UNLV shocks ASU in OT

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No that’s not a typo. Arizona State stumbled, bumbled and stunk up the joint at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday night and UNLV walked away with a 23-20 overtime upset win.

Malo Taumua blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Thomas Weber in overtime to lift UNLV to the win. The Rebels took the lead in o.t. when Kyle Watson kicked a 20-yard field goal on UNLV’s first possession. Taumua absolutely pancaked Adam Tello to break through the line and make the play. That was the difference in the ballgame. UNLV’s players made plays when they counted, like Phillip Payne’s one-handed catch in the end zone with :18 left. ASU’s players didn’t. On the Rebels’ possession in overtime, quarterback Omar Clayton threw a pass to the goal line which was deflected twice, and a handful of ASU players had a chance to knock it down or intercept it. Instead, Ryan Wolfe made a catch in traffic.

The Sun Devils, knowing they needed a touchdown to win in overtime, were very cautious with their play calling. ASU ran on first and second down, threw on third down, and Rudy Carpenter was flushed out of the pocket and launched the ball out of the back of the endzone. They settled for a 35-yard field goal attempt, and we know how that turned out. In fact, the Sun Devils, who were nearly unstoppable in their passing game through the first two weeks of the season, and average at best running the football. Saturday night, without starting tailback Keegan Herring, the Devils persistently tried to establish their running game. ASU ran the ball 36 times, and only threw it 23 times. I’m all for trying to crank up your running game against inferior talent as a glorified practice. But when it becomes evident that the running game just isn’t working, the focus needs to shift to winning the football game. The quarterback and the receiving corps are the strengths of this football team, not the 2nd and 3rd string tailbacks and offensive line. That became a lot more evident tonight.

The Sun Devils were favored by 24 points in this ballgame, against a team that has 6 wins in the last 3 years combined. ASU can tip their caps to UNLV and give them all the credit for winning this ball game. UNLV deserves credit. They played hard, and actually made plays. But in reality, the Sun Devils should have won this game by 4 touchdowns. They have superior talent at every position.

Everyone will say that the Sun Devils were looking past UNLV, and ahead to Georgia. Of course everyone in maroon and gold will deny that. So that leaves the other option–ASU just isn’t that good.

If anyone was looking ahead to Georgia, be careful what you wish for. The Bulldogs are coming to town, and ASU is staring a 2-2 record right in the face.

This is the worst ASU loss on the gridiron since 1999, when New Mexico State embarassed ASU 35-7 at Sun Devil Stadium. The Devils finished 6-6 that season.

And by the way, has their ever been a worse weekend in football for the Pac-10? Washington State blown out by Baylor, UCLA utterly destroyed by BYU, Arizona coming down to earth at New Mexico, Cal losing to a mediocre Maryland team, Oklahoma toying with Washington, and Arizona State losing to a bad UNLV team. The critics appear to be right. The Pac-10 is actually the Pac-1. The conference championship is nothing more than a formality at this point.

So ASU may still finish 2nd or 3rd in the conference. What I’m saying is that really doesn’t mean that much. Not this year.

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September 13th, 2008 10:57 PM PST