Arizona State Upsets #6 Oregon 31-28!

It was a packed house at Sun Devil Stadium for the prime time matchup between the Arizona State SunDevils and the 6th ranked Oregon Ducks. ASU needs a win to get into a bowl game, and the Ducks need to win to keep their playoff chances alive.

After both teams were forced to punt on their first possessions, Oregon then drove 80 yards down the field for the touchdown. Cyrus Habibi-Likio would run in the score from about five yards out. The score with 6:32 remaining in the opening quarter was now 7-0, Ducks.

Arizona State answered with a 57-yard pass from Jayden Daniels to Frank Darby to tie up the score at 7-7.

The Sun Devil defense struggled to contain the Ducks running attack in the following drive as they marched down the field. With an opportunity to stop the Ducks on a 4th and short, the Devils defense came up huge with Kobe Williams (5) getting into the backfield and stopping the Ducks for no gain and a turnover on downs.

ASU would punt but do a great job changing the fields after a fair catch by Oregon at their own 20 yard line.

The Ducks would go back to their run attack early and often but a 9-yard loss on a reverse ended up putting them in 3rd and 19. The Sun Devils defense again stepped up and stopped the Ducks screen play and forced them to punt with just over 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter.

ASU would go on a 6:54 drive, 11 plays, and end in a go-ahead 21 yard Field Goal to give the Devils a 10-7 lead over the Ducks with 3:40 remaining in the first half.

The Ducks would return the kickoff to the 20 yard line. But they would go 3 and out with a punt to the ASU 24, returned to the 35 by Aiyuk. 2:22 remaining in the half, ASU still leads 10-7.

At the half, Arizona State had the lead over the Oregon Ducks, 10-7.

The Sun Devils would receive the kickoff to start the 2nd half of the game. BIG PLAY on the drive was a 56-yard pass from Daniels to Williams. Add on a face mask and the Devils had a first down just inside the 10 yard line of Oregon. But the Ducks defense would step up again and hold ASU to another field goal, this time it was a 27 yard kick form Zendejas. ASU’s lead was now 13-7 with 12:13 remaining in the third quarter.

After being pinned against their own end zone by a Ducks punt, the Sun Devils did a good job changing fields and after a punt, pinned the Ducks at their own 5 yard line. Just under 6:00 remaining in the third quarter, ASU still lead over the Ducks, 13-7.

The Ducks went back to relying on their run game to get the Ducks up to their own 35 yard line, but a big sack on third down forced the Ducks to a punt. A great return by the Devils gave them a first down on the Ducks 45 yard line. Oregon’s defense would step up and force the Devils to punt, which went into the end zone for the touchback.

The very first play of the 4th Quarter resulted in an interception by ASU’s Jack Jones, giving ASU the ball on the Oregon 32. Daniels would find Darby for the TOUCHDOWN on a yard pass to the right corner of the end zone. This gave ASU a 21-7 lead over the Ducks with 12:43 remaining in the game, which included a 2-pt conversion pass from Daniels to Benjamin.

On the following drive for the Ducks, Herbert was intercepted again, this time by Kearse-Thomas. ASU got the ball on the Ducks 20 yard line with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game. At this point, the Ducks were officially on UPSET ALERT!

Arizona State added on a field goal with 8:42 remaining in the game to extend their lead to 24-7 in the 4th Quarter. After a touchback, Oregon received the ball on their own 25 with their playoff hopes dwindling.

But, one personal foul penalty on ASU, a 39 yard pass, and a run up the middle into the end zone by cut into the Devils lead, making it 24-14 Devils with 7:43 remaining in the game.

The ensuing kickoff went through the end zone and gave ASU the ball on their own 25 yard line. They would punt and then watch the Oregon offense march down the field again on only three plays, 66 yards, which ended in a Herbert to Johnson strike. ASU’s lead was now dwindled down to only 24-21 with just under 5:30 remaining in the game.

It seemed the Ducks had all the momentum, especially after a second down sack which forced Arizona State into a 3rd and long. But then Daniels hit Aiyuk for an 81-yard touchdown pass out of nowhere! The score extended the ASU lead to 31-21 with just under four minutes remaining.

A penalty on the Devils gave the Ducks great field position after the kickoff. Oregon would start their drive on their own 40-yard line. They would drive 60+ yards and score again in just under two minutes to make the score 31-28.

Arizona State recovered the onside kick and then promptly ran out the clock for the win after a big first down! The Arizona State University Sun Devils upset the sixth ranked team in college football! The final score is Arizona State 31, Oregon 28.