Sun Devils down Colorado on the road, 51-17

Taylor Kelly threw for a career-high five touchdowns; Marion Grice scored three touchdown receptions

ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly had five touchdown passes and Marion Grice had three touchdown receptions as the Arizona State University football team downed the Colorado Buffaloes, 51-17, in Boulder, Colo., Oct. 11.

Kelly finished 20-of-28 for 308 yards to go with the touchdowns as he moved into a tie with Andrew Walter (three times) and Jeff Krohn for most single-game touchdown passes. Kelly added 67 yards on 14 rushes as well to finish as the team's second-leading rusher.

Grice grabbed his third touchdown reception of the day on a 20-yard snag from Kelly to put ASU up 34-17 midway through the third quarter and the team blew the game out from there after entering the second half only leading by a field goal.

D.J. Foster and Richard Smith also grabbed touchdown passes while Cameron Marshall punched in his 34th career touchdown – moving into a tie for second on ASU's all-time career rushing touchdown list – and the Sun Devils piled up 593 total yards of offense – a new season's best – in the rout.

The ASU defense continued to stifle their opponents, allowing just 255 yards of total offense while holding CU starting quarterback Jordan Webb to just 20-of-41 for 180 yards, a touchdown and an interception. 

Rashad Ross got things going in a second half that saw ASU outscore CU 31-0 as he spelled Jamal Miles on kick return duty following a Miles fumble that closed out the first half.  Ross took the opening second half kick back for a 100-yard touchdown – matching the school record and becoming just the fifth Sun Devil in school history to accomplish the feat.

It was the second time Ross had housed a kickoff in his career after he ran one back 98 yards against Boise State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas last season, placing him in a tie for second on ASU's all-time record list and giving ASU a 27-17 edge to open the half.

The Sun Devils got on the board first for the fifth time this season (and are now 5-0 in such contests), driving 91 yards on their second possession of the game as Kelly found a streaking Grice for a 37-yard reception to go up 6-0 after Jon Mora had his extra point attempt blocked.

The drive was ASU's longest of the season and the pass play to cap it was the longest offensive scoring play of the season for the Sun Devils and the team took just 2:33 to do it. 

The Buffaloes would answer early in the second quarter, driving 68 yards on eight plays and taking advantage of a pass interference call in the end zone to punch it in on a Tony Jones run from two yards out to take a 7-6 lead.

The Sun Devils took just 2:50 to respond as they took their next possession 75 yards in eight plays, leading to Kelly's second touchdown pass of the day as he hit a diving D.J. Foster in the end zone for a 34-yard strike to put ASU up 13-7.

Two drives later, it took ASU just three plays to find pay dirt after Kelly found Chris Coyle for passes of 30 and 18 yards to set up Grice's second touchdown reception of the day as ASU opened up a 20-7 lead.

The Buffaloes responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive of their own that was capped by a Webb touchdown toss to Nick Kasa to bring ASU within six. On the ensuing kickoff, Miles fumbled to give the Buffaloes great field position in which they capitalized on a 36-yard field goal from Will Oliver to bring CU within 20-17 heading into the locker rooms.

ASU returns home next week for its second consecutive Thursday night matchup as they will take on No. 2 Oregon under the lights at 6 p.m. PT, Oct. 18, on ESPN at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.  

Tickets for the matchup are still available.