Football
TEMPE, Ariz. – When Xazavian Valladay capped ASU’s seven-play, 67-yard drive with his 11-yard scamper into the end zone in the closing moments of the second half, the scrappy Sun Devils had drawn even with No. 25 Oregon State and appeared to have momentum on their side heading into the break.
Only problem – it was a tie that would last just :53.
The Beavers reclaimed their lead when Gulbranson connected with Jack Velling, who was the beneficiary of a fake screen and slipped up field untouched for a 21-yard pitch-and-catch.
It kicked off a stretch of 24 unanswered points that the Beavers used to bury ASU on Saturday afternoon at Sun Devil Stadium, as the Sun Devils were bested on Senior Day, 31-7.
The Sun Devils struggled to keep up with the Beaver offense, as the redshirt freshman Gulbranson threw for 188 yards and a touchdown and running back Damien Martinez ran for 138 yards and two scores on 22 carries.
The Beavers unleashed 15 plays of 10-yards or more, while also picking up 28 first downs and averaging 6.7 yards per play.
What was a 14-7 Sun Devil deficit at the half had quickly ballooned to a three-possession game, largely due to second-half mistakes and the inability to slow the Gulbranson-led Beaver offense.
On their first possession of the second half, the Beavers doubled their lead courtesy of a nifty 12-yard run by Martinez that gave them a 21-7 advantage.
Now looking to cut it to a one-score game with 10 minutes left in the third, the Sun Devils had a pivotal 4th-and-13 attempt inside Oregon State territory that was spoiled by the Beaver defense. The Beavers brought just enough pressure on Sun Devil quarterback Trenton Bourguet to force a hurried, errant throw that fell incomplete and turned the ball over on downs.
On the Beavers’ ensuing drive, Gulbranson followed a convoy of blockers on a quarterback draw to score from eight yards out for a 28-7 lead.
The Beavers were given a prime scoring opportunity early in the fourth when they recovered a muffed punt at ASU’s 11-yard line. Four plays and a 26-yard field goal…
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