:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61255055/usa_today_11213875.0.jpg)
Coming into the 2018 season with new head coach Herm Edwards there were a lot of people with a lot of questions. People wondered if this new way of running a college football program would be successful.
So far, so good with the Sun Devils.
The jokes and mocking that AD Ray Andersen took for hiring Coach Edwards can now stop for the time being. Everybody can pipe down for a little while.
Arizona State was down 13-3 heading into the fourth quarter. Michigan State seemed like they were in control, but looks can be deceiving.
The Sun Devils used a 13-0 fourth quarter, including a game winning field goal with three seconds left to beat the 15th ranked Michigan State Spartans 16-13.
Two games into the Herm Edwards era at Arizona State and Edwards already has a signature win for his team.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12876153/usa_today_11213841.jpg)
Michigan State went in at half up only 3-0.
Both teams were fairly decent between the 20 yard lines, but once either team got within the red zone there was some type of magical force field on the end zones. Neither team could punch it in for a touchdown until the second half.
With just under five minutes left in this game Arizona State took possession of the ball. With some great throws from Manny Wilkins the Sun Devils drove down the field.
The key play being a third and ten for the Sun Devils that Manny Wilkins was trying to pass to N’Keal Harry. A pass interference call was made which put the ball on the Spartan 29 yard line. After the interference call, Arizona State ran off all, but three seconds of the clock to set up the winning field goal by Brandon Ruiz.
The celebration for the Sun Devils was on from there.
Somewhere in Sun Devil stadium Ray Anderson, Sun Devil Athletic Director, was probably smiling from ear to ear. Herm Edwards is his guy. The two will forever be connected at the hip. These two men have been made fun of since Coach Edwards was named the head coach.
The Twitter trolls have been waiting for this combination to fail on a epic scale.
Those people who have had their doubts have pointed at Coach Edwards absence from major college football since 1989. The doubters have to be quiet right now. Whatever Herm Edwards is preaching to these Sun Devils it is working.
“I think these players trust me. I have their best interest in mind. It’s always about them. When we ask them to do things, they don’t question it.” Coach Edwards said.
That quote from Coach Edwards says everything you need to know about the Sun Devil football program right now. Confidence is high among the players right now. When you combine that with the amount of buy in that the Sun Devil players are showing currently the program is on an upswing.
The tough part is about to happen for ASU. The next couple of games are on the road against San Diego State and Washington. The Sun Devils return home against Oregon State, but the schedule in October will tell us how good this team is.
With games against Stanford, USC, and Colorado in October the Sun Devils will have some work to do.
For right now though, Arizona State needs to soak in this impressive win against a stout Big Ten team. The team is confident, the coaching staff has buy in from their players, and the fan base is energized. It’s Forks Up time for the Arizona State Sun Devils.