Instant recap: Sun Devils take down Stanford 26-10

Eds. This is the second half recap on top of the first half recap. Stay tuned to HoS after the game for another recap with full quotes and analysis

20-yard run by Remound Wright moves Stanford to midfield and pounded their way to the 30-yard line. Kevin Hogan through a ball toward the end zone which was dropped by Arizona State safety Damarious Randall. Stanford settled for a 40-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson and were on the board, but still down 14-3.

DJ Foster finally got his legs moving on a 17-yard run out to the Sun Devils 42-yard line. Bercovici used his arm later in the drive delivering a 14-yard strike to Cammeron Smith and another 11-yard gainer to Foster, but the Sun Devils got stuck there. Zane Gonzalez knocked a 40-yard field goal through the uprights and Arizona State had responded to move the lead to 17-3.

Kevin Hogan found Greg Taboada on a 23-yard completion out to midfield but the Sun Devils stuffed Stanford again, forcing a Cardinal punt down to the Arizona State 4-yard line.

As the Sun Devils began their final drive of the third quarter, Bercovici found De'Marieya Nelson on a 26-yard completion and then Jaelen Strong down to the Stanford 31-yard line. The Sun Devils advanced no further, but Zane Gonzalez came through again with a 47-yard field goal to put the maroon and gold up 20-3.

Stanford finally put a drive together thanks to a long Kevin Hogan run of 31 yards down to the Sun Devil 28-yard line followed by a 22-yard completion to Ty Montgomery. Patrick Skov then found the end zone from a yard out to put the Cardinal back within two scores 20-10.

The Sun Devils next drive stalled in no-mans-land at the Stanford 39-yard line with 8:45 left to play in the game, but a Bercovici pooch punt put Stanford at the 1-yard line. The Arizona State defense stopped Stanford on three straight plays and got the ball back on the Stanford 36-yard line. Gonzalez put another 25-yard field goal through the uprights to put Arizona State up 23-10. Stanford fumbled the ensuing kickoff return allowing Gonzalez to put another field goal through the uprights and give the Sun Devils a 26-10 lead with 3:29 to play.

Stanford wasn't finished though as Hogan completed passes of 24 and 13 yards respectively to Ty Montgomery and moving the Cardinal deep into Sun Devil territory but to no avail and the Sun Devils ran out the clock after Hogan couldn't complete a fourth down pass.

First half

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.