TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State sophomore placekicker Brandon Ruiz was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week, according to an announcement by the conference office on Monday.
Ruiz connected on all three of his field goal attempts (49, 24, 28), including the game-winning kick from 28 yards as time expired in ASU's 16-13 upset of then-No. 15 Michigan State on Saturday. Ruiz, who was also successful on one PAT attempt, scored ASU's first points of the game with a 49-yard field goal to cut Michigan State's lead to 6-3 in the third quarter. His second field goal (24 yards) early in the fourth quarter got ASU within a touchdown, 13-6, of the Spartans. In addition to the 10 points he was responsible for scoring, Ruiz also did not allow any kickoff returns with touchbacks on all four of his kickoffs.
This is the third time Ruiz has won the weekly Pac-12 special teams award. As a freshman in 2017, Ruiz earned the honor following ASU's 37-35 win over No. 25 Oregon (3-3 FGs, 4-4 PATs/game-winning 41-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining). He was recognized again for his performance in the Sun Devils' 30-10 win at Utah (3-3 FGs, 3-3 PATs). Ruiz was the first Sun Devil to win Pac-12 Player of the Week honors twice as a freshman since former placekicker Zane Gonzalez accomplished the feat in 2013.
Currently 2-0 under first-year head coach Herm Edwards, the Sun Devils, ranked No. 23 in this week's AP poll, return to action on Saturday when they play at San Diego State (7:30 p.m. PT/TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: ESPN 620 AM) in their first road game of the year.
Ruiz connected on all three of his field goal attempts (49, 24, 28), including the game-winning kick from 28 yards as time expired in ASU's 16-13 upset of then-No. 15 Michigan State on Saturday. Ruiz, who was also successful on one PAT attempt, scored ASU's first points of the game with a 49-yard field goal to cut Michigan State's lead to 6-3 in the third quarter. His second field goal (24 yards) early in the fourth quarter got ASU within a touchdown, 13-6, of the Spartans. In addition to the 10 points he was responsible for scoring, Ruiz also did not allow any kickoff returns with touchbacks on all four of his kickoffs.
This is the third time Ruiz has won the weekly Pac-12 special teams award. As a freshman in 2017, Ruiz earned the honor following ASU's 37-35 win over No. 25 Oregon (3-3 FGs, 4-4 PATs/game-winning 41-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining). He was recognized again for his performance in the Sun Devils' 30-10 win at Utah (3-3 FGs, 3-3 PATs). Ruiz was the first Sun Devil to win Pac-12 Player of the Week honors twice as a freshman since former placekicker Zane Gonzalez accomplished the feat in 2013.
Currently 2-0 under first-year head coach Herm Edwards, the Sun Devils, ranked No. 23 in this week's AP poll, return to action on Saturday when they play at San Diego State (7:30 p.m. PT/TV: CBS Sports Network/Radio: ESPN 620 AM) in their first road game of the year.
