Oregon (5-3, 3-2 Pac-12) failed on the mandatory two-point conversion, but Springs sealed it by stepping in front of Bercovici’s intended receiver, sending the Ducks racing onto the field. “My goal was to keep scrambling around, because my first and second read wasn’t there”. For ASU, Demario Richard had 19 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown, and Kalen Ballage got 12 attempts for 127 yarsd.
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Somehow, though, it wasn’t enough for the Sun Devils to win. “It was like a tool in our tool bag to have just in case we had to pull it out, and it worked out for us”, he said.
The Oregon Ducks are 4-3 this season and 2-2 in Pac 12 play.
Berco was incredibly up and down Thursday, making an fantastic touchdown throw on one play and making a shockingly errant pass the next.
“I have noticed it”, Hurley said of the attention. “They got me earlier (for a score)”.
Bercovici was 32-for-53 passing for 398 yards with five touchdowns and two costly interceptions.
Pitt (6-2, 3-1) had its four-game winning streak snapped.
The Ducks (5-3 overall, 3-2 Pac-12) will take the weekend to lick their wounds and regroup before preparing for Jared Goff and California’s productive “Bear Raid” offense next Saturday at Autzen Stadium (7:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2). The Ducks have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five trips to Tempe. “That’s on me at the end of the game to put it in jeopardy like that”. “Had two-on-two coverage, and we made two great plays on the ball”. ASU coach Todd Graham deflected the question: “I can’t fault anything that the offense did, 742 yards”.
It’s a wonder that ASU didn’t run the ball more down the stretch, including at the goal line in the third overtime period. I agree, time for the Ducks to attack.
“Said Stanford: “(Mundt) hit me pretty hard. “I was trying to make sure I came down with the ball”.
ASU answered in six plays (Berovici-to-White TD), and the game was tied at 48-48. Freeman scored standing up on the next play, and Schneider’s PAT made it a 55-55 game. Bercovici would then throw an interception on the Sun Devil’s possession, and the game was finally over. “That’s obviously what I thought (that the Oregon player was offsides) but yeah, it was an unfortunate play”. Outside linebacker Christian French’s left arm was in a sling after the game.
The Ducks defense certainly stood up to the challenge of the Huskies offense. You can check out the play yourself here, courtesy of The Big Lead.
“And they don’t disguise it, really”, Oregon offensive line coach Steve Greatwood said.
On the next Oregon drive, ASU defense stepped up and held them to just a field goal. Oregon cut Arizona State’s lead back to only 4, as the Devils lead 31-27.
Oregon went ahead in the third overtime when Adams threw the scoring pass to Addison.
THE PAC-12 – Seven games into the season, both the Sun Devils and Ducks find themselves in similar yet uncharacteristic territory given the success of recent years. A fumble left all of the ASU fans breathless for a second, until ASU offensive lineman Vi Tiofilo was able to recover the ball. Freeman got it up the middle.
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NOTES: “It kind of turned into a college basketball score”, Helfrich said. It’s a tough schedule that could be very tough for the emerging Cougars. It is a great tactic if you can cover it. Arizona State more often than not leaves itself wide open and invites big game changing plays from their opposition when they run this play. Both Crosby and Pierson are expected to return within two games, if they aren’t ready to go Thursday. The game also airs as a live stream online. Two of the kicks were from over 50 yards, but the first miss was from just 26 yards out, which proved costly.
