Arizona-ASU Game 50: Arizona’s lead vanishes as ASU storms back for 27-10 win

Some important things to keep in mind: This isn’t the 100th anniversary; the upcoming meeting will be the 100th time the teams have gone head-to-head. There were a number of years that they didn’t compete against one another. The Wildcats lead the all-time series vs. the Sun Devils, 52-46-1.

Matchup: Game 50

Date: Nov. 27, 1976

Where: Tucson

Winner: ASU, 27-10

What was reported at the time: 

By BOB MORAN

The Arizona Daily Star

Not since 1953 have the Grand Canyon State's two largest institutions of higher learning suffered losing seasons in the same year.

But that’s what history will say about the 1976 seasons for Arizona (5-6) and Arizona State (4-7).

However, the Sun Devils will remember this year more fondly than the Wildcats because they beat their arch-enemy 27-10 last night before a record crowd of 56,807 freezing football fans in Arizona Stadium.

Junior quarterback Fred Mortensen was the hero for the Devils. He passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more. For his efforts, the Tempe native was named offensive player of the game, and Greyhound Parks will donate a $1,000 scholarship in his name to ASU. The defensive award went to UA senior linebacker Obra "The Cobra" Erby, and UA will get a $1,000 scholarship.

ASU will keep the second annual Governor's Cup, which goes to the winner of the game.

The game, as was the season, was a disappointment to Jim Young.

"We started the game strong and played very well early, but we just didn't maintain it," Young said. "ASU did a good job and really came at us later in the game. They came at us hard and deserved to win. Naturally, it’s a disappointing season. We could have won at least three other games. I'm sorry the seniors had to finish the way they did."

Offensively, ASU beat UA by controlling the ball and coming up with big plays. ASU had the ball a total of 36:29 compared to UA's total time of 23:31. And the Devils were able to convert on third down 12 times.

On their first touchdown (an 80-yard, 18-play beauty that consumed 7:01), the Devils converted on third down six times.

"Our first touchdown drive was almost perfect," noted Devil coach Frank Kush. "Mortensen used good play selection and moved us steadily downfield. He was best on third down situations, which is the mark of a winner."

ASU also beat UA with a fellow named John Jefferson. Operating at just 70 percent efficiency, the hobbling junior split end gave the UA secondary fits. The 'Cats tried three different men on him, and none were effective. For the game, "J.J." caught eight for 121 yards.

"Jefferson was his usual self... just great," said Kush. "He's playing hurt, but you'd never know it."

Defensively, ASU got three turnovers and excellent performances from its much-maligned secondary. Kush, who had been criticizing cornerback Derrick Martin all week, benched him in favor of Carl Russell, and he did an excellent job on the UA receivers.

UA was also hurt by mental mistakes, such as the three dropped passes by the usually glue-fingered Keith Hartwig.

Trailing 13-7 at halftime, UA had its opportunities to re-establish itself. On their first three possessions of the second half, UA got the ball at its 49, ASU's 37 and 49 but could only manage a 47-yard field goal by Lee Pistor. An interception killed one of the drives.

Late in the third period, Mortensen took the Devils 72 yards in eight plays to ice the game. He hit wingback Larry Mucker with a 15-yard touchdown strike on third down — naturally.

Early in the fourth quarter, Marc Lunsford, who did not start but shared quarterbacking duties with freshman Jim Krohn, fumbled at the UA 24 and Gary Padjen claimed it for ASU.

Five plays later, Mortensen knifed in from the one to give the Devils a commanding 27-10 lead with 11:52 left.

"It’s been a long tough season for us, and I certainly have been displeased, but I really have to appreciate what happened tonight," Kush said. "We don't give game balls, but if we did it most assuredly would go to Mortensen. He was just great. And I also feel a difference was the play of our seniors. They wanted this game bad."

Kush, in commenting about the season, said, "Sure we were hurt by injuries, but I think in retrospect our biggest problem was attitude, or lack of it. You learn by losing and I certainly have. I won't think we got a full 'Sun Devil' effort out of some of our players. But when spring practice starts, it's going to be a new ball game at ASU."

Fast Freddie Williams made a surprise appearance, actually, appearances, for the Devils, and he was their leading receiver with 66 yards. Dean Schock led UA with 70, and Allen Glasenapp had 67.

Krohn and Lunsford could only hit nine of 23 passes for a paltry 99 yards.

Combining a ball control offense with the explosiveness that is so characteristic of an ASU team, the Devils took a 13-7 lead at half.

ASU had to come from behind to get its lead after Arizona took the opening kickoff and went 80 yards in 10 plays to score.

Krohn started at quarterback and led UA to its score. He had key passes of 13 yards to Charles Nash and 12 to Hartwig.

Mesa sophomore Allen Glasenapp got a pitchout from Krohn and skirted left end from the 14-yard line to score the TD.

ASU got as far as the UA 19 midway through the period, but Mortensen was intercepted at the UA 11.

The Devils finally got on the scoreboard midway in the second period.

Beginning from their 20, after Pistor missed a 53-yard field goal, the Devils went 80 yards in 18 plays and consumed 7:01 of the clock.

The number of plays it took the Devils to score indicates that they made plenty of third-down conversions. They did.

ASU converted on third down six times, with the last one coming on a touchdown pass of seven yards from Mortensen to tight end Paul Ervin. Dan Kush's PAT tied the game with 4:56 left.

One minute and 43 seconds later, the Devils got the ball back when Glasenapp left the ball on the ground, and Devil linebacker Bob Carl claimed it at the UA 39.

The explosive Devils scored their second touchdown. A 38-yard pass from Mortensen to former All-America candidate Jefferson put the ball on the one. Mortensen knifed in for the score on the next play. However, Kush missed the conversion.