Arizona State hangs on after stopping BYU’s Hail Mary try

Cam Skattebo carried the load as soon as once more for Arizona State, speeding for 147 yards and three touchdowns. His reward was a well-earned celebration with followers.

Twice.

Skattebo had one other huge sport, Sam Leavitt threw for 247 yards and No. 21 Arizona State held on within the ultimate minutes to beat No. 14 BYU 28-23 on Saturday. The tight end was capped by a weird ultimate minute, together with a untimely discipline storming by Arizona State’s followers that took roughly quarter-hour to clear earlier than BYU heaved a ultimate Hail Mary that fell incomplete.

“We received the soccer sport,” second-year coach Kenny Dillingham stated. “We beat one other ranked staff at Mountain America Stadium. So that is all in regards to the guys. These guys battled, these guys fought and located a option to win. No matter occurred on the finish, it occurred.

“You already know what? We obtained to hurry the sphere twice, how about that?”

Javan Robinson’s interception with 1:04 left gave the impression to shut it out for Arizona State, however the Solar Devils stalled on the following offensive drive. Leavitt threw the ball out of bounds on fourth down, and Arizona State’s scholar part — believing the sport was over — rushed the sphere.

However officers dominated there was 1 second left, and BYU had a shot on the Hail Mary try from its personal 49. BYU coach Kalani Sitake argued for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which might have moved the ball nearer to the top zone, however he did not get it.

1000’s of followers needed to be cleared from the sphere earlier than Jake Retzlaff’s deep cross fell incomplete just a few yards wanting the top zone.

“This sport did not come right down to that,” Sitake stated. “That is simply the sport. This ref crew was superior; they communicated properly with me. We had an opportunity to snap the ball from the 49. We might have liked to have it nearer, however that is simply the sport. The sport wasn’t received or misplaced in that second.

“It was the 59 minutes and 59 seconds earlier than.”

Sitake stated officers knowledgeable him that the Large 12 Convention made a ruling that there can be no unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Nonetheless, sources informed ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti that the decision was not made by the convention however by Greg Burks, who’s the coordinator of officers and a part of the officiating crew.

Sitake stated he wasn’t upset on the officiating crew, nevertheless it was an emotional loss for the Cougars, who doubtless had their Faculty Soccer Playoff hopes dashed.

“I used to be attempting to cling on to as a lot hope as I may,” Sitake stated. “It is OK. None of our guys have been damage. There was no huge difficulty there. They finally cleared it and we have been in a position to get that one play. I perceive the followers’ pleasure and vitality.”

The shocking Solar Devils (9-2, 6-2 Large 12) have received 4 straight and now discover themselves on the perimeter of the Faculty Soccer Playoff dialogue. BYU (9-2, 6-2) has misplaced two in a row, all however dashing its CFP hopes.

Arizona State took a 28-9 lead when Leavitt hit a wide-open Xavier Guillory for a 61-yard landing with 2:06 left within the third quarter, however BYU rallied, slicing the margin to 28-17 lower than 90 seconds later when Retzlaff hit Jojo Phillips for a 21-yard rating.

After a defensive cease, BYU scored once more on Keelan Marion’s 1-yard landing run with 8:44 left. The Cougars’ 2-point conversion try failed, leaving the rating at 28-23.

Retzlaff threw for 297 yards and a landing but in addition had two pricey interceptions. Darius Lassiter caught 5 passes for 103 yards.

Arizona State began the sport with a defensive cease on fourth-and-5 at midfield and responded with a bruising 10-play, 54-yard drive, capped by Skattebo’s 3-yard landing run. The 215-pound again had 44 yards on seven carries on the drive.

“The boys have fought every single day,” Skattebo stated. “We did not blink after they began scoring factors.”

The Solar Devils and Skattebo have been again at it within the second quarter, placing collectively a methodical 12-play, 95-yard march for the staff’s longest landing drive of the season.

Skattebo completed it off with a 4-yard run, slicing by means of the fitting aspect of the offensive line for a 14-0 lead.

Arizona State stayed aggressive with a wonderfully executed onside kick that was recovered by Plas Johnson. Six performs later, Skattebo broke by means of the road once more and sprinted 23 yards for his third landing of the primary half.

The Related Press contributed to this report.