ASU @ Oregon Liveblog

TV Oversimplified Keys to Game:

For ASU:
Protect Rudy Carpenter
Establish Run
Contain Dennis Dixon

For Oregon:
Get Ahead, Stay Ahead
Disrupt Sun devils run attack
Keep Crowd involved

A minor note: these are echoed in my pregame hype post for this game, proving that sports are too important to leave to the professionals.

Oregon stars with ball

14:46 1Q: A very inauspicious beginning. On the first offensive play, Williams catches a 40+ yard pass off of play action from Dixon.

13:47 1Q: WR screen to Williams. Goes in for touchdown. Hope the Devils brought the firepower for this shootout. XP good, 7-0 Oregon.

11:21 1Q: Burgess is coming into his own at receiver. Now that he has a specific position to focus on instead of his previous slate of RB/WR/DB/PR/KR, he has a lot of upside.

Sometime after 11:21 1Q: FSN clock broken. ASU drive stalls, settles for FG. 7-3 Oregon.

Later in the 1Q: Stewart smashes his way through the ASU defense repeatedly, eventually for the TD. XP is good, 14-3 Oregon. FSN really needs to fix the broken clock. This is the versatility of the spread option, with Oregon getting big plays on the run and pass.

Later in the 1Q: Carpenter fumbles snap on 3rd and long, takes sack. Another sluggish start for the Devils. Keegan is effective, but not consistently so. Nance cannot get the extra one or two yards after contact like he did against Cal.

Early in the 2Q: ASU's defensive backs cannot keep up with the Oregon receivers, and the ASU linebackers and defensive line are having trouble containing Dixon. With problems on two fronts, Oregon scores easily. Extra point is good, 21-3 Ducks in 2Q.

14:27 Q2: FSN decides to grace its viewers with the time on the clock. ASU returns kick to 21, well covered by Oregon.

11:50 Q2: Carpenter scrambles around, fires toward end zone, and finds Mike Jones open for the score. Extra point is good, 21-10 Ducks.

10:54 Q2: ASU's defense forces an Oregon punt, and Williams has a nice return to the ASU 40.

8:24 Q2: ASU drive stalls as Carpenter airmails two straight passes. Kick team goes out, gets it done; 21-13 Oregon.

7:40 Q2: Oregon seems to have abandoned bludgeoning ASU to death with Stewart. Excellent coverage from ASU DB's Tryon and Josh Tyree. Oregon punts, but ASU blocks in back during return. 1st and 10 ASU from Oregon 20.

5:42 Q2: On a third and forever, Carpenter can't find anyone open and is taken down near line of scrimmage. Punt from 1 yard line gives Oregon the ball at the ASU 37.

3:26 Q2: With a third and one, Dixon and Stewart fumble the exchange. It is booted to midfield, where ASU recovers!

2:03 Q2: A screen pass on 3rd and 11 is driven out of bounds, but a late hit by the Oregon defense gives ASU renewed life. Ball on the Oregon 30.

0:47 Q2: Nance finally gets time and room to get his body moving forward and picks up a third and 1 plus six or seven yards.

Weber misses FG as time expires. Oregon explodes in the first quarter, but ASU ends half on 10-0 run to keep the score close at 21-13.

15:00 Q3: A rarity in college football: a kickoff from a tee going out of bounds. This break gives ASU great field position to start the third quarter.

13:36 Q3: A reason for the number of sacks that ASU gives up is that Carpenter is unwilling to throw the football away when faced with pressure. He tries so hard to make a play that the trades the incomplete pass for a couple of seconds dancing around in the pocket before he is brought down.

12:01 Q3: The promising ASU drive stalls, but Thomas Weber connects on a 51-yard field goal to cut the Oregon lead to 5; 21-16 Oregon.

11:53 Q3: On the ensuing kickoff, Stewart returns the ball all the way to the Oregon 49. I blame a combination of good blocking, poor pursuit angles, and Stewart's skill.

10:49 Q3: Great coverage on a deep ball by Tryon against Williams as Oregon took a shot at the end zone. His inside position gave him the opportunity to bat the ball away.

9:36 Q3: ASU unable to move out of the shadow of their own goalposts. Punt is mercifully not blocked, but Oregon starts drive at midfield.

8:44 Q3: Steward pounds through the ASU defense for a long touchdown run. At the end, several ASU players were there, but could not get Stewart down. 28-16 Oregon.

5:58 Q3: Erickson goes for it on 4th and short, but Nance hit in backfield by Chung. Turnover on downs, Oregon ball on the Oregon 40.

4:40 Q3: An impressive stand by the Devils secondary forces Oregon into a three and out. Punt takes an ASU bounce to the 27.

4:33 Q3: Keegan breaks a 25-yard run to the Oregon 47. On the next play, Carpenter overthrows Jones, who had separation from his DB on a fly route.

1:33 Q3: Stewart continues to carry Devils defenders three or four yards after contact.

A re-evaluation of his talents is in order. He possesses the rare combination of speed, size, and power that creates one of the truly great running backs.

0:00 Q3: Dixon, after faking an end-around to a wide receiver, throws another TD pass. 35-16 Oregon.

Depressing TV Statistic of the Moment:
Quarterback Sacks
Oregon: O
ASU: 6

13:01 Q4: Dixon shaken up on an option keeper. Brady Leaf (any relation to Ryan? -ed.) is the backup and he comes into the game only to promptly call a timeout. A good call, as it gives him time to warm up and the medical staff time to evaluate the extent of Dixon's knee. It appears that he was hit in the middle of a side juke by Omar Bolden while his feet were crossed.

Television Answering my Blog Questions:
FSN bio graphic mentions that Brady is indeed younger brother of Ryan, who played at Washington State during the mid to late 90s.

11:19 Q4: Oregon punts with backup QB, their punter Laserleg has ASU pinned inside 5 for the umpteenth time today. Jones makes a great catch on first down to get ASU out to the 35.

9:32 Q4: McGaha comes up clutch with a 32 yard reception on 4th and 10.
On the next play, Carpenter throws to Tacopants in the endone, where it is picked off. Defensive player inexplicably does not fall down, but runs out of end zone to the 10.

Liveblog Blowout Curbs enforced (19+ point differential after a momentum-killing mistake from down team midway through Q4), end of liveblog.