For the first three quarters of their season opener, the Arizona State Sun Devils played just 11 men on defense.
That’s the minimum.
Arizona weather in August is not exactly temperate and Thursday night was no exception. The thermometers read 101 degrees for kickoff at 7:30 p.m. against a Sun Belt Conference opponent, but that didn’t mean the defense was going to give anything but 100 percent effort.
Every player who started the game on defense played all 42 plays in the first half, showing signs of fatigue as the period went along. After 15 yards on New Mexico State’s first four possessions, ASU let up two 80-plus yard touchdown drives to allow the Aggies to cut into the lead going into the locker rooms.