A boot and a kick: Muffed punt return, kick as time expires lift UA over Arizona State (2009)

TEMPE - The Arizona Wildcats have lost games this season on kicked balls, illegal forward passes and improbable interceptions.

For 59 seconds Saturday - it seemed like a lifetime, didn't it? - they were surely headed for a similar fate. Arizona State's Kyle Williams had just made a headlong, John Jefferson-esque touchdown catch to tie the game with 2 minutes 2 seconds remaining. The UA had gone three-and-out in its ensuing drive, and punted to give the Sun Devils a chance to win the game.

And then, for the first time in what seems like forever, the UA caught a break.

A bounce, actually.

Special teams gunner Mike Turner recovered a muffed punt with 1:03 remaining and Alex Zendejas hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired to give the UA an improbable 20-17 win over its in-state rival at Sun Devil Stadium.

The Wildcats returned to Tucson late Saturday clutching the Territorial Cup - and some much-needed peace of mind. Arizona (7-4 overall, 5-3 Pac-10) can finish its season no worse than sixth in the Pac-10 standings; a win over USC next week, and a few breaks, could find the Wildcats tied for second place and headed to the Holiday Bowl.

That's how close these things are.

For the third time in as many weeks, the UA needed to play all 60 minutes to secure a win. For the first time, the Wildcats delivered.

"I don't know how much more I can take," coach Mike Stoops said. "It's a lot of difference three points will make in your life."

Zendejas' boot was a fitting end to a game highlighted by a long run by most valuable player Keola Antolin, a blocked punt and touchdown by special-teams star Orlando Vargas and a clutch fumble recovery by Turner. Williams, Arizona State's punt returner, took his eyes off Keenyn Crier's punt just as Turner ran near him. The ball hit his hands and fell onto the turf. Turner recovered.

"We punted and tried to force them into making a play," Stoops said. "It worked out."

Arizona's special teams play helped overcome a lackluster day by its offense. Quarterback Nick Foles, limited by an injured left (nonthrowing) hand, threw for just 148 yards on 43 attempts and failed to find the end zone.

Foles downplayed the injury - "I was playing through it. It didn't affect me," he said - but was clearly limited. He wore a receiver's glove over his left hand to cover a brace. Foles' hand was heavily iced and wrapped minutes after the game.

Antolin was electric on a 67-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, but gained just 11 total yards on his six remaining carries.

Arizona was so hard up for offensive help that coaches summoned backup quarterback Matt Scott to lead drives in the second and third quarters; the sophomore rushed four times for 29 yards, but did not attempt a pass.

And, for a while, that was enough.

The Wildcats led 14-0 at halftime and 14-3 at the start of the fourth quarter before Arizona State sprang to life. Quarterback Danny Sullivan found Williams for two touchdowns in the final 11:54. The second one, a perfect throw and headlong dive into the end zone, pulled the Sun Devils even with 2:02 remaining.

On the following possession, Arizona punted with little hope of getting it back in regulation. Williams' drop - and Turner's recovery - changed everything.

Bolstered by the unexpected turnover, Arizona ran the ball three times for 8 yards to set up Zendejas' kick. The Glendale native walked off the requisite 7 yards, waited for the snap and delivered the UA's first game-winning kick since Nick Folk defeated BYU on Sept. 2, 2006.

"I had the chance in front of my home town and home crowd," Zendejas said. "We've had a couple tough breaks this year. To have one go our way, it feels good."

The muffed punt was a fitting end for an ASU team that, while it showed pluck, was dogged by physical and mental mistakes all afternoon.

Sun Devils safety Ryan McFoy was flagged for an illegal hit on Terrell Turner as the Wildcats drove to take a 17-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Late in the game, center Garth Gerhart was whistled for holding on a Dmitri Nance run into the end zone, negating a touchdown.

The game ended, as many of the Territorial Cup games have, with a scuffle at midfield. Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict took a swing at UA backup longsnapper Ricky Wolder during the scuffle, but missed. Players from both sides had to be separated so they could clear the field.

Stoops' third win over Arizona State (4-8, 2-7) lacked the drama of his 2004 and 2008 victories, but it was arguably the most important one of his career.

The UA snapped a two-game losing streak while solidifying its bowl chances.

Regardless of how the Wildcats got there.

"I wouldn't say we got lucky. I would say the momentum swung back to us, finally," Terrell Turner said. "We've had some losses on some last-minute plays, some fluke plays. It's just good to get one that helps us out."

Antolin said the UA received a "blessing."