Valedictorian: Redshirt junior wide receiver Tim White
ASU didn't have much from White as a receiver (two catches, 25 yards), but he got things going on for the Sun Devil special teams unit with the team's first kickoff return touchdown since Rashad Ross broke a 100-yard return against Colorado in 2012.
Losing sophomore running back Demario Richard was going to impact ASU's offense, but we never thought it would be this bad. The Sun Devils put up just 15 rushing yards against the Utes on Saturday, with sophomore Kalen Ballage taking much of the beating and eventually giving way to redshirt junior Gump Hayes.
Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici was inefficient, completing just 20 of his 41 passes for 242 yards and struggling with ball security after throwing an interception and being responsible for the game-changing fumble on a botched zone read. The ASU offensive line was under heavy pressure and surrendered five sacks.
ASU's defense actually did exactly what it accomplished to do — stop Utah senior running back Devontae Booker. Booker did finish with 124 rushing yards on 21 carries, but 62 of those came on his back-breaking touchdown run with the game already essentially in hand.
The biggest issue came with the defense's game plan against senior quarterback Travis Wilson. The Sun Devils managed to bring pressure, more than doubling Utah's sacks allowed total for the season with five, but Wilson put together one of the best performances of his career in going 26-for-36 for 297 yards and two touchdowns.
The ASU secondary was left exposed for most of the night, with Utah wide receiver Kenneth Scott (five catches, 116 yards, one touchdown) taking advantage.
ASU's special teams renaissance appeared to continue early on Saturday with one of its best starts in the Todd Graham era. White's kickoff return put ASU on the board, and Hayes nearly took a punt to the house before being tripped up by Utah punter Tom Hackett.
Junior kicker Zane Gonzalez was perfect on each of his all kicks, and junior punter Matt Haack continued his run of great play. That was, until he didn't. Hayes inexplicably took a fair catch at his own 5-yard line, leading Haack to shank a 20-yard punt out of his own end zone. Three plays later, Utah took a 21-18 lead that they wouldn't look back from.
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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