Arizona State Football: Sun Devils edge UCLA in the desert

Arizona State football won another close game, moving a step closer to a Pac-12 South title in year one under Herm Edwards.

A Brandon Ruiz field goal got the scoring going for Arizona State in the first quarter and remained the difference when the clock struck zero. UCLA would answer with a touchdown and the back and forth continued for the rest of the game. The Sun Devils were the only team to string together back-to-back scores, ending the first half and starting the second half with touchdowns.

UCLA had their chances and led this game 14-10 with just under five minutes remaining in the first half. Ultimately it was the Arizona State offense captained by Manny Wilkins that continued to push the Bruins to the edge, answering every touchdown ceded by their defense with a touchdown of their own.

The win clinches bowl eligibility for Arizona State and drops UCLA to 2-8. It’s safe to say that Herm Edwards’ inaugural season is going much better than Chip Kelly‘s. If Saturday’s contest is any indication, this matchup between Pac-12 South newcomers could provide plenty of excitement in the years to come.

Here’s what we learned about both squads in Arizona State’s 31-28 victory in Week 11.