2014 Sun Bowl results: Arizona State holds off Duke rally

In the nine previous years of F/+ rankings, the highest-ranked team with a losing record has often seen a significant bump the next year. In 2006, Tennessee went from 5-6 and 24th in the F/+ rankings to 9-4 and 10th. In 2010, Clemson went from 6-7 to 10-4. And in 2014, Utah went from 5-7 to 9-4. A couple of others (Alabama in 2007, Pitt in 2013) saw at least small bumps in the win-loss record.

That’s the good news. The bad news: four other teams saw the bottom drop out. UCLA fell from 6-7 and 24th in 2007 to 4-8 and 85th in 2008. In 2009, Illinois fell from 5-7 and 43rd to 3-9 and 92nd. In 2010, Wake Forest fell from 5-7 and 43rd to 3-9 and 103rd. And in 2012, USF fell from 5-7 and 35th to 3-9 and 73rd.

Arizona State is your 2014 Sun Bowl champion. This is now Todd Graham’s second 10-win season in three years in Tempe, plus his second bowl win. The Sun Devils had not won double-digit games in consecutive years since the early 1970s.

Missed ASU opportunities and Duke’s bend-don’t-break kept this one close. ASU settled for three field goals, failed two fourth-down tries, and punted once. Duke -- outgained by about 100 yards until late in the fourth quarter -- also found its offense thanks in part to a couple fourth down conversions of its own, including a brave halfback pass on fourth-and-2 for a go-ahead touchdown, 31-30.

Who wins: movable force or resistible object?

Any game involving Cincinnati (25th in Off. F/+, 88th in Def. F/+) can become a shootout. Any game involving Virginia Tech (91st in Off. F/+, fourth in Def. F/+) can become a defensive slog. Cincinnati won games by scores of 58-34, 54-46, and 38-31. Virginia Tech lost games by scores of 21-16 and 6-3.

Two surging programs will square off in El Paso Saturday, each looking for their 10th win of the season. Duke and Arizona State play in this year’s Sun Bowl, with a high-scoring game looking likely.

After an early-season blowout loss to UCLA, Arizona State managed to work its way back into the playoff picture by recording consecutive victories over USC, Stanford, Washington, Utah and Notre Dame. Each of those schools was ranked when Arizona State played them (except for Washington), and Notre Dame was ranked No. 10 at the time of the game. The Sun Devils got bumped all the way up to No. 6 as a result ... and then dropped a road game to Oregon State. Arizona State ended up finishing third in a loaded Pac-12 South, but have a chance for redemption here.

Duke head coach David Cutcliffe reportedly turned down an approach for the Michigan job, according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. It should also be noted that Michigan’s Rivals site disputes that he was ever offered the job and Duke reporter Laura Keeley denies contact.

On its face, the statement “Duke football coach turns down opportunity at Michigan” is one of the more farcical things one can imagine regarding college football, a sport stuffed to the gills with farces. However, the circumstances surrounding this actually make it plausible.

The 1940 Sun Bowl was the lowest-scoring game in the history of college football, because no game could possibly net fewer points. Arizona State and Catholic University played to a scoreless draw. Sun Devils quarterback Walt Ruth was 0-for-7 with two interceptions, and both teams combined for 16 yards passing and 23 punts.

Please hope that the 2014 Hyundai Sun Bowl is better. It must be better. Last year’s game was a far cry from 1940’s debacle. UCLA scored 28 points in the fourth quarter and dominated Virginia Tech, 42-12. This year, it will be Duke against Arizona State, according to ESPN.