TEMPE, AZ – Redshirt sophomore Javan Robinson picked off BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff in the final two minutes of the game to seal #21 Arizona State’s upset victory over the #14 Cougars.
“We won the football game,” said head coach Kenny Dillingham. “We beat another ranked team in Mountain America Stadium. This is all about the guys, these guys battled, these guys fought, these guys found a way to win and it doesn’t matter whatever happened at the end, it happened.”
Cam Skattebo had another big game rushing for 148 yards on 28 carries and scoring three touchdowns. The senior back notched his fifth 100-plus-yard game of the season.
“The boys, they fought every day,” said Skattebo. “We go back to the summer workouts and everybody fights every single day. We didn’t blink out there when they started scoring points and we weren’t. We came back, scored a touchdown, got a comfortable lead and then they scored again. So we just keep fighting. These guys have a lot of heart. The culture’s changed and everybody loves each other. We’ve turned this thing around, but it’s not finished yet because there’s still work to do in the process.”
BYU chipped away at the Sun Devils 28-9 lead with a second touchdown late in the third quarter. The Cougars’ defense rode the momentum into the top of the fourth quarter forcing ASU to punt on the opening drive.
The Cougars kept it churning with a 13-yard run from LJ Martin and a trio of completions from Retzlaff that landed the Cougs deep in Sun Devil territory. BYU moved inside the red zone thanks to a pass interference call on Arizona State DB Keith Abney. Keelan Marion found a soft spot in the zone for an 11-yard catch and stretch to the 1. The speedy Atlanta native and Grayson High School product capped the drive taking the handoff from Retzlaff to the corner for a 1-yard touchdown.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake went for the two-point conversion in an attempt to cut the lead to a field goal. Retzlaff’s pass attempt to Keanu Hill fell 3 yards short of the tight end’s outstretched hands.
Arizona State ate up over six minutes of the clock with their next possession turning the ball over on downs at the Cougars 11 yard line with 2:34 to play.
Retzlaff used his legs and arm to move the ball out to the Sun Devils’ 37 before the two-minute warning horn. The redshirt junior connected with wide receiver Chase Roberts twice for a gain of 14 yards.
Myles “Ghost” Rowser nearly ended the Cougars’ drive on the ensuing play. Wide receiver Darius Lassiter slipped coming out of his break and Retzlaff’s pass sailed high through the hands of Rowser.
BYU was gifted another 10 when Sharmari Simmons was flagged for defensive holding on his third attempt to Roberts.
Rowser’s missed interception only prolonged the inevitable. Three plays later, Retzlaff’s pass to Marion missed its mark landing in the stomach of the opposition’s number 12 – Robinson. The redshirt sophomore sprinted down the sideline before being tackled by Retzlaff at the 7-yard line.
Arizona State milked the clock before turning the ball over to BYU with 1 second remaining.
GAME PHOTOS
All photos by Kevin C. Cox, Maximum Exposure for CORE360 Sports