In the season opener against Texas A&M, ASU never held a lead but in their home opener against Cal Poly the Sun Devils scored seven minutes into the first quarter and never looked back.
Facing a Cal Poly offense that specializes in a triple-option ground attack, the Sun Devil's didn't have a lot of time on offense but made the most of what time they did have.
ASU had success on the ground and through the air against the Mustang defense, mounting two long scoring drives without eating up too much game time.
Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici completed 11 of 17 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown and senior wide receiver D.J. Foster was involved in both phases of the offense.
Foster, who touched the ball only nine times against Texas A&M, was involved early and often, rushing the ball six times for 50 yards and hauling in three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore running back Demario Richard accounted for two touchdowns himself, one on a 13-yard run with 13 minutes left in the half and a six-yard scoring run with just over seven minutes remaining.
The Mustangs attempted just a single pass in the first half and ASU's defense was able to take advantage of that predictability.
ASU had six tackles for loss, two sacks and allowed just nine first downs in the first 30 minutes.
Sophomore linebacker Christian Sam accounted both sacks, each coming in the first quarter.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for ASU, though. The much maligned special teams were flagged for two penalties which accounted for 30 yards and despite holding the Mustangs to just 14 points, the defense allowed an average of 4.4 yards per carry.
That 4.4 yards per carry average is nearly a half yard longer than the Aggies averaged against the ASU defense in the season opener.
One of biggest blunders of the first half came on the final ASU drive of the half after tight end Kody Kohl fumbled the ball and Cal Poly recovered at its own 44-yard line.
That turnover led to the Mustang's second touchdown of the game, a one-yard rushing touchdown by Cal Poly quarterback Chris Brown that cut ASU's lead to just seven points heading into halftime.
Cal Poly will receive the second half kickoff after winning the coin toss and deferring.
First half notes
- Senior wide receiver D.J. Foster's 15-yard reception to open the game gives him at least one catch in all 42 games of his career. He is two games shy of the school record.
- Offensive coordinator Mike Norvell called plays from the coach's box for the first time in his ASU tenure. Novel, who usually calls plays from the sidelines, opted to direct the Sun Devil offense from above in their home opener.
- Linebacker Ami Latu was hurt in the second quarter and after limping off the field with assistance from trainers was escorted into the locker room. He did not return.
Reach the assistant sports editor at icbeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21.
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