ASU hangs tough after solid first half against Washington
SEATTLE – The football gods giveth; the football gods taketh away.
One week, the kicker from a ranked opponent misses a key field goal in the closing minutes, and you rally for victory. The next week, your star quarterback gets sick, and you fall back to earth.
A week after USC missed a crucial field goal to help the University of Washington football team shock the Trojans and breathe life into a life support of a season, the Huskies put themselves back into also-ran territory with a 24-14 home loss to Arizona State.
It marked the second consecutive home loss for the Huskies (2-3, 1-1 Pac-10), and now those dreams of a conference title and possible bowl invitation look much bleaker than they did in the hours that followed the USC win.
“Everyone’s going to be talking about us: We took a couple of steps the wrong way, or our whole entire year is down the drain now,” senior safety Nate Williams said. “But we’re going to keep on pushing, keep on fighting through, and we’re going to make our corrections. We’re going to keep on fighting week in and week out.”
Any hopes of another late comeback were dashed when UW quarterback Jake Locker, who was sick all week, threw an interception into the end zone with 1:44 remaining.
The Huskies, who hadn’t previously lost back-to-back home games in the Steve Sarkisian era, couldn’t hang with their sun-soaked visitors despite playing in typical Seattle conditions of wind and rain. ASU (3-3, 1-2) built up a 21-7 halftime lead and never let the Huskies closer than seven points in the second half.
After kicker Thomas Weber hit a 22-yard field goal to give the Sun Devils a 10-point lead with 6:32 remaining, the Huskies were unable to come up with a miracle of their own. Locker threw three incomplete passes and was sacked on UW’s next drive, then threw the game-clinching interception from the 18-yard line on first-and-10 with 1:44 remaining.
Arizona St. 24, Washington 14
| Arizona St. | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | — | 24 |
| Washington | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | 14 |
ASU—G.Robinson 4 pass from Threet (Weber kick), 6:32.
UW—Locker 2 run (Folk kick), 1:57.
ASU—Threet 1 run (Weber kick), :01.
ASU—Willie 20 pass from Threet (Weber kick), :19.
UW—Goodwin 15 pass from Locker (Folk kick), 14:22.
ASU—FG Weber 22, 6:32.
A—65,685.
| ASU | Wash | |
| First downs | 21 | 21 |
| Rushes-yards | 37-99 | 35-145 |
| Passing | 288 | 209 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 21-34-1 | 23-39-1 |
| Return Yards | 30 | 10 |
| Punts-Avg. | 3-34.3 | 3-46.3 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Penalties-Yards | 4-31 | 5-55 |
| Time of Possession | 28:04 | 31:56 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Arizona St., Middlebrooks 7-58, Marshall 12-41, D.Lewis 5-16, Threet 9-0, Team 4-(minus 16). Washington, C.Polk 18-110, Callier 3-20, J.Polk 1-10, Locker 11-6, Bruns 1-0, Team 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—Arizona St., Threet 21-34-1-288. Washington, Locker 23-38-1-209.
RECEIVING—Arizona St., Willie 5-96, K.Taylor 4-53, D.Lewis 3-53, Pickens 2-31, Middlebrooks 2-14, G.Robinson 2-14, Kohl 1-15, Simpson 1-7, Miles 1-5. UW, Goodwin 8-78, Je.Kearse 6-47, J.Polk 3-40, Callier 3-24, C.Polk 3-20.