Arizona State falls to San Diego State

The Arizona State Sun Devils sat at 2-0 coming into their game with the San Diego State Aztecs. This was a game that the Sun Devils needed to show that they needed to be taken for real after beating Michigan State last week.

San Diego State isn’t a pushover and they were not going to be on Saturday night.

For the first couple of possessions it was a game between the 30 yard lines. Both teams gained some yards, but nothing of note.

On the Sun Devils third possession Manny Wilkins threw a 12 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk to open up the scoring at 7-0. The drive took only 2:16, but it covered 60 yards in nine plays.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego State was certainly not intimidated by the Sun Devils. Just think back to last season when Arizona State was shocked at home by the Aztecs. Current Seattle Seahawk and former San Diego State running back, Rashaad Penny accounted for 353 all-purpose yards. Penny also scored three different ways in that game.

Penny may be gone to the NFL, but the Aztecs have another running back. His name is Juwan Washington. Washington went over 100 yards during the third quarter and had 138 yards rushing in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Aztecs responded by evening the score at seven when Juwan Washington scored on an up the middle run of 13 yards.

Washington was putting his imprint on the game for the Aztecs.

The two teams went into the locker room locked up at 14.

With the Washington Huskies on the schedule next week the Sun Devils could ill afford to walkout out of this game with a loss.

As I said earlier, the Aztecs are no joke of a team. San Diego State’s kicker, John Barron, capitalized on a Aztec drive by hitting a 54 yard field goal. It put the Aztecs up 17-14 with 7:46 left in the third quarter.

You could feel the momentum of the game change ever so slightly towards the San Diego State sideline.

The Aztecs tacked on another field goal to extend the lead to 20-14 and the Sun Devils seemed a bit lost. Arizona State wasn’t out of it by any stretch, but the Sun Devils were not moving the ball on the ground at all.

ASU was to one dimensional in my humble opinion.

San Diego State scored again on a Chase Jasmin three yard touchdown run and with the two point conversion it was 28-14 Aztecs.

Remember Pac-12 After Dark?

It made it’s way to San Diego.

San Diego State scored 21 unanswered on the Sun Devils.

Now there was a little over four minutes to go in the game.

The Sun Devils got a touchdown when Manny Wilkins found N’Keal Harry in the end zone with 1:40 to go.

The score was 28-21 San Diego State with the lead.

ASU gets the ball back from the Aztecs on a fumble. The Sun Devils were in business.

Do you believe in miracles?

Miracles do happen, but not on Saturday night in San Diego.

Manny Wilkins connected, allegedly, with wideout Frank Darby on a 48 yard reception. However, after further review it was ruled that the catch wasn’t a catch.

What?

As Sun Devil fans, players, and coaches stood in disbelief there was nothing that the Sun Devils could do.

Looking at the replay several times myself I’m still wondering how that wasn’t a catch. I could not see the ball hit the ground.

However, it was game over for the Sun Devils and Aztecs. San Diego State wins 28-21.

This was a game that Sun Devils needed to win to carry over the momentum from the win over Michigan State. Even with the furious finish, the Sun Devils should have never put themselves in this position.

Running the ball for only 36 yards is not something the head coach Herm Edwards will be pleased with. Allowing Juwan Washington and Chase Jasmin to run for 250 combined yards on the ground will be another bone of contention for the Sun Devil coaching staff.

It will be something that those Washington Husky coaches will be taking a look at over film meetings this week.