On homecoming weekend, the ASU football team secured a big Pac-12 South victory by upending No. 16 Utah 38-20 on Saturday afternoon.
In the first quarter, ASU got off to an ideal start. On the first drive of the game, the Sun Devils marched down the field and got near the goal line.
Their drive appeared to stall after an incompletion on third down, but after a Utah targeting penalty that resulted in the ejection of junior defensive back Philip Afia, ASU got a new set of downs and another opportunity to try and put up seven points, and that's exactly what they did.
Sophomore running back Eno Benjamin was able to rush for a six-yard touchdown to put up the first score of the game.
Then, on Utah's ensuing drive, Utes junior quarterback Tyler Huntley was intercepted by ASU freshman safety Aashari Crosswell. The turnover turned into a seven play, 53-yard touchdown drive for the Sun Devils, and they were off to a 14-0 start early.
However, Utah answered with 17 unanswered points as they stormed back to take a short-lived lead. Just before the end of the first half, redshirt senior quarterback Manny Wilkins found junior wide receiver N'Keal Harry for a 23-yard touchdown, and the team would regain the lead heading into the locker room.
In the second half, both teams started their drives with some sloppy play and back-to-back interceptions. Huntley left the game late in the quarter after being shaken up on a hit in the backfield, and that left the quarterback duties for Utah up to freshman Jason Shelley.
Utah added a field goal to make the score 21-20 before the end of the third. Then to start the fourth quarter, ASU dealt the Utes a big blow when Wilkins found Harry over the middle for a 61-yard touchdown reception, and Harry's third score of the game.
ASU added a field goal, then Benjamin put the game on ice by breaking free with a 44-yard touchdown run to seal the game at 38-20.
Up next, ASU will host UCLA next weekend in a wide open Pac-12 South race.
Editor's note: A full recap will be provided later this evening.
Reach the reporter at atbell1@asu.edu or follow @AndrewBell7 on Twitter.
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