Field Level Media
Sep 28, 2019
Junior running back Eno Benjamin rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries as Arizona State knocked off No. 15 California 24-17 on Friday night in Pac-12 play at Berkeley, Calif.
Benjamin scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard run with 4:41 remaining for the Sun Devils (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12). True freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 14 of 24 passes for 174 yards and added 84 rushing yards on 12 attempts.
California (4-1, 1-1) struggled on offense after losing sophomore quarterback Chase Garbers to a right shoulder injury late in the first half. Garbers completed 9 of 12 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown before exiting, while junior replacement Devon Modster was just 5 of 14 for 23 yards and one interception.
The Golden Bears were outgained 180-88 in the second half. Overall, Arizona State held a 365-245 yardage edge.
Cal senior linebacker Evan Weaver had 15 tackles for his 12th straight double-digit effort to raise his nation-leading total to 78.
The Golden Bears held a 17-14 lead after a 47-yard field goal by senior Greg Thomas with 10:50 remaining. The kick was set up by junior outside linebacker Cameron Goode, who sacked Daniels and forced a fumble that was recovered by sophomore linebacker Joseph Ogunbanjo at the Arizona State 30-yard line.
The Sun Devils recovered with a 15-play, 75-yard drive as Benjamin scooted up the middle to make it 21-17. Sophomore Christian Zendejas tacked on a 43-yard field goal with 2:53 left.
Cal's final chance ended with three straight incompletions by Modster. Arizona State took over with 2:01 left and ran out the clock.
The score was knotted at 7-7 at halftime before Cal received the second-half kickoff and traveled 63 yards on 12 running plays. Sophomore running back Christopher Brown Jr. crashed in from the 1 with 9:16 left in the third quarter to put the Golden Bears ahead.
The Sun Devils answered quickly with a seven-play, 50-yard drive as Benjamin scored on a 4-yard run to tie it at 14-14 with 6:01 left in the third.
Garbers was injured when he was tripped up on a scramble by Sun Devils sophomore linebacker Darien Butler with 1:56 left in the half. Garbers landed hard on his right shoulder and was replaced by Modster, who was intercepted in the end zone by Arizona State sophomore safety Aashari Crosswell with 10 seconds left in the second quarter.
Arizona State struck first when Benjamin scored on an 11-yard run with 8:22 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Golden Bears knotted the score when Garbers tossed a 16-yard scoring pass to junior wideout Trevon Clark with 5:35 remaining in the first period.
--Field Level Media