What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Well, thats what the advertising campaign promotes. But unfortunately for the Arizona State Sun Devils, the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas was nationally televised. In a bowl game that featured two teams going in totally opposite directions, tonights outcome was rather predictable. A one loss Boise State team feeling very slighted by the BCS versus an Arizona State team who has lost four in a row to finish the season 6-6. A 14 point spread was very generous.
ASU deferred the opening kick to Boise St, which in turn returned it 100 yards courtesy of one Doug Martin. Boise St 7- ASU 0. Arizona State’s first two drives were a total of nine plays and 24 yards. In the mean time Boise St put up another score on a 14 yard pass from Kellen Moore to Tyler Shoemaker and a 14-0 lead. Arizona States first quarter was more of the same we’ve seen the last month of the season. Multiple penalties (3 in a row at one point) and what I call ‘November tackling”. Reaching and slapping at the ball carrier. The quarter ended on an ASU drive that went five plays for 0 yards and took 2:27 off the clock.
The second quarter started with a Boise St 8 play 80 yard drive and Moore to Matt Miller touchdown pass. Followed directly by a Vontaze Burfict unsportsmanlike personal foul. The two teams exchanged punts before ASU found its offense. A 12 play 66 yard drive resulted in an Alex Garoutte 32 yard field goal. Many in the press box as well as stands thought a first down try would have been more prudent, but the ASU lame duck coaching staff opted for three. Boise ST 21 – ASU 3. On Boise’s very next drive quarterback Kellen Moore let loose a guaranteed pick six beach ball to DB Deveron Carr only to have him trip on the Sam Boyd field turf and drop the ball. A costly drop, as the Broncos scored another touchdown five plays later on a vintage Bronco trick play as wide out Matt Miller hit TE Kyle Efaw to go up 28-3.The quarter mercifully ended with that score.
The second half started the same as the first half. In something I have never seen before, both halves began with kick-off returns for scores. ASU’s Rashard Ross took the second half kick 98 yards to pull ASU to within 18. On the next two Boise drives ASU’s defense manned up and picked off Moore and recovered a Moore fumble. The Sun Devil offense? A four and out and then a 100 yard Boise St pick six. The quarter ended Boise St 35- ASU 10. All told ASU’s offense went 0-3 on third downs, 0-2 on fourth downs, a minus 12 yards rushing and one interception in the quarter.
The 4th quarter was an exhibition of two teams that knew the game was over and forgot to play defense. While Boise scored the first two touchdowns with one coming on a fumble return ASU managed to fight for a touchdown on a Gerrell Robinson 21 yard pass. The game MVP Doug Martin, scored Boise’s final points while Osweiler actually found seldom used wide out George Bell for a 30 yard score almost as time was expiring. The final gun mercifully went off with the final score Boise St 56 – ASU 24.
The outcome of this game was not surprising and actually was a relief for this Sun Devil season to finish. Although ASU QB Brock Osweiler secured a few Sun Devil passing records during this game, they were lost in a teary post game press conference as he said goodbye to the coach who brought him to Tempe. Besides an opponent who arguably got screwed by the BCS, this ASU squad had to deal with a 4 game losing streak, and exiting coach and a new coach who came in and started wrecking havoc inside the athletic department. Next up? The Todd Graham era…..
