Nov. 7, 2009
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Arizona State Notes
•In Good Hands: With nine receptions on the evening (118 yards), WR Chris McGaha moved into fourth on the Arizona State all-time receiving charts with 160 career grabs. The senior standout now trails Eric Guliford, who pulled down 164 in his career, for the No. 3 position. Entering the game in the sixth position, McGaha moved past a pair of wide outs who recorded 156 receptions in their careers, including Shaun McDonald and John Mistler.
•More McGaha: With his 118 yards receiving (on nine catches), McGaha recorded his second 100 yard-plus performance of the season, with his first coming at home against Oregon State, when he pulled down 15 passes for 165 yards. Tonight, he also recorded a touchdown (23 yards from QB Brock Osweiler) to give him four for the season, which is the most he has had in a single season in his four-year career in Tempe (previous high was three receiving touchdowns in 2007).
• Sacked: DE Dexter Davis recorded a sack early in the fourth quarter to give him 30 for his career, the third-most all-time in program history. Just the third to record 30-plus sacks in a career, Davis now trails Shante Carver (1990-93) for second all-time after Carver recorded 41 in his time in Tempe.
• Brock and Roll: Entering the game, QB Brock Osweiler had collected 82 yards on 8-of-18 passing with one touchdown. Tonight, Osweiler set career-highs in several categories as the rookie went 11-for-27 passing for 153 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His previous season (and career) high of 43 yards came against Idaho State in the season opener where he was 4-for-5 with one touchdown. Osweiler also through his first interception tonight, but that came on a last-second ‘Hail Mary’ pass to the end zone.
• Half Century for Weber: PK Thomas Weber became just the third Sun Devil kicker to record 50 or more field goals in a career as the junior connected on a 21-yard attempt in the second quarter. Weber currently has 50 career conversions and needs one more to tie Jesse Ainsworth (2003-06) for the second-most in a career. The make in the second quarter also broke a tie Weber held with Mike Barth, who collected 49 in his career (1999-02).
• First and Many: TB Cameron Marshall and CB Deveron Carr made the first starts of their careers while DE Dexter Davis started his 47th-consecutive game, the most of any Sun Devil since 1984. The first starts by Marshall and Carr made them the 14th and 15th Sun Devils, respectively, to earn their first start this season. Marshall led the Sun Devils on the ground as he collected 42 yards on 16 carries, which equaled a career-high for carries set last week against California.
• Tip Drill: Early in the fourth quarter, S Clint Floyd was in on a play that involved the ball bouncing several times off several people before he came down with the interception, ending a two-game drought for the defense. The 14th pick of the season for the Sun Devils also was Floyd’s first career interception and made him the ninth different defender to record a pick this season.
• Noting the Defense: The Sun Devil defense limited USC to its lowest total offensive output of the season by holding the Trojans to 258 yards (146 rushing-112 passing), surpassing the 313 total yards Ohio State held USC to… the 112 yards passing allowed by ASU also was the second-lowest output for USC (110 at Washington) and just the third time this season the Trojans did not accumulate 200 or more yards through the air… USC recorded only 12 total first downs in the game (8 rushing-2 passing-2 penalty), its lowest of the season (14, Washington State) while the two first downs through the air is its lowest of the year (3, Washington)… USC did not have a possession that saw it reach the red zone (scored on a 75 yard pass and on a 55 yard interception return).
• Hash Marks: Former Sun Devil shortstop and member of the World Champion Boston Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia was on hand to spike Sparky’s pitchfork at mid-field prior to the team taking the field… ASU is now 9-17 all-time against USC and 5-9 in games played in Tempe… ASU’s QB duo of Danny Sullivan (113) and Brock Osweiler (153) recorded more passing yards than USC starter Matt Barkley (112).