Arizona State took care of business on Saturday night, dispatching Oregon State 30-17 to set up a huge matchup against UCLA next weekend. The winner of that one will be in the driver’s seat for the Pac-12 South.
Oregon State vs. Arizona State 2013 results: Sun Devils put a fork in Beavers, win 30-17
A dominant effort on defense helps Arizona State improve to 8-2 on the year.
Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sport
The Sun Devils raced out to a 20-0 lead in this one, thanks to a pair of rushing touchdowns by Marion Grice and another 8-yard score courtesy of D.J. Foster. The strength of those early scores would prove to be enough, as the Beavers were never really able to get it going on offense -- Oregon State closed to within ten after a Sean Mannion touchdown pass to Caleb Smith in the third quarter, but they would get no closer.
Though the Sun Devils have made their name by lighting up scoreboards this season, their victory was keyed largely by how they shut down Mannion, who entered the game as the nation’s leading passer at 393.3 yards per game. Against ASU, Mannion spent most of the game struggling to reach half that number, finishing with 320 yards on 31 of 46 passing, with four interceptions against two touchdowns.
The last of those four landed in the hands of Sun Devil cornerback Robert Nelson, who returned it 22 yards for a touchdown and a 30-10 lead that effectively sealed the game.
Box Score Hero: On a night when Taylor Kelly did not play particularly well, Marion Grice stepped up instead, carrying the ball 24 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Rankings Ramifications: The Sun Devils are not likely to move up as a result of this one, as no teams immediately above them lost.
But Did They Cover? Arizona State was a 13.5-point favorite. With the 13 point win, they did not cover.
For More On This Game: For more on Oregon State, hit up Building the Dam. Arizona State’s team blog on SB Nation is House of Sparky.
Next Week’s Schedule: Oregon State will host Washington next week, while Arizona State heads to UCLA for a huge Pac-12 South showdown.
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