Two Late Scores Lift Arizona State Past Upset-Minded Cal Poly, 35-21

Saturday, September 12

Tempe, AZ

8:7 pm

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Arizona State

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Cal Poly

Arizona State

Two Late Scores Lift Arizona State Past Upset-Minded Cal Poly, 35-21

9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

TEMPE, Arizona – Quarterback Mike Bercovici passed for three touchdowns, including a pair in the final eight minutes to snap a 21-21 tie, as Arizona State of the Pac-12 held off Cal Poly of the Big Sky, 35-21, in a non-conference football game Saturday night in Sun Devils Stadium.

Cal Poly held its own for more than three quarters, battling the Sun Devils on even terms before Bercovici hit Kody Kohl with a 10-yard scoring pass with 7:36 to play and Tim White with a four-yarder with two minutes remaining.

Coach Tim Walsh's Mustangs, playing a Pac-12 school for the first time in the 97-year history of the Cal Poly football program, fell to 1-1. Arizona State evened its mark at 1-1.

Bercovici completed 23 of 35 passes for 283 yards and was sacked just once, eight fewer than in last week's 38-17 loss against Texas A&M in Houston.

Cal Poly gained most of its yards on the ground, led by sophomore fullback Joe Protheroe's second 100-yard game in as many starts this season. Protheroe netted 130 yards on 28 carries and scored once while fellow sophomore fullback Jared Mohamed added 75 yards on 11 trips.

Senior quarterback Chris Brown completed just four of eight passes for 46 yards, but one of his completions went for 21 yards and a touchdown to tight end Reagan Enger. Brown also rushed for 25 yards on 15 carries, scoring on a one-yard run late in the second quarter.

Cal Poly overcame 14-0 and 21-7 deficits to catch the Sun Devils at 21-21 on the opening drive of the third quarter.

D.J. Foster caught a 14-yard pass from Bercovici in the first quarter and Demario Richard scored on a 13-yard run early in the second period to give Arizona State its 14-0 lead.

Protheroe (pictured above) capped a 64-yard, eight-play drive with a four-yard run to cut the Sun Devil lead to 14-7 with 10:32 to go in the first half. All eight plays of the drive were runs by fullbacks, including 49 yards on four carries by Mohamed.

Arizona State re-established its 14-point cushion on a six-yard run by Richard with 7:06 to go in the second quarter. The 43-yard drive was ignited by De'Chavon Hayes' 57-yard kickoff return.

But the Mustangs scored the next two touchdowns to knot the score at 21-21.

Brown scored from one yard out with nine seconds remaining in the second quarter, capping a 46-yard, 10-play drive.

Cal Poly also got the ball to start the third quarter and marched 75 yards on just eight plays. Brown found Enger open in the right corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown pass, tying the game at 21-21 with 11:41 to play.

Neither team scored for over 18 minutes, though Arizona State had one touchdown wiped off the scoreboard via replay and Zane Gonzalez, who made 47 field goals in his first two seasons at Arizona State, missed a 28-yard field goal wide right with 12:00 to go in the game.

The Sun Devils finally snapped the tie on a 10-yard pass from Bercovici to Kohl with 7:36 to play, culminating a 46-yard, five-play drive. White's four-yard scoring catch from Bercovici climaxed a quick 86-yard, five-play drive that sealed Cal Poly's fate White scampered 59 yards to set up his scoring catch.

Devin Lucien caught seven passes and D.J. Foster six for the Sun Devils. Richard finished with 121 yards on 25 rushes, scoring twice, and Foster added 76 yards on 12 trips.

Cal Poly's defensive leaders were safety B.J. Nard and cornerback Chris Fletcher, each with eight tackles. Fletcher, who also broke up a pass, injured his left ankle in the third quarter and did not return. Fernando Cabico replaced Fletcher on the next play and intercepted a Bercovici pass in the end zone to halt an Arizona State drive.

Linebacker Tu'uta Inoke forced a Sun Devil fumble, his third of the season, and safety Kevin Griffin recovered the loose ball for Cal Poly.

Jordan Simone and Christian Sam each had 12 tackles for Arizona State. Sam recorded both Sun Devil sacks while linebacker Burton De Koning notched the Mustang sack.

Arizona State compiled advantages of 28-20 in first downs and 531-330 in total offense but Cal Poly had the edge in time of possession, 32:22 to 27:38.

Cal Poly, ranked No. 18 in the media poll and No. 20 in the coaches poll this week, plays its home opener next weekend, hosting No. 14 Northern Iowa for a 7:30 p.m. non-conference contest in Alex G. .Spanos Stadium. The Panthers defeated No. 7 Eastern Washington 38-35 on Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Photo above of Joe Protheroe courtesy of Owen Main | www.fansmanship.com