Arizona State defense paves way to Sun Bowl win over Florida State

Bret Bloomquist | El Paso Times

Show Caption Hide Caption Arizona State defeats Florida State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Arizona State faces off against Florida State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Tuesday, Dec. 31, at the Sun Bowl in El Paso

The most probable result of the 86th Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is that it produced an improbable hero.

In a strange and entertaining 20-14 Arizona State victory against Florida State in front of 42,412 fans on New Year's Eve, freshman safety Willie Harts, making his fourth start of the year, his Sun Devil defensive teammates and kicker Christian Zendejas filled that role.

Harts' 25-yard interception return with 10:06 remaining in the game was Arizona State's lone touchdown and one of five turnovers they forced from FSU quarterback James Blackman.

The Sun Devils, playing their first game under newly promoted defensive coordinator and El Pasoan Tony White, held the Seminoles to 2-of-15 on third-down conversions as they won in the postseason for the first time since the 2014 Sun Bowl.

They did it without an offensive touchdown, as Zendejas was four-of-four on field goals.

"When I was working at Tampa we called it Buc ball: It wasn't pleasing to the eye by any stretch of the imagination, but I give a lot of credit to both defenses," Arizona State coach Herm Edwards said. "They played really well. When you're playing a game like that it becomes a defensive game, it really does.

"There were a couple of scores, but for the most part it was led by both defenses, not allowing a lot of big plays. ... You get six turnovers you should probably win the game."

Said White, back in the Sun Bowl for the first time since his last game as a player for UCLA in the 2000 edition of the game: "We gave up a couple of stuff here and there, which I'll have some words later on. But the boys played. It was fun to see them make plays, and a lot of other guys made plays too. It's fun."

Winning points

The biggest play was made by Harts, who had the fourth of the six turnovers forced by the defense. On third-and-4 from Florida State's 20, he jumped a route and took his clear path to the end zone.

"Coach White gave us a play, we were manned up, the quarterback made a mistake and I took the opportunity," Harts said. "I was just playing where coach White wanted me to and I took the opportunity."

That was a fitting way for ASU to win, as they dominated for all but two possessions, a pair of 91-yard Seminole drives back-to-back late in the third quarter that in a span of 2:13 turned a 9-0 Sun Devil lead into a 14-9 hole. The second of those touchdowns was a 91-yard pass from Blackman to Tamorrion Terry that was the longest play in Sun Bowl history.

ASU answered with its fourth Zendejas field goal on its next possession, then Harts' pick-6 and a two-point conversion to make it 20-14.

From there the defense got a fourth-down stop on its own 34, a fourth interception of Blackman, this one by Khaylan Kearse-Thomas with 3:51 left. Arizona State forced a sixth turnover with 1:18 remaining on a Tyler Johnson fumble recovery.

Johnson, an injury-plagued sophomore , announced his retirement immediately following the game, so the recovery that ended the game was also the end of his career.

Killer turnovers

Florida State gained 470 yards, but the four interceptions and two fumbles rendered that moot.

"I didn't perform like my teammates needed me to perform," Blackman said. "I gave the ball away too many times. You can't win games like that, turning the ball over, it's not good."

"We were off 30 days, some things weren't clicking," FSU interim coach Odell Haggins said. "Then we came back in the second half, picked it up and got back in the game."

The turnovers, though, didn't quit coming and that proved too much for Florida State to overcome.

"We were plus-4," Edwards said of the turnover battle. "When you do that, you usually win."

Arizona State did on this Tuesday.

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Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.