Postgame Notes

[Hod Rabino]

Quick Hits

• ASU improves to 77-27-2 on Opening Day in history and 59-15-1 on Opening Day at home.
• The Sun Devils have now recorded 20 consecutive Opening Day wins, including 17 straight season opening wins at home. ASU’s current 20-game active home opener win streak is tied for the fourth-longest in the country.
• The win marks Herm Edwards’ first win as a head coach in collegiate football.
• Improves ASU to 39-14-3 against teams currently competing in C-USA. (49 wins came against UTEP when ASU and UTEP both played in the WAC)
• The win moves ASU to 2-0 all-time against the Roadrunners
• The Sun Devils have not allowed an opponent to score on their first drive in season home openers since 9/4/10.
• ASU allowed two rushing yards to UTSA, the program’s fewest allowed rushing yards since keeping Washington State to -52-yards on the ground on Oct. 22, 2016. It is also the the first time since holding an opponent under 100 yards rushing since Oct. 14, 2017 against Washington (91).

TOP 10 BEST RUSH DEFENSE GAMES (1996-PRESENT)
-54, @Washington State (Oct. 10, 2009)
-52, Washington State (Oct. 22, 2016)
-5, Washington (Oct. 19, 2013)
-5, Idaho State (Sept. 5, 2009)
-2, @Stanford (Sept. 29, 2007)
-1, UCLA (Oct. 8, 2016)
2, UTSA (Sept. 1, 2018)
2, @Washington State (Nov. 1, 2013)
5, California (Nov. 9, 1996)
7, Washington State (Nov. 15, 2008)

SUN DEVIL CAREER RECEPTIONS
258, Derek Hagan (2002-05)
222, D.J. Foster (2012-15)
188, John Jefferson (1974-77)
168, Chris McGaha (2006-09)
164, Eric Guliford (1989-92)
157, Jaelen Strong (2013-14)
156, Shaun McDonald (2000-02)
156, John Mistler (1977-80)
146, N’Keal Harry (2016-present)
143, Lenzie Jackson (1995-98)
140, Keith Poole (1993-96)

BIGGEST HALFTIME LEAD (2002-PRESENT)
42 (42-0) vs. Sacramento State, 9-5-13
42 (42-0) vs. NAU, 8-30-12
41 (47-6) vs. Colorado, 10-12-13
32 (32-0) vs. Washington State, 11-17-12
31 (31-0) vs. Weber State, 8-27-14
28 (28-0) vs. UTSA, 9-1-18
28 (42-14) vs. Washington State, 10-31-13
28 (31-3) vs. San Jose State, 9-1-07

• First time ASU has had 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the same game since Demario Richard and Devin Lucien at California in 2015.
• 18 Sun Devils made their debut in tonight’s game.
• Eno Benjamin broke 100 yards in his first half of his first career start at running back.
• Recorded nine sacks against UTSA, the most since the Sun Devils sacked the UCLA Bruins the same amount of times on Nov. 23, 2013 at the Rose Bowl.
• ASU recorded 15 tackles for a loss, the most since the Sun Devils recorded that same amount against Washington State on Oct. 30, 2010. The Roadrunners lost 85 yards on those plays.
• Forced three turnovers, the most since Oct. 21, 2017 at Utah.
• The 14 points scored off of turnovers was the most since the Sun Devils had two pick-sixes in the season opener last season against New Mexico State (8/31/17).

Sun Devil Firsts

• Isaiah Floyd made his first career kick return to start the game
• Shannon Foreman recorded his first pick six in the first quarter of tonight’s game
• Tyler Johnson recorded his first sack late in the first quarter
• Darius Slade credited for his first sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery as a Sun Devil in the second quarter
• Chase Lucas recorded his first career sack in the second quarter
• Terrell Chatman caught his first career touchdown late in the second quarter
• Eno Benjamin caught his first career touchdown in the third quarter
• Eno Benjamin recorded his first career multi touchdown game
• Isaiah Floyd’s first career touchdown came in the final minutes of the third quarter.
• D.J. Davidson recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter of the game.
• A.J. Carter’s first career rush midway in the fourth quarter
• Kyle Soelle’s first career forced fumble late in the fourth quarter
• Merlin Robertson, Aashari Crosswell, Darrien Butler, Kyle Soelle, Darius Slade, and Terin Adams all made their Sun Devil debuts tonight and recorded a tackle.

You are a Wizard, Harry

• N’Keal Harry moves into ninth in school history for career receptions with 146, passing Lenzie Jackson.
• N’Keal Harry recorded his sixth 100-yard receiving game.

N’KEAL HARRY 100-yard RECEIVING PERFORMANCES (6):
170 vs. Oregon (9/23/17)
148 at Texas Tech (9/16/17)
142 vs. NC State (12/29/17)
140 vs. UTSA (9/1/18)
114 at Washington (11/19/16)
114 at Utah (11/10/16)

• N’Keal Harry has a reception in all 26 games of his career at Arizona State.
• Harry needs 59 receiving yards to reach 2,000 yards in his career.

Lighting up the Scoreboard

• The most points UTSA allowed last season was 31 against Southern Miss.
• ASU's 49 points tonight were the most allowed by the Roadrunners since UTSA allowed 63 to La. Tech on Nov. 12, 2016.
• UTSA was 6-1 in season openers before tonight. ASU's 49 points most allowed.

A Hand In The Cookie Jar

• ASU has added four fumble return touchdowns as well for 21 defensive touchdowns since the 2012 season, good for fourth in the country in that time span behind Ohio State (26), Alabama (23) and Boise State (24).
• ASU has 17 interception returns for touchdowns in the last seven seasons, the most in the FBS.
• The Sun Devils have 92 interceptions in the last seven seasons, ranked in the Top 10 nationally

Most Points vs. First FBS Opponent in Debut Seasons
Herm Edwards (49 points vs. UTSA, 2018)
Frank Kush (47 points vs. Hawaii, 1958)
Todd Graham (45 points vs. Illinois, 2012; scored 63 vs. FCS NAU in first game of 2012)
Dennis Erickson (45 points vs. San Jose State, 2007)
Dirk Koetter (38 points vs. San Diego State, 2001)
Darryl Rogers (29 points vs. Houston, 1980)
Larry Marmie (21 points vs. Illinois, 1988)
Bruce Snyder (7 points vs. Washington, 1992)
John Cooper (3 points vs. Michigan State, 1985)

Third and Gone

• The first touchdown of the game came on a third and five play, when Wilkins found Harry for a 58-yard touchdown
• The Sun Devils scored on an 11-yard pass from Manny Wilkins to Terrell Chatman on third and 10 in the second quarter.

Keep it Rolling

• ASU has now recorded 122 consecutive games with at least seven points. The Sun Devils have not been held to seven or fewer points since the 2008 season, and are tied with LA Tech for an FBS record.

Career Highs

• Eno Benjamin career high 131 rushing yards
• Michael Sleep-Dalton 62-yard punt late in the fourth quarter.
  • 61-yard punt in the start of the second quarter
• Eno Benjamin career long 34-yard rush in the first quarter
• Manny Wilkins career-high four passing touchdowns. Wilkins also established a new career with a 204.6 QB rating.
• Isaiah Floyd career-high 79 rushing yards

He’s The Manny

• Manny Wilkins first ASU quarterback to throw for 4+ touchdowns since Mike Bercovici (vs. West Virginia; Cactus Bowl Jan. 3, 2016)
• Manny Wilkins moved to ninth in school history with 5,836 career passing yards with his 24-yard completion to Frank Darby in the second quarter
• Wilkins completed nine of his last 11 pass attempts, accounting for 127 yards and three touchdowns recording a QB rating of 298.0.
• With Wilkins at the helm, ASU scored a touchdown on four of his last five possessions.
• He accounted three or more touchdowns for the third consecutive games and the eighth time in his career.

MANNY WILKINS 3+ TOUCHDOWN PERFORMANCES (8)
4 TD’s (four passing) vs. UTSA (9/1/18)
4 TD’s (three passing, one rushing) vs. NC State (12/29/17)
4 TD’s (one passing, three rushing) vs. California (9/24/16)
3 TD’s (three passing) vs. Arizona (11/25/17)
3 TD’s (two passing, one rushing) vs. Colorado (11/4/17)
3 TD’s (one passing, two rushing) vs. Oregon (9/23/17)
3 TD’s (three passing) at Texas Tech (9/16/17)
3 TD’s (three passing) at Arizona (11/25/16)

Gold Zone

• Arizona State was a perfect 4-4 in red-zone appearances
  • Eno Benjamin scores on a rush from three yards out.
  • Manny Wilkins 11-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Chatman.
  • Manny Wilkins 7-yard touchdown pass to Eno Benjamin
  • Isaiah Floyd 5-yard touchdown, his first career

Chunk Plays

• The Sun Devil offense finished with 10 rushing plays going 10+ yards, led by a 34-yard Eno Benjamin rush in the first quarter.
• ASU also finished with seven passing plays of over 15 yards, paced by N’Keal Harry’s 58-yard touchdown reception.
• The Sun Devils finished with 17 total chunk plays.