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Sun Devils earn bowl berth

 
Published Nov. 26, 2006|Updated Aug. 25, 2007

Rudy Carpenter threw three touchdowns and Ryan Torain rushed for 139 yards, and Arizona State clinched a minor bowl berth with a 28-14 victory over archrival Arizona on Saturday.

The Sun Devils took a 21-0 first-quarter lead and held on for their fourth win in five games against Arizona. Arizona State could be headed to the Las Vegas or Emerald Bowl, both of which sent representatives to the game.

The Sun Devils retain the 107-year-old Territorial Cup, the nation's oldest major-college rivalry trophy.

The Wildcats, who snapped a three-game win streak, are bowl eligible but are not guaranteed their first postseason bid since 1998.

For the second year in a row, the Sun Devils knocked Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama out of the game. Tuitama, who was sidelined with a concussion earlier this season, left after receiving a late hit midway through the second quarter.

Adam Austin replaced Tuitama and completed 11 of 28 passes for 99 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Carpenter completed 16 of 24 passes for 206 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

ASU outgained Arizona 436 yards to 148 and blitzed the Wildcats with 21 first-quarter points.

Arizona State took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in seven plays, scoring on Carpenter's 26-yard pass to an open Chris McGaha in the end zone.

ASU made it 14-0 on a 38-yard pass from Carpenter to Jamaal Lewis on fourth and 8 with 2:34 left in the first quarter.

The Sun Devils had lined up in punt formation, with Carpenter punting, when Arizona called timeout. When play resumed, Arizona set up to receive a punt, but Arizona State rushed its offense onto the field. The Wildcats blitzed and Carpenter fired a strike to Lewis.

Arizona State made it 21-0 on a 7-yard pass from Carpenter to Zach Miller with 51 seconds left in the first quarter. The play came after Arizona punter Nick Folk dropped a snap and was penalized for kicking the ball while it was on the ground.

That gave Carpenter as many touchdown passes, three, as he had in the previous three weeks.

When the Wildcats fumbled the ensuing kickoff, it looked as if the rout was on. But the fumble was overturned by video replay, giving Arizona the ball at midfield. Eight plays later, Tuitama hit Syndric Steptoe for a 6-yard touchdown to cut Arizona State's lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter.

Late in the first half, two Carpenter turnovers proved costly for the Sun Devils.

Still leading 21-7, ASU was driving when Carpenter scrambled and fumbled at the Wildcats 9.

After ASU forced the Wildcats to punt, the Sun Devils took over at Arizona's 44 with 2:04 left in the half. Carpenter was intercepted by safety Michael Klyce, who returned the ball 42 yards to the ASU 37, where Carpenter hit him out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard personal foul.

Two plays later, Austin hit Mike Thomas for a 22-yard touchdown pass to cut ASU's lead to 21-14 with 26 seconds left in the half.