row.
Chase Garbers passed for 116 yards and two touchdowns while absorbing several big hits as the Golden Bears (7-4, 4-4) clinched their first winning season sinced 2015 despite nearly blowing a 17-point lead.
The Bears were already assured of a bowl bid and can improve their prospects next week against Stanford in a game that was delayed due to unhealthy air conditions from the wildfires in Northern California. at No. 17 Utah 35, Brigham Young 27: The Utes scored all of their points in the second half and 21 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Cougars.