By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Arizona State Sun Devils fall to the Mississippi State Bulldogs after a last-minute touchdown, 24-20.
The Sun Devils didn’t start the game well to begin with. The defense allowed running back Anthony Evans III to run for a 48-yard TD to put the Bulldogs on the board. Wide receiver Brenen Thompson caught a 47-yard touchdown from quarterback Blake Shapen in the second quarter.
The Sun Devils’ offensive performance in the first half was lackluster. They didn’t score a touchdown. By halftime, the Bulldogs led 17-3. Bulldogs defensive lineman pressured Sam Leavitt, and the Sun Devils made mistakes, especially an interception in the second quarter.
In the second half, the Sun Devils showed some fight. Kanye Udoh scored the first touchdown of the game for the Sun Devils when he ran for a 6-yard touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils rallied and tied the game 17-17 after Leavitt passed the ball to wide receiver Jordan Tyson for a 2-yard touchdown. With 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, Sun Devils kicker Jesus Gomez kicked a 18-yard field goal to give the Devils the lead, 20-17.
The game wasn’t over yet. Shapen threw the biggest pass of his season after he found Thompson for a 58-yard touchdown. The crowd went into a frenzy. The Sun Devils couldn’t recover. The biggest play of the game came during crunch time.
Leavitt tried to make another rally but got intercepted by Washington with 21 seconds left. The turnover iced the game.
The Sun Devils only had 82 passing yards. Leavitt went 10 of 22 with one touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Ryleek Brown ran for 110 yards on 18 carries.
The Sun Devils were terrible in third-down conversions. They went 3 for 14 and were penalized eight times in the game.
ASU will return home for Week 3, when it will face Texas State (2-0) next Saturday at 10:30 ET.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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