Sep 13, 2014: Arizona Accompaniment Sun Devils advanced receiver Jaelen Strong (21) afore the bold adjoin the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field.(Photo: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports)
TODD GRAHAM POST-GAME DOWNPLAYS INJURIES
ASU drillmaster Todd Graham said in his post-game radio account that quarterback Taylor Kelly and linebacker Laiu Moeakiola are "going to be actually fine."
He did not action added accommodation on the action of two of his captains. "We accept a anniversary and bisected to get them ready," for UCLA (Sept. 25), Graham said.
Graham said he's as "proud as I've anytime been of our aggregation and the appearance they showed" in advantageous the injuries to alpha 3-0 all-embracing and 1-0 in Pac-12 play.
ASU approved arena arresting aback Ezekiel Bishop at Spur linebacker afterwards Moeakiola went out, but Graham said the inferior "was overwhelmed." So the coaches angry to apprentice Christian Sam, who had been practicing at Will linebacker. Sam responded with a fourth-quarter interception that about clinched ASU's sixth afterwards win over Colorado.
COLORADO ROLLS UP YARDS
Trailing 222-22 in absolute yards afterwards the aboriginal quarter, Colorado accomplished with a 545-426 bend and a 91-60 bend in plays.
D.J. Foster led ASU with 147 yards rushing, 59 accepting and two accumulated touchdowns. In three quarters, afore his bottom injury, Taylor Kelly was 13-of-21 casual for 195 yards and three touchdowns. His backup Mike Bercovici was 2-of-4 for eight yards. Jaelen Strong bent six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Safety Jordan Simone led ASU's aegis with 13 tackles (12 solo). Assurance Damarious Randall had 11 tackles (all solo) and Devil-backer Anthony Longino 10 tackles (all solo).
For the Buffs, quarterback Sefo Liufau threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns but additionally had two interceptions. Christian Powell rushed for 118 yards. Nelson Spruce bent seven passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
HAACK EXCELS AT ALTITUDE
Sophomore punter Matt Haack averaged 48.1 yards on seven punts including a 57-yarder attached for the longest of his career. He showed his athleticism in snagging two aerial snaps from Donnie Shields, who was replaced by Mitchell Fraboni.
"Matt had a astounding night," drillmaster Todd Graham said. "There were two snaps over his arch that he got down. We bare him to accept that (performance). He is that talented. Our appropriate teams were solid. We gave up one return. The blow of the night was stellar."
ROAD SUCCESS
Todd Graham's three ASU teams are a accumulated 8-4 (7-3 Pac-12) on the road. He is the aboriginal Sun Devil drillmaster with a acceptable almanac abroad from Sun Devil Stadium aback John Cooper, whose three teams from 1985-87 were a accumulated 7-5 (6-4).
TEMPERED VICTORY
Injuries to third-year starting quarterback Taylor Kelly and linebacker Laiu Moeakiola leave ASU with a alveolate activity from its 38-24 win at Colorado and its aboriginal 3-0 alpha aback 2007.
Kelly will leave Boulder on crutches with his appropriate bottom in a cossack from an abrasion suffered on a run backward in the third quarter. Moeakiola suffered an credible arm abrasion aboriginal in the additional quarter.
No. 16 ASU is off abutting anniversary afore hosting No. 12 UCLA (3-0) on Sept. 25. Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley of Chandler additionally was afflicted today, adversity a larboard bend injury.
So there is a adventitious that the starting quarterbacks in the important Thursday night Pac-12 showdown could be Mike Bercovici (ASU) and Jerry Neuheisel (UCLA) instead of Kelly and Hundley.
FROSH MOMENTS, BAD AND GOOD
Two of ASU's three apprentice starters on aegis were complex in plays that continued and capped Colorado's 99-yard scoring drive, acid ASU's advance to 38-24 with 8:38 remaining.
Defensive accouterment Tashon Smallwood was penalized for roughing the passer on a third-and-10 incompletion. That led to Sefo Liufau's 31-yard touchdown canyon to Nelson Spruce, alive adjoin apprentice bend Armand Perry.
But it was addition freshman, linebacker Christian Sam accepting time because of Laiu Moeakiola's injury, who all but concluded Colorado's hopes with an interception at the 4:44 mark. Liufau approved to clasp a canyon to Nelson Spruce, amidst by three defenders, and Sam came up with the aces at the ASU 34-yard line.
TAYLOR KELLY OUT WITH FOOT INJURY
ASU starting quarterback Taylor Kelly went to the locker allowance aboriginal in the fourth division with a arise bottom injury.
After activity to the locker room, Kelly alternate to the acreage on crutches with his appropriate bottom in a cossack to watch while sitting on a training table with a hat on and anhydrate over the hat. Kelly has started anytime bold aback 2012, a cord of 30 games.
Mike Bercovicii replaced Kelly afterwards the Sun Devils chock-full Colorado on its aboriginal control in the fourth.
ASU went three-and-out on the aboriginal control led by Bercovici, whose third-down bandy over the average for an accessible Foster was low. Afterwards a abeyance with 11:02 remaining, the Sun Devils played it acute with a punt that affianced Colorado at its 1-yard line.
UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO RETHINK THAT CALL
Thanks primarily to a 45-yard about-face by advanced receiver Donovan Lee, Colorado confused to a first-and-10 at the ASU 12-yard band that became fourth-and-1 from the 3.
Down by 21 points, the Buffs fabricated the actual alarm to go for a aboriginal bottomward or touchdown, but the alarm bamboozled no one. Phillip Lindsay was benumbed by Jordan Simone and others on a run up the middle, accident a yard.
ASU, advancing off its ambition line, about affiliated on a Taylor Kelly to Jaelen Strong bomb that CU bend Ken Crawley managed to breach up. So the Sun Devils went into the fourth division arch 38-17 and with a abbreviate 391-371 bend in absolute yards. D.J. Foster is at 117 yards hasty and 52 accepting activity into the fourth division while Strong has bristles catches for 76 yards.
FIELD GOAL VICTORY
Colorado tailback Christian Powell bankrupt through an ASU aegis ample at the band of flat for a third-and-1 comedy and covered 55 yards afore actuality abject bottomward by assurance Jordan Simone at the 12-yard line.
Simone's adamantine assignment paid off, though, aback the Sun Devils captivated acknowledgment to a third-down canyon alienation by bend Lloyd Carrington, banishment the Buffs to achieve for a 27-yard acreage goal.
The thee credibility were minimized alike added aback quarterback Taylor Kelly bankrupt off addition of his continued touchdown runs, this time for 50 yards on a first-down carry, that put ASU advanced 38-17 with 8:05 larboard in the third quarter.
NEW MEXICO ALL OVER AGAIN
ASU let New Mexico aback into the bold in the additional division aftermost anniversary afresh captivated the Lobos to two second-half credibility in a 58-23 win.
The Sun Devils started fast afresh in the third division at Colorado, hitting for 20 yards on a third-and-7 awning to D.J. Foster afresh 45 yards on a Taylor Kelly to Jaelen Strong pass. Kelly went aback to Strong for a 1-yard touchdown bandy and a 31-14 advance afore Colorado affected the brawl in the additional half.
"This ability be the best awning aggregation I've seen," ESPNU analyst Kelly Stouffer said.
SIMONE SHINES
Safety Jordan Simone fabricated a additional game-changing comedy backward in the additional division afterwards a career best 57-yard punt by Matt Haack backed Colorado up to its 9-yard line.
On aboriginal down, Simone, who beforehand had an interception arch to a touchdown, affected a bollix by Buffs' tailback Michael Adkins with apprentice linebacker DJ Calhoun recovering, still at the 9-yard line.
D.J. Foster ran alert for two yards anniversary afresh Taylor Kelly formed to his larboard and hit Foster, who dived into the end area for a 5-yard touchdown.
The turnover-to-touchdown accustomed ASU to booty a 24-14 advance into halftime.
Colorado's second-quarter abhorrent advance bankrupt its gap in absolute yards to 242-193 at halftime. Foster had 109 yards hasty (12 carries) at bisected while Kelly was 9-of-13 casual for 117 yards.
Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau completed 14-of-20 passes in the aboriginal bisected for 142 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
"We were starting to abrasion them down," Colorado drillmaster Mike MacIntyre said in a halftime interview.
Devil-backer Antonio Longino has a career aerial in tackles (6) at the aboriginal bisected alone. His antecedent best was bristles aftermost week.
ASU has outscored the action 35-7 on credibility off turnovers this season.
ASU is now 15-of-15 in the red area this division with 12 touchdowns and 3 acreage goals.
The Sun Devils came in as a 15-point favorite. Colorado absent its opener 31-17 to Colorado Accompaniment and belted Massachusetts 41-38 aftermost week.
DEFENSIVE CONFUSION
Perhaps Colorado was able to abduct ASU arresting signals, as arise on ESPNU, and Todd Graham's new signals created confusion. Or maybe it was the Laiu Moeakiola abrasion accumulated with the Buffs switching at tailback to the faster Tony Jones.
The accumulated factors larboard ASU's adolescent aegis credible as Colorado raced 77 yards in eight plays for a touchdown to abutting aural 17-14. Cornerback Lloyd Carrington was hit with a additional canyon arrest alarm although the first, on the Buffs' aboriginal touchdown, was declined.
BUFFS MAKE STAND
After a sack that led to an ASU punt backward in the aboriginal division and attached ASU to a acreage ambition aboriginal in the additional quarter, Colorado adapted on a fourth bottomward with a abbreviate canyon en avenue to a touchdown. That brought the Buffs aural 17-7 with 10:06 still larboard until halftime.
More cogent than the CU score, though, ability be that ASU Spur linebacker Laiu Moeakiola went out with an credible arm injury. Moekiola was called a aggregation captain this anniversary afterwards a standout bold adjoin New Mexico.
QUICK HITS
Zane Gonzalez adapted a 31-yard acreage ambition on the additional comedy of the additional quarter, accretion ASU's advance to 17-0.
ASU is now 14-of-14 in the red area this division with 12 touchdowns and 2 acreage goals.
ASU has outscored opponents 53-7 in the aboriginal division this season.
Antonio Longino became the 12th altered Sun Devil this division to acquire art this season
Taylor Kelly's achievement to De'Marieya Nelson on the aperture drive was the aboriginal to a bound end this season.
D.J. Foster has now denticulate in eight afterwards amateur and has a hasty touchdown in seven of those eight. He now has nine hasty touchdowns in the aftermost six games. He had four absolute in 24 amateur above-mentioned to the accepted streak.
The aboriginal account of the bold was the aboriginal drive this division that ASU had a scoring drive over three account (3:07).
ADMIT IT, YOU'RE IMPRESSED
ASU bootless to get a third account in the aboriginal division but acknowledgment to a 52-yard run by D.J. Foster was on the Buffs' 16-yard band and attractive to extend its 14-0 advance as the aeon ended.
The abhorrent band is aperture huge holes and blocking downfield for Foster, who already has 93 yards hasty on six carries to body on his No. 3 civic baronial in hasty yards.
Oh yeah and in absolute yards, ASU leads 222-22 afterwards the aboriginal 15 minutes.
WELCOME BACK BALLAGE
It didn't continued for ASU apprentice active aback Kalen Ballage of Peyton, Colo., to accomplish a mark in his home state.
After the aboriginal interception of assurance Jordan Simone's ASU career -- remember, he started at Washington Accompaniment -- Taylor Kelly begin Ballage on a beautifully accomplished awning canyon that went for a 38-yard touchdown and 14-0 advance beneath than center through the aboriginal quarter.
A division that for CU admirers is acutely accustomed aback the Buffs were stomped 25-0 by ASU in the aperture division aftermost year.
DID YOU WATCH THE NEW MEXICO TAPE?
Apparently Colorado absent that aperture run by ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly for added than 50 yards aftermost week, giving up 19 on a Kelly run to alpha things tonight.
Actually ASU affected a three-and-out afore that acknowledgment to a third-down sack by Marcus Hardison, absolutely what coaches are attractive for from the arresting line.
The Sun Devils afresh went 69 yards in eight plays (3:07 possession), scoring on D.J. Foster's about clear 15-yard run. Beforehand Foster had a 21-yard run, and ASU adapted on a fourth-and-1 Kelly keeper.
PROJECTED ATTENDANCE
Only 36,000 are accepted tonight for Colorado's home opener at Folsom Field, which with some new seats has an estimated accommodation of 50,548.
From Boulder Camera's Kyle Ringo
GOING FOR 6-0 VS. BUFFS
ASU has bedeviled the adolescent series, which started in 2006 with a 21-3 Sun Devils win in Boulder. The gap has alone added aback then: 33-14 in 2007, 48-14 in 2011, 51-17 in 2012 and 54-13 in 2013.
Last season, ASU anchored to a 25-0 advance in the aboriginal quarter, arch Colorado to about-face to quarterback Sefo Liufau, who charcoal the amateur this season.
BRETT HUNDLEY INJURY
Even afore ASU bliss off, tonight's bold takes on a altered anatomy because of UCLA quaterback Brett Hundley's credible bend abrasion suffered in the aboriginal division adjoin Texas. Hundley of Chandler went to the locker allowance in the additional division while Jerry Neuheisel, son of above UCLA drillmaster Rick Neuheisel, is now administering the Bruins' offense.
No. 12 UCLA is at No. 16 ASU on Sept. 25 in a bold that will accept above Pac-12 South implications. Both teams are off abutting Saturday.
Against Colorado, ASU is gluttonous its aboriginal 3-0 alpha aback 2007 and to go 3-0 with two of those on the alley for alone the fourth time. Others were in 1950, 1957 and 1982.
The Sun Devils are 14-20-2 in Pac-12 openers.
INSIDE ASU LOCKER ROOM
The Sun Devils are cutting white jerseys tonight with beach pants and helmets.
Editor's note: Refresh the folio if the band account does not appear.
Up next: ASU (2-0) at Colorado (1-1)
When: Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where: Folsom Field, Boulder.
TV: ESPNU (Anish Shroff, Kelly Stouffer).
Radio: KTAR 620 AM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst).
A afterpiece attending at the stadiums of the Pac-12
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