Arizona State football shocked the world and knocked off the Oregon Ducks, winning 31-28. What did we take away from the big upset?
The path was set. The College Football Playoff Committee had aligned the stars for the Oregon Ducks. They were ranked sixth, with the team behind them to play in the Pac-12 Championship Game. All the momentum was favoring the Ducks to roll into the playoff.
Then, the Sun Devils happened.
Arizona State football came out fast and physical, beating up the Ducks in the first half, then winning the shootout in the second. It was a complete performance from Herm Edwards’ crew, with the defense making big stops and the offense coming up with big play after big play, winning 31-28.
Here are the three major takeaways from Arizona State’s shocking win, and what it means for the college football landscape.
3. Jayden Daniels is that dude
What an incredible performance from the true freshman quarterback. The Ducks were one of the top defenses, not only in the conference, but in all of college football, and they had no chance against this Sun Devils offense.
Daniels was sensational, going 22-for-32 with 408 yards and three touchdowns. The stage never fazed him, and his late fourth quarter touchdown to Brandon Aiyuk is one of the best throws I’ve seen all year, on a third-and-16 off his back foot.
The pure skill of Daniels’ game has always impressed me, but what really stood out was his poise and confidence against a fast and talented Oregon defense.
Daniels wasn’t afraid to make throws in tight windows, he wasn’t afraid to throw it long and in a game against a future first round pick in Justin Herbert (more on him later), Daniels was the best player on the field by a mile.
With young quarterbacks, losing four games in a row could really bring down the mood and confidence of a team, particularly a young team, but Daniels again seemed unfazed. What a performance and what a player. Enjoy him while you can Sun Devils fans, as he’ll only be around for two more seasons.