Post Game Comments: UNLV – Arizona State University Athletics

SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL GAME COMMENTS – UNLV

THE ASU VICTORY

• Is the fourth in a row for the program dating back to last season.
  • The average profit margin in those games is 48.5-16.
• It marks the first four-game winning streak since the opening of 2016 with four consecutive wins.
• ASU has won double digits in every game, the first time they have won four consecutive double digits since the first five games of the 2007 season.
• Makes it 23 wins in the last 24 games against non-conference opponents at home.
• Takes them to 2-0 to start a season under Herm Edwards for the third time in four seasons.
  • The state of Arizona has started the season 2-0 on 16 occasions since 2000.
• Leave the Sun Devils as one of only three undefeated teams in the Pac-12 after just two weeks.

BEST TOTAL DEFENSE GAME – 1996 TO PRESENT

37, State of Idaho (September 5, 2009)
100, Iowa (September 20, 2004)
115, State of San Jose (September 1, 2007)
128, North Texas (September 14, 1996)
130, Washington State (November 15, 2008)
145, Stanford (October 21, 2006)
155, UNLV (September 11, 2021)

SUN DEVILS VS. THE WEST OF THE MOUNTAIN

• ASU now has a 106-37-2 against the current Mountain West Schools.
• The Sun Devils have a home record of 69-13-1 (83.7% W PCT) against the current Mountain West Schools.
• It is the first in the history of the program against UNLV.
• ASU averaged 35.2 points per game HOME when playing Mountain West Opponents.
• Arizona State is 67-4 in games scoring over 30 points against Mountain West teams.

QUICK HITS

• First time with back-to-back games allowing a total of less than 300 yards of offense since three consecutive games against Stanford, Washington and Utah in 2014.
• ASU has allowed just 379 yards in two games this season, the lowest since 299 yards in the first two games of the 2009 season.
• Fewest passing yards (213) allowed in back-to-back games since playing Cal Poly (triple option) and New Mexico (157) to open the 2015 season.
  • This is the fewest against two non-triple option-oriented violations since Washington and Utah combined for 196 in 2014.
• It is the first time ASU has allowed less than 250 yards in back-to-back games since San Jose State (115) and Colorado (204) in the first two games of 2007.
• Johnny Wilson and LV Bunkley-Shelton each caught their first touchdown pass of their career.
• ASU has kept opponents under 30 points in 22 of 32 games under Herm Edwards, notable for allowing 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games from a 2013-17 period.
• The Sun Devils had a healthy 29-11 lead in the first downs and had the ball 34:43 of the game and controlled the action.

DAMNNNNNN DANIELS

• Jayden Daniels used his legs to destroy the UNLV defence.
• He crossed the 100m for the second time in his career and rushed for a career best 125m.
• He made just 13 carries, averaging 9.6 yards per carry, and managed scrambles and drafted runs.
• Daniels now owns two of the top five quarterback single-game rushing efforts in the program’s history.

SINGLE-GAME RUSHING YARDS BY A SUN DEVIL QUARTERBACK

139 – Mark Malone (10/14/78 vs. USC) – ASU’s first Pac-10 win, alarming No. 2 USC
135 – Taylor Kelly (30/12/13 vs Texas Tech)
133 – Mark Malone (27/10/79 vs Utah State)
125 – Jayden Daniels (09/11/21 vs UNLV)

111 – Jayden Daniels (Nov 7, 2020 vs. USC)
108 – Mark Malone (07/11/78 vs. Northwest)

• The quarterback also showed his ability to throw, passing for 2+ scores for the eighth time in his career.

THE PRICE IS WHITE

• Rachaad White was a workhorse running back for the Sun Devils, achieving a career high of 22 carries due to the absence of DeaMonte Trayanum.
• For the fourth straight game, White scored two touchdowns on the ground, earning him 10 touchdowns (9 rushing) in his first six games as a Sun Devil.

LAND AND POUND

• ASU has scored 22 goals on the ground in its last four games, the most in a four-game period in the program’s history.
• The Sun Devils went over the ground 200m for the sixth time in their last eight games dating back to 2019.
• The Maroon & Gold have averaged 262.5 yards in their last six games.
• Daniyel Ngata complimented Rachaad White and Jayden Daniels, rushing to 64 yards on 6 carries and scoring a touchdown.

LOCK IT

• The Sun Devil defense stepped up their game in the second half and held the Rebel attack in check.
• The state of Arizona allowed just 19 yards in the second half, six of them in the fourth quarter.
  • It is the fewest yards allowed in half a minute since the second half of the Idaho state win (37 yards).
• UNLV only managed once and the Sun Devils defeated the visitors 23-0 to seal a win..
• It marks the first time the Maroon & Gold have shutout an opponent in the second half since they did so against Washington on November 14, 2015.
• The Rebels’ 67 passing yards are the fewest allowed by ASU since the 46 passing yards that Cal Poly collected on September 12, 2015.
• Even without a takeaway today, ASU’s 38 takeaways in its past 13 games are still the most of any team in the FBS during that period (Iowa, 33).

TENSION OF THE CHASE

• Redshirt senior captain Chase Lucas came to play today, a major reason why the defense took over.
• He was credited with two stride breaks, the third time in the last four games that he has hit the target.
• Lucas has had multiple pass breakups in five career games and 30 in his career.
• Jack Jones added two pass breakups and the defense defended a total of six passes through the night.

LINE OPERATION

• Arizona States’ excellent run defense was on full display as they held off the UNLV star against Charles Williams, who came into play as the second-greatest career in the FBS.
• He only managed to run 35 out of 13 with the Sun Devils controlling the line of scrimmage.
• After the Rebels chased 88 yards on 32 carries, the Antonio Pierces defense allowed just 166 yards on 58 carries (2.9 ypc).

NO IFS ANDS OR BUTLERS

• Darien Butler has enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2021 season, backing up a two-season debut with another stellar performance.
• He finished with two sacks, eight tackles and was an organizer and leader of Sun Devil’s dominant defensive effort.
• It was his first attempt at multiple sacks, making him one of only five players in the country with two interceptions and two sacks so far this season.
• The eight tackles led the Maroon & Gold.

PARTY IN THE BACKFIELD

• Arizona State finished the night with seven loss tackles and five sacks, living in the Rebel backfield.
• Tyler Johnson registered his first layoff of the season and now stands at 12.5 for his career.
• Five different players were dismissed, including the first career sack for Gharin Stansbury.