ASU Football: Halftime Instant Recap

ASU performed fairly well through the first 30 minutes at SDCCU Stadium and head into the locker room with the lead.

San Diego State won the coin toss, and elected to receive the ball. The Sun Devils stalled SDSU’s drive after the Aztecs converted an initial first down.

On ASU’s first drive, they were able to move the ball down the field, but the drive stalled on a false start penalty on new starting right guard Roy Hemsley. And a poor snap from center Cohl Cabral the lead to a six-yard loss.

The Arizona State defense did a tremendous job of bottling up Aztec running back Juwan Washington as defensive linemen Shannon Forman and Renell Wren each made big tackles for loss.

Both teams defense’s dominated the majority of the first quarter until ASU’s third drive.

Following a SDSU three-and-out, the ASU offense got on the board for the night’s first score. Wilkins hit junior Brandon Aiyuk for a 12-yard touchdown pass. It was Aiyuk’s first touchdown in a Sun Devil uniform.

San Diego State responded by piecing together their best offensive series of the first half. After a big 4th and 2 conversion, Washington ran up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown notting the score at 7 with 10:28 remaining in the first half.

The Aztecs found success running up the middle on ASU’s defense that has succeeded on forcing their opponents to the sideline.

Arizona State was able to get in the end zone on consecutive possessions thanks to two key plays. SDSU was charged with an encroachment penalty, and on the very next play Wilkins found Frank Darby for a 51-yard pass putting ASU at the SDSU nine-yard line. Wilkins got into the end zone with a one-yard out of read option for a 14-7 Sun Devil lead.

The ASU defense was able to halt the SDSU attack and force them to punt. The Sun Devil offense easily drove the ball down the field, but turned it over on downs when Wilkins was sacked on 4th-and-1 on the SDSU 15-yard line. ASU went for it on fourth down rather than attempt to the field goal to try and go up by ten points.

Following the turnover on downs, SDSU moved the ball down the field and scored a game tying touchdown on a nine-yard pass from Agnew to Tim Wilson Jr. with eight seconds left in the half. It was the first career touchdown pass for Agnew and first touchdown catch for Wilson Jr.

ASU will begin the second half with the ball.