Sun Devils pull out win, postseason bid

TEMPE, Ariz. – With his team facing a humbling home loss to its archrival that would end any bowl hopes, Terry Richardson squinted through the sunlight to watch the punt fall out of the desert sky.

A few seconds and a 71-yard return later, Richardson was mobbed in the end zone and Arizona State was on its way to a 23-20 victory over Arizona on Friday.

“I was thinking score, score, score,” Richardson said. “I had to do something, it was a slow game. I was like, ‘I’m going to get it however I can.’ “

Richardson’s spectacular return and Rudy Carpenter’s two-point conversion pass to Zach Miller tied it at 20-20 with 7:52 remaining.

Jesse Ainsworth won it with a 20-yard field goal – the same distance as an extra point – with 6 seconds to play.

The Territorial Cup victory earned the Sun Devils (6-5, 4-4 Pac-10) an invitation to the Insight Bowl, played 10 miles down the freeway at Chase Field – formerly Bank One Ballpark.

The probable opponent is Rutgers.

“We’re going to spend Dec. 27 in beautiful downtown Phoenix, and we’re pretty excited about that,” Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter said.

“Any of you guys been in Phoenix around Christmas time? It’s beautiful.”

It will be the first back-to-back bowl appearances for ASU in Koetter’s five years at the school.

Mike Bell gained 117 yards in 27 carries in his final game for Arizona, but missed most of the second half with a deep thigh bruise.

Freshman quarterback Willie Tuitama went down with an apparent shoulder injury after being hit hard by safety Zach Cantanese while throwing the game’s only interception with 11:26 to play.

Bell had 100 yards in 20 carries in the first half. He limped off the field in the first series of the second half, and tried briefly to come back later, but had to be helped to the sidelines.

Rudy Burgess gained 43 yards in seven carries on the game-winning drive, capped by a 16-yard run to the Arizona 1. Carpenter fell in the middle of the field at the 3-yard line to set up Ainsworth’s short kick.

The drive began with a 26-yard pass to Matt Miller, whose late drop last season helped Arizona upset the Sun Devils 34-27 in Tucson.

Arizona (3-8, 2-6) led 17-5 at the half and 20-5 when Nick Folk kicked a 47-yard field goal with 8:01 to play in the third quarter.

Arizona St. 23, Arizona 20

ASU – FG Ainsworth 32

UA – FG Folk 37

ASU – Safety

UA – Tr.Bell 7 pass from Tuitama (Folk kick)

UA – M.Bell 1 run (Folk kick)

UA – FG Folk 47

ASU – Burgess 7 run (Ainsworth kick)

ASU – Richardson 71 punt return (Z.Miller pass from Carpenter)

ASU – FG Ainsworth 20

A – 67,635.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Arizona, M.Bell 27-117, Steptoe 6-61, Henry 10-29, G.Harris 2-(minus 1), Eidson 1-(minus 7), Tuitama 2-(minus 9), Team 2-(minus 26). Arizona State, Burgess 15-83, Herring 7-20, Carpenter 6-14, P.Jones 2-6.

PASSING – Arizona, Tuitama 15-21-1-149, Kovalcheck 2-5-0-30, A.Johnson 1-1-0-34. Arizona State, Carpenter 18-37-0-246.

RECEIVING – Arizona, Steptoe 6-86, Dennard 3-35, A.Johnson 3-23, Tr.Bell 2-14, Wood 2-13, M.Bell 1-34, Lopez 1-8. Arizona State, Burgess 5-47, Hagan 4-47, Z.Miller 2-61, Richardson 2-38, M.Miller 2-36, Lewis 1-15, Mutz 1-8, Carpenter 1-(minus 6).