Texas A&M manhandles 15th-ranked Arizona State

HOUSTON – Arizona State tried to recruit Kyle Allen and freshman Christian Kirk, who grew up just down the road from Tempe, Arizona, in Scottsdale.

Instead they signed with Texas A&M, and on Saturday night the pair led the Aggies to a 38-17 win over the 15th-ranked Sun Devils.

Allen threw for a score early and sealed the game by running for a touchdown and throwing for another in the fourth quarter after being benched in favor of freshman Kyler Murray in the victory.

Allen won the starting job in camp, but coach Kevin Sumlin replaced him with Murray in the second quarter and alternated quarterbacks for much of the second half. Allen spent most of the third quarter on the bench before returning early in the fourth and capping a long drive with a 12-yard touchdown run that made it 24-14.

“I told him: ‘Hey listen that was big-time because a year ago I don’t know if you would have done that,’ ” Sumlin said he told Allen after that score.

Arizona State kicked a field goal before Allen connected with freshman Kirk on a short pass and he dashed 66 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-17. Kirk also returned a punt 79 yards for a TD in the second quarter.

“I think Kyle coming back, with Kyler having a little bit of success and the crowd juiced up, to come back and go down the field the way he went, was a big deal,” Sumlin said.

“He’s maturing physically and mentally.”

Mike Bercovici threw for 199 yards and a touchdown for the Sun Devils.

It was the first meeting between these teams and the loss dropped the Sun Devils to 0-7 against the Southeastern Conference.

Allen finished with 198 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception. Murray threw for 49 yards with an interception and ran for 69 yards.

A&M’s revamped defense under John Chavis, the former LSU coordinator, forced two turnovers, had nine sacks and 14 tackles for losses.