TUCSON, Ariz. — Entering Friday's Territorial Cup game, the ASU football team ranked as the worst pass defense of all time. But its 56-35 drubbing at the hands of Arizona had nothing to do with the passing game.
The Sun Devils (5-7, 2-7 Pac-12) were dominated from start to finish, allowing 588 yards to the 3-9 Wildcats, including an Arizona record 511 on the ground.
Head coach Todd Graham, whose team dropped its final six games of the year, summed it up perfectly.
"That was the worst performance we've had since we've been here," Graham said. "That was embarrassing."
The first sign it was not ASU's night was when all-world senior kicker Zane Gonzalez's 53-yard field goal sailed well to the right of the upright for just his second missed kick of the season, but junior linebacker Koron Crump redeemed Gonzalez when he returned a fumble for a touchdown to tie the game at seven.
The Wildcats, after three scoreless drives following an opening drive touchdown, ignited in the second quarter, scoring three straight touchdowns, including redshirt sophomore quarterback Brandon Dawkins' final completion of the game on a 64-yard strike to senior receiver Nate Phillips, who was uncovered.
Nate. Phillips.
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) November 26, 2016
Cats lead 20-7. #TerritorialCup pic.twitter.com/qjYbHsVZsJ
But the Sun Devils got back in it quickly, scoring touchdowns with 34 seconds left in the first half and less than four minutes into the second half, cutting Arizona's lead to a touchdown and seizing momentum.
"I felt like we had the momentum and we started clicking a little bit," Gammage said. "It just didn't go our way."
Three plays later, the lead was back to 14.
"We make it a one-score game and then we come back and they run a straight zone," Graham said. "No one's done that all year and we weren't playing anything different or doing anything different."
From that point on, it was all Arizona.
In the second half, the Wildcats ran 22 plays. All but one of which were running plays as Arizona gained 325 yards and scored four touchdowns. The lone pass play resulted in a sack.
In short, ASU was bad.
"We did a terrible job defensively in the second half," Graham said. "I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that."
The trio of Dawkins, senior Samajie Grant and redshirt junior Zach Green combined for 485 yards on the ground and scoring two touchdowns apiece, confounding the Sun Devils with even the most basic of runs.
"They're running a simple stretch play," Graham said. "They tried to run the ball inside and we stopped that. They started going outside and we had guys just getting cut off, our four-technique being reached by a guard, just freelancing."
Heading into the offseason with a bowl invitation unlikely, Graham is already moving past the loss and looking towards 2017.
"No excuses," Graham said. "That's unacceptable and it's going to get corrected."
How soon?
"When I get on that bus."
Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow @Tonis_The_Tiger on Twitter.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
