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Foster, No. 16 ASU down Colorado

Sep 14, 2014 - 7:16 AM Boulder, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - D.J. Foster ran for 147 yards and a score and caught a touchdown pass as No. 16 Arizona State defeated Colorado, 38-24, in the Pac-12 opener for both teams on Saturday night.

Taylor Kelly was 13-of-21 for 195 yards and three scores and added a 50-yard TD run before exiting with a right foot injury. Mike Bercovici finished the game at quarterback for ASU while Kelly was shown on the bench with a protective boot on his foot in the fourth quarter.

Foster added 59 receiving yards on four catches and Jaelen Strong hauled in six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown for the Sun Devils (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12), who improved to 6-0 all-time against the Buffaloes.

Sefo Liufau was 31-of-46 for 278 yards and three touchdowns for Colorado (1-2, 0-1), which has lost 15 straight games against ranked opponents.

Colorado outgained ASU, 545-426, but turned the ball over three times.

The Buffaloes trailed 38-17 early in the fourth and were pinned down at their own 1-yard line following a Matt Haack 42-yard punt.

Christian Powell broke a 42-yard run on the first play of the drive and Liufau fired a 31-yard TD strike that Nelson Spruce came down with in the end zone despite tight coverage from Armand Perry. The score capped the seven- play, 99-yard march and cut the gap to 38-24.

Colorado's defense then forced a quick Arizona State three-and-out, but Sun Devils linebacker Christian Sam intercepted a Liufau pass on a 3rd-and-3 from the ASU 40 to quell the momentum with 4:44 to play.

Earlier, Arizona State raced out to a 17-0 second-quarter lead.

Foster concluded the Sun Devils' opening eight-play, 69-yard sequence with a 15-yard TD run and they got the ball right back when Jordan Simone picked off Liufau on the first play of Colorado's ensuing drive.

Kelly hit Kalen Ballage for a 38-yard score three plays later to give ASU a quick 14-0 cushion.

Zane Gonzalez's 31-yard field goal early in the second made it 17-0.

The Buffaloes, though, responded with a pair of touchdowns.

Liufau fired a 4-yard TD pass to Shay Fields in between three defenders after hitting Tyler McCulloch for a 26-yard gain two plays prior on Colorado's next offensive touch.

Following an ASU three-and-out, Colorado found the end zone again when Liufau hooked up with Spruce for a 15-yard score to whittle the deficit to 17-14 at the 5:39 mark of the second.

The Buffaloes defense forced another Sun Devils three-and-out, but Simone stripped the ball away from Michael Adkins II on the very next play and D.J. Calhoun pounced on it.

Kelly hit Foster in the flat for a 5-yard score three plays later to increase the ASU margin to 24-14.

Kelly finished off ASU's opening possession of the second half with a 1-yard TD pass to Strong before Colorado responded with a 27-yard field goal for a 31-17 Sun Devils advantage.

Kelly's 50-yard TD run made it 38-17 midway through the third.

Game Notes

The Buffaloes were 8-for-18 on third down, while Arizona State finished 4- for-13 ... Bercovici was 2-of-4 for 8 yards ... The Sun Devils totaled 223 yards on the ground.