ASU slows down Shedeur Sanders, Buffaloes but fall by a field goal again

For a second straight week Arizona State won most statistical categories, only to come up short by a field goal, this time suffering a 27-24 loss by Colorado in Pac-12 play at Mountain America Stadium.

The loss drops ASU to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play. It is the first 1-5 start since 1942.

Colorado improves to 4-2 and improves to 1-2 in Pac-12 play.

Despite the outcome, first-year head coach Kenny Dillingham is seeing some progress although he understands it can be frustrating.

“I’ve been in this exact scenario. Year one taking over a program, you just can’t find out how to win," he said. "Don’t know how to do it yet, you’re just finding a way. Every single time there’s an opportunity, you find a different way to lose. When it clicks, we’re playing winning football. But we’re not winning, which means we’re very, very close. You don’t know when it’s gonna click. You go back to work and you compete to get better, better, better, better, better. The bamboo that nobody can see is going to grow, very simple. You just can’t see it, but the growth is happening.”

What went right

The punting game was much improved: The Sun Devils came into the contest averaging 35 yards a punt and having placed just one of 19 tries inside the 20. In this one they averaged 43.3 with four downed inside the 20. Ian Hershey filled in for previous starter Josh Carlson who is nursing a foot injury and averaged 41.7 with three inside the 20. The jack-of-all-trades Cameron Skattebo had a 53-yarder that rolled dead inside the 20.

The Sun Devils had a clutch drive with the game on the line: ASU got the ball back at their own 6 with 3:26 left, trailing by a touchdown. Trenton Bourguet was able to engineer the equalizing drive, leading the team on a 13-play drive with the end result being a 15-yard scoring pass to Troy Omeire with 50 seconds left that evened it at 24. The Sun Devils haven't had a lot of long, sustained scoring drives, much less one with the game hanging in the balance.

Sun Devils contained Shedeur Sanders: The Colorado quarterback came into the contest averaging 356.20 yards per game, second nationally to only Michael Penix of Washington. ASU held the highly-touted signal-caller to 239, well under that average, although he did have a big 43-yard completion to get the Buffs in position for the game-winning field goal. Sanders was also sacked five times and didn't have any significant rushes, his longest of the night going for only 16 yards.

What went wrong

Penalties . . . again: The Sun Devils had nine penalties for 88 yards, their worst effort in that regard since the opening game of the season when they had nine for 100 yards. They went through the last four games as one of the least penalized among all FBS schools. Dillingham said after the game Colorado tends to draw you ito that type of game and his team has to respond better.

Gave up two big plays: It marked the second game in a row ASU seemed to tin most statistical categories, only to lose by a field goal on the scoreboard. That was because two big plays turned the tables in favor of the visitor. With Colorado up 21-17 early in the fourth quarter and ASU punting, the Buffs' Xavier Weaver returned it 51 yards to the ASU 25. The Sun Devils were lucky to hold Colorado to a field goal which extended the lead to 24-17. it was an unusual breakdown because ASU has been one of the better teams in the country on special teams coverage. More costly was the 43-ard completion the secondary gave up moments after the Sun Devils scored to tie the game in the last minute. It was Ro Torrence getting burned deep, with Colorado kicking the winning field goal three plays later.

Running game struggled: The Sun Devils managed only 57 yards on 29 tries, a far cry from years past when they have had backs like Eno Benjamin and Rachaad White. The reasons for the failure are many. First, injuries on the offensive line have sidelined five, while another athlete played despite not having practiced all week. The Sun Devils are also without two running backs while top rusher Cameron Skattebo was limited after being slowed this week by sickness and nagging injuries.

No takeaways: For the fifth time in six games ASU did not have a takeaway and it came in ranked dead last among 130 FBS schools in turnover margin. The only takeaway ASU has in six games was a Tate Romney fumble recovery early in the USC game. Historically this is an area in which ASU has excelled. This year that is not the case.

The grades

Offense (C): The Sun Devils tallied 392 yards on 79 plays (5 ypp) which will win most games. But that yardage was a bit one-sided with 335 yards coming through the air and it had 94 yards on the last drive alone. That was a solid sustained drive and so was the first it had to start the game which covered 66 yards and also finished with a touchdown. But there was not a lot of consistency in between. Trenton Bourguet threw for 335 yards (32-for-49) while Elijhah badger had 12 catches for 134 yards. Both those players had career games against the Buffs last season. The offensive line held up decently in the first half but faltered in the second and Bourguet was sacked five times.

Defense (B-): Colorado had 295 yards, well under its season average and as stated, ASU contained QB Shedeur Sanders. The blown coverage on the big play on the last drive was the biggest flaw on an otherwise stellar night. ASU had five sacks and nine tackles for loss. That sack total gives ASU 18 sacks, one more than it had in 12 games last season. B.J. Green and Prince Dorbah each had seven tackles while Dorbah had 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for a loss. LB Tate Romney added seven tackles and two breakups.

Special teams (C): The biggest flaw here was giving up 51 yards on a punt return that led to a field goal. The punting game was much-improved with an average of 41.7 yards with four of seven tries downed inside the 20. Dario Longhetto made a 33-yard field goal but had one from 52 yards blocked. It was his first miss of the season. Badger had 35 yards on two kick returns.

Personnel

Players unavailable due to injury included OL Ben Coleman, OL Isaiah Glass, OL Emmit Bohle, OL Aaron Frost, OL Sione Finau, RB DeCarlos Brooks, RB George Hart, QB Drew Pyne, QB Jaden Rashada, DB Montana Warren, WR Jordyn Tyson, LB Travion Brown, P Josh Carlson . . . TE Jalin Conyers saw just a handful of plays, slowed all week by sickness . . . True freshman Sean Na'a got his first start because of the injuries on the offensive line. Ian Hershey saw his first action, filling in for punter Carlson . . . . Ed Woods drew a targeting call on a punt return in the second half so he will have to sit out the fist half of the next game.

Up next

The Sun Devils have a much-needed bye this week which should go a long way in helping the long list of injured players. The next game for ASU will come on Oct. 21 when they head to the Pacific Northwest to face Washington (5-0, 2-0). The Huskies had a bye this week and will face Arizona next Saturday. They have not lost a game since being upset last season by the Sun Devils exactly one year ago.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU slows down Shedeur Sanders, Buffaloes but fall by a field goal again