Mountaineers edge Sun Devils in wild shootout

Associated Press

PHOENIX

Arizona State’s point-after conversion chart called for the Sun Devils to go for 2 after scoring a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Instead, they inexplicably kicked the extra point to take a six-point lead, making it easier for West Virginia to pull out a wild 43-42 victory in the Cactus Bowl early Sunday.

“We were supposed to go for 2 and we didn’t,” Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. “Mismanagement there and that is my responsibility.”

The Cactus Bowl made up for its late start with an assault on the record books.

The teams combined for 1,196 yards of offense and the 950 yards passing were the most in the Cactus Bowl’s 27-year history as the game crept well past midnight.

West Virginia (8-5) is typically a run-oriented team, but went to the air against the Sun Devils.

Skyler Howard shredded Arizona State’s shoddy defensive backfield, throwing for a Cactus Bowl-record 532 yards and five touchdowns, including a 15-yarder to David Sills with 2:19 left.

The junior broke the Cactus Bowl record of 476 yards set by Washington State’s Drew Bledsoe against Utah in 1992, and blew past the school bowl record of 429 yards set by Marc Bulger against Missouri in Tucson in 1998.

“He is gritty, he doesn’t ever give up, he continues to go. It doesn’t matter what people think and people say,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. “He just keeps going to work every day and keeps getting better and better. I am really proud of this kid.”

Tim White and Mike Bercovici did their best to keep Arizona State (6-7) in it.

White broke the school record for all-purpose yards with 289, scoring two touchdowns and even a blocked PAT return.

Bercovici threw for 418 yards and hit Gary Chambers on a 58-yard pass for his fourth touchdown of the game to put Arizona State ahead by five with about 5 minutes left.

The decision to kick the extra point to make it 42-36 instead of going for 2 ended up costing Arizona State.

West Virginia went ahead by one on Howard’s pass to Sills and the extra point, and Arizona State turned the ball over on downs on its last possession to end its chances.

“It was my fault; should have made sure it happened,” Graham said of the 2-point conversion gaffe.