After a slow start, ASU football surged back in the second half to beat Washington 27-17 Saturday afternoon at Sun Devil Stadium.
The Sun Devils (5-5) completed their largest comeback since Nov. 26, 2010 when it trailed by 17 to UCLA.
Kalen Ballage’s three-yard touchdown run off of a pitch from redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici capped a momentous five-play, 60-yard drive that brought ASU within seven, trailing 17:10 with 9:56 to go in the third quarter.
In that series, Bercovici hit senior wide receiver D.J. Foster for a 26-yard gain and redshirt senior receiver Devin Lucien for a 20 yard gain on back-to-back plays, crossing midfield and then entering the red zone.
After senior cornerback Kweishi Brown intercepted freshman quarterback Jake Browning and returned the ball 26 yards across midfield, it was Ballage again who delivered, springing free for a 48-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to put ASU ahead by 10 with just under six minutes to go.
Ballage had 92 rushing yards on 11 carries.
Missing senior safety Jordan Simone and redshirt junior linebacker Laiu Moeakiola in the second half, as well as Kareem Orr (who did not play after a gametime decision) the secondary came through to match the heightened intensity of the ASU front seven, which sacked Browning four times.
Browning was intercepted on the ensuing Washington possession by linebacker sophomore Christian Sam, but the game was still in the balance after the Huskies forced an ASU punt and got the ball back.
However, the Huskies squandered yet another opportunity, as redshirt junior defensive end Edmond Boateng forced a fumble by senior tight end Joshua Perkins, clinching the victory and giving the the Sun Devils the ball with the task of milking the remaining game clock.
Browning completed 27 of 50 passes for 394 yards and had three interceptions and a touchdown.
Freshman running back Miles Gaskin led the way for the Huskies on the ground with 108 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown.
Bercovici completed 22 of 34 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown, Foster was the team’s leading receiver with five catches for 62 yards.
ASU needs to beat Arizona next Saturday, Nov. 21, or California on Nov. 28 to become bowl eligible.
Reach the sports editor at smodrich@asu.edu or follow @StefanJModrich on Twitter.
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