Final
Nixon has big night, Devils beat Idaho State 50-3
Sep 15, 2009 - 9:37 PM By BOB BAUM AP Sports WriterTEMPE, Ariz.(AP) -- Mike Nixon returned one of his three interceptions for a touchdown and blocked a punt to lead Arizona State past outmatched Idaho State 50-3 Saturday night.
The senior linebacker became the first Sun Devil with three picks in a game in 20 years.
Thomas Weber tied an Arizona State record with five field goals, all inside of 30 yards.
Danny Sullivan, in his first start after two seasons as Rudy Carpenter's backup, completed 13 of 25 passes for 165 yards in 2 1/2 quarters for the Sun Devils.
The Bengals, who play at Oklahoma next Saturday, committed five turnovers and managed just 37 yards, zero in the first half.
Jarrett Huk kicked a 54-yard field goal for the lone score for Idaho State (0-1), coming off a 1-11 season in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly NCAA Division I-AA.
The 37 yards, which included a 32-yard loss on Idaho State's final play, was the fourth-fewest allowed by Arizona State in school history.
Nixon, who had five career interceptions before Saturday night, became the first with three in a game for the Sun Devils since Nathan LaDuke did it against Houston on Sept. 23, 1989.
Nixon's second pick came at the Idaho State 34 and he ran untouched to the end zone to put Arizona State up 20-0 with 2:12 left in the first half.
The Sun Devils' defense stuffed the Bengals again on Idaho State's next possession, then Nixon burst up the middle to block Jon Vanderwielen's punt. Arizona State's first blocked punt in three seasons set up Weber's 27-yard field goal that made it 23-0 as the half ended.
Weber's five field goals were one shy of the Pac-10 record. He missed a 27-yarder in the first half.
Idaho State starter Kyle Blum was intercepted three times in the first half and his replacement Russel Hill once in the second.
True freshman Brock Osweiler relieved Sullivan halfway through the third quarter and later threw 16 yards to a diving Brian Motsumoto for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. It was Motsumoto's first career catch.
Brandon McGee intercepted Blum's underthrown pass and returned it 11 yards to the Bengals 40 to set up the only touchdown scored by ASU's first-team offense.
Arizona State was pushed back to third-and-21 at its 49, but Sullivan ran 17 yards, then threw seven yards to Gerell Robinson to convert a fourth-and-4 situation. Dimitri Nance's 9-yard run on the first play of the second quarter made it 10-0.
Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said "five or six" players missed the game for violating team rules.
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
IDAHOST 0 0 3 0 3
ARIZONAST 3 20 13 14 50 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: ARIZONA ST - FG, THOMAS WEBER 24 YD, 5:03.
ARIZONAST 3-0
2ND QUARTER: ARIZONA ST - TD, DIMITRI NANCE 9 YD RUN
(THOMAS WEBER KICK), 0:06.
ARIZONAST 10-0
ARIZONA ST - FG, THOMAS WEBER 22 YD,
Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 50 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 50 3:23 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Idaho State 3, Arizona State 50 4th - 3:23Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 43 13:20 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Idaho State 3, Arizona State 43 4th - 13:20Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 36 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 36 1:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Idaho State 3, Arizona State 36 3rd - 1:00Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 3
ARIZONAST 29 2:28 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Idaho State 3, Arizona State 29 3rd - 2:28Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 29 5:27 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 29 3rd - 5:27Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 26 9:14 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 26 3rd - 9:14Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 20 2:12 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 20 2nd - 2:12Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 19 2:12 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 19 2nd - 2:12Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 13 3:50 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 13 2nd - 3:50Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 10 14:54 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Idaho State 0, Arizona State 10 2nd - 14:54Sep 5 7:00 PM - NCAAF
IDAHOST 0
ARIZONAST 3 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Sep 5 7:00 PM
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