TEMPE, Ariz. — DeCarlos Brooks ran for a career-high 67 yards and three touchdowns in his first start of the season and Arizona State broke a six-game losing streak with a 38-27 victory over Washington State on Saturday.
Cameron Skattebo had 121 yards rushing and a touchdown for the Sun Devils (2-6, 1-4 Pac-12), who had a season high in points and also had season highs with 502 yards total offense and 235 yards rushing.
Cameron Ward passed for 315 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores for the Cougars (4-4, 1-4), who have lost four in a row for the first time since 2014.
Ward, who entered the game ranked fifth in the FBS in total offense at 335.4 yards per game and sixth with 316.7 yards passing per game, moved the Cougars to the Arizona State 2-yard with two minutes remaining but threw a incomplete pass on fourth down and Arizona State ran out the clock.
Trenton Bourguet passed for 274 yards and and wide receiver Elijah Badger ran for a touchdown for the Sun Devils, who had not won since beating FCS Southern Utah 24-21 in the season opener.
Brooks, who returned last week against Washington after missing four games with an injury, scored twice in the first half, and Arizona State took a 24-21 lead on Dario Longhetto's 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Badger and Brooks scored to cap 75-yard drives in the second half for a 38-24 lead. Washington State countered with two Dean Janikowski field goals.
Washington State has not won since a 38-35 victory over then-No. 14 Oregon State in the Pac-12 opener Sept. 23.
THE TAKEAWAY
Washington State: The Cougars have played in a bowl game in the last seven non-COVID-seasons, second only to Utah among Pac-12 schools, and while they have some work to do, the schedule is favorable. The Cougars face Pac-12 second-division teams Stanford, California and Colorado the next three weeks before closing the regular season against Washington in the Apple Cup in Seattle.
Arizona State: Kenny Dillingham, the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I, has made sound progress with a team that has 78 newcomers and is about as young as he is. The Sun Devils have shown marked improvement in the last month — their previous three losses were by three, three and eight points, the most recent a 15-7 seat at No. 5 Washington on Oct. 21.
UP NEXT
Washington State: Hosts Stanford on Saturday.
Arizona State: Visits Utah on Saturday.