White Rallies Sun Devil Football Past UW in 35-30 Win in Seattle

SEATTLE – For the second straight week, the Sun Devil Football team rode hot hand of running back Rachaad White as it erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off the Washington Huskies, 35-30, on Saturday night in Seattle. 
 
A week removed from his career-best 202-yard rushing effort in a victory over USC, White added 237 all-purpose yards on Saturday – 157 of which came in the second half - with 184 on the ground and 53 through the air with two second-half touchdowns to lead the Sun Devils to its first come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter when trailing by two possessions since the historic Territorial Cup game at Arizona in 2018. 
 
The Sun Devils outscored the Huskies, 21-6, in the final frame to pull ahead despite some late theatrics from the Huskies. Jayden Daniels was 10-of-16 for 90 yards with a touchdown and a pick, but added 56 yards and a touchdown as ASU rushed for 286 yards as a team, going over 250 yards on the ground for the seventh time in its last 13 games. 
 
ASU's defense bounced back from a forgettable opening frame where it allowed 14 points, eight first downs and 106 total yards to hold the Husky offense to just 160 yards over the remainder of the game and only nine more first downs. ASU outgained UW, 157-58, in the decisive fourth quarter. Darien Butler led the way with eight tackles and one for loss while D.J. Davidson matched a career high with seven tackles as he played a huge role in holding Washington to just 95 yards on the ground.
TURNING POINT
The fourth quarter has, for the most part, been the Sun Devils' strength this season and Saturday was no different. Trailing 24-14 and struggling to get the offense going all day, ASU went with what it does best and simply ran the ball down Washington's throat in the final frame. The result was 130 yards on the ground, the team's longest drive of the last several years by plays and time (20 plays over 9:09), two touchdowns and a 21-6 fourth quarter scoring gap that improved ASU to 7-3 on the season and 5-2 in Pac-12 action. ASU has now outscored opponents, 96-35, in the fourth quarter of games this year. 
NOTABLES

• With their 35-point output, ASU is now tied for most points a team has scored against Washington over an 85-game stretch where the Huskies have not allowed more than 35 points. Oregon did it in 2019 and Penn State in 2017 while only 14 teams have even reached the 30-point mark. 
• MerlIn Robertson picked off his sixth career pass and his third of the season, returning it for the game-sealing touchdown. ASU's linebackers have seven interceptions this year, the most of any linebacker group in the FBS.
• ASU has forced 51 turnovers created in its last 21 games dating back to 2019, good for second-most in the nation over a 21-game span behind Iowa (53)
• ASU has rushed for at least 100 yards as a team in 14 straight games and has over 250 rushing yards in seven of its last 13 games.
• ASU's 44 rushing touchdowns over its last 13 games are the most in the FBS over a 13-game span.
• ASU's 20-play, 9:09 drive in the fourth quarter was its longest by plays since 2009 (22 on a game-clinching 4Q TD drive against Oregon State) and by time since 2013 (the monstrous game-sealing 10:57 drive to close out Colorado).
• Rachaad White has multiple touchdowns in seven of his 12 games played at Arizona State and at least one touchdown in 10 games. White recorded all three of ASU's third-down conversions in the game, all three of which were in the fourth quarter and also recorded both of ASU's fourth-down conversions in the game, which also both came in the fourth quarter.
• Since the expansion to the Pac-12, ASU has dominated the Huskies in the fourth quarter of games. Since the Pac-12 expansion, Washington has allowed opponents an average of just 5.5 4th quarter points per game (733 over 144 games). In 7 games against ASU in that time, the Sun Devils are averaging 12.6 points per 4Q points per game and outscoring UW 88-44 with ASU reaching double digits five times.
• ASU extended its streak of games not allowing a 50-yard play to 12, trailing only Oregon (15) for the longest active streak in the FBS.
• It was the first time UW had blown a two-possession fourth quarter lead since Washington State in the 2012 Apple Cup. The Cougs outscored UW, 18-0, in the 4th to send it to overtime and won, 31-28.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER
It was all Huskies in the opening frame as UW outgained the Sun Devils, 106-49, driving down the field on its first two drives of the game to jump out to a quick 14-0 advantage. Washington had eight first downs in the frame after having just seven in its entire game against Oregon last weekend. 
 
SECOND QUARTER
The Sun Devil defense settled in to keep ASU within striking distance. The Devils drove to the UW 2-yard line early in the second but were stuffed on four-straight plays at the goaline to turn the ball over on downs with no points to show. The shift in field position paid its dividends, however, as ASU would force back-to-back Washington three-and-outs deep in its own territory to finally put itself in position late in the frame. ASU capitalized with a 7-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in just :46 seconds to get on the board with just 1:52 remaining in the half after Daniels' 18-yard strike to a wide-open Curtis Hodges to get back within 14-7. However, UW ended up with good field position following some spotty coverage on the ensuing squib 

THIRD QUARTER
The Sun Devil offense continued to sputter in the second half before being gifted incredible field position following a UW fumble and Tyler Johnson scoop and 32-yard return to the UW 8-yard line. ASU didn't squander the opportunity as Rachaad White punched it in from five yards out two plays later to get back within 17-14. But the Sun Devils would immediately return the Husky favor with a Daniels pick leading to another UW touchdown on the final play of the third quarter to extend the lead back to 24-14.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
It took the longest drive of the season by time (9:09) and plays (20) as ASU drove 81 yards and got back within a field goal on Jayden Daniels four-yard rush to get back within 24-21. ASU had to shake off several offensive penalties on the drive, including one that wiped out a 47-yard White touchdown run. The Sun Devil defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing UW drive and ASU wasted no time this go around, driving 56-yards on eight plays with the go-ahead touchdown from White with 1:11 left in the game to go up 28-24. Merlin Robertson sealed the deal with a pick-six on fourth down on UW's ensuing drive to make it 35-24. The game didn't end without some drama with UW capitalizing on incredibly field positions thanks to a pair of ASU unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to score a touchdown with three seconds remaining to get within 35-30 following a failed two-point conversion. UW would end up recovering the onside kick after the clock mind-numbingly didn't start after the ball was touched on the ensuing onside kick but the Deandre Pierce broke up the final attempt of the game harmlessly to send ASU home with the victory.