Instant Analysis: UCLA-Arizona State

If Arizona State had any kind of offense, Dennis Erickson’s team would already be headed for a bowl game in 2008. But because ASU’s defense was able to provide plenty of points on Friday night in Tempe against UCLA, the Sun Devils will at least have a chance to make a postseason party of some sort.

In one of the most bizarre games college football has ever seen, Arizona State stayed alive in its pursuit of a bowl game by running away from Rick Neuheisel’s Bruins despite a very meager offensive showing. Even though ASU tallied just 101 yards and (technically) just six points, the Devils—despite being smothered by coordinator Dewayne Walker’s UCLA defense—accumulated four touchdowns because their defense had a nose for the pigskin.

Arizona State defensive coordinator Craig Bray rejoiced as his unit produced not one, not two, but three pick-sixes against beleaguered and batted Bruin quarterback Kevin Craft. In addition to those three influential interceptions, the Devils also took a fumble return to the end zone when UCLA receiver Derrick Coleman, who is deaf, understandably assumed that a forward-moving football was an incomplete pass, and not a fumble that flew at an odd angle from Craft’s right arm. While almost everyone else in the ballpark stood around like a statue and assumed the play was over, alert ASU linebacker Paul ‘Unga swooped in to grab the motionless football and run it into the end zone. No whistles blew from the Pac-10 officiating crew, and a few moments later, the home team had its first touchdown of the evening in Tempe. Little could anyone have known that ASU’s defense would score three more touchdowns before the night was through.

No pick-six is insignificant, but two of ASU’s three thefts—by linebackers Travis Goethel and Mike Nixon—were downright pedestrian compared to the consequential catch-and-cruise crusher produced by Sun Devil safety Troy Nolan.

With 9:50 left in the fourth quarter, the Bruins—trailing 17-9 and given a first-and-goal at the ASU 6 on a pass interference penalty—were close to a touchdown that, if followed by a successful two-point try, would have tied the Sun Devils and made life uneasy for the home team. Given that ASU’s offense was AWOL throughout this contest, a 17-all tie—if forged—would have given UCLA a clear advantage heading into the home stretch. Just six more yards, and the Bruins would have a chance to hang a “terrible two” on ASU.

Enter Nolan.

Craft tried to throw a flag route to the left side of the south end zone at Sun Devil Stadium, but his wobbly pass was short and late. Nolan softly tipped the ball away from the UCLA receiver with his right hand, and the ball settled into his mitts about four yards behind the goal line. Because the rest of UCLA’s offensive unit was bunched in the middle of the field, in or near the end zone, Nolan had a clear path along the sideline, and he followed it 100 yards for a touchdown (unofficially, the distance was 104 yards, but college ball—unlike the NFL—caps return distances at 100 yards). In a heartbeat, the Devils had gone from sweating bullets to delivering a dagger into UCLA’s midsection. What could have been a 17-all tie instead became a 24-9 ASU lead. Among the Devils’ four defensive scores, that nifty tip-and-catch combo by Troy Nolan proved to be the most significant statement of the night.

Disregard the fact that UCLA nearly tripled ASU in terms of total yardage. Ignore the fact that the Devils were just 2-of-13 on third downs. Toss aside the meager total of 20 rushing yards compiled by the home team. None of it mattered on a night when Arizona State’s defense scored 28 points, keeping the possessors of the pitchfork alive in the chase for a bowl game. One more day of Devilish defense next week in Tucson against archrival Arizona, and an ASU outfit that was once 2-6 will sneak in the back door to a postseason contest.