ASU Football: Sun Devils lead Stanford 14-0 after one half of play

It took awhile to get going, but some luck on special teams and another long drive helped the Sun Devils to a 14-0 lead over Stanford at halftime.

Mike Bercovici came trotting out onto the field and led Arizona State across midfield with a 20-yard run by Deantre Lewis and a 13-yard completion across the middle to D.J. Foster down to the Stanford 37-yard line, but couldn't advance the ball any further. The maroon and gold forced a Stanford 3 and out on the next drive and got the ball at their own 46-yard line.

The Sun Devils looked dead in the water on their next drive after a false start by center Nick Kelly, but then got the ball moving, converting a fourth and one in Stanford territory. After being stopped on the next set of downs, Zane Gonzalez came out for a field goal try and missed from 48 yards out.

Stanford was stopped again by Arizona State on the next drive and quickly forced the Cardinal to punt again, taking over at their own 32-yard line with 3:23 left to play in the first quarter. The Sun Devils punted it right back after their first three and out of the night. Stanford finally moved over midfield on their next drive before the first quarter came to an end with no score.

Penalties hurt the Cardinal on the rest of the drive and they couldn't advance the ball any further and were forced to punt again for the third time. Arizona State started their next series on their own 19-yard line. The Sun Devils moved the ball well down the field which ended in a DJ Foster touchdown from one yard out to take the lead 7-0 with 8:28 left in the first half. The drive was highlighted by an impressive 20-yard catch by Ellis Jefferson and another 11-yard reception by Jaelen Strong who barely stayed in bounds.

Stanford did their best to respond as Kevin Hogan completed 30-yard pass to Greg Taboada that moved the Cardinal across midfield. On third and five from their own 30-yard line, Lloyd Carrington sacked Kevin Hogan to force another Stanford punt.

The Sun Devils were stuffed on their next drive, but Matt Haack boomed a punt down the field that was mishandled by Ty Montgomery and recovered by Damarious Randall at the Stanford 12-yard line. Four plays later Bercovici found Strong on a 2-yard pass for a touchdown to give the Sun Devils a 14-0 lead with 1:58 remaining. As the clock wound down, Arizona State stopped Stanford again and ran out the clock.