Lindsay leads Colorado past Arizona State 40-16

Published Oct. 16, 2016 1:50 a.m. ET

foxsports

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) Phillip Lindsay rushed for 219 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Colorado Buffaloes to their first win over Arizona State in their history, 40-16 Saturday night.

Lindsay averaged 8.4 yards on 26 carries and his big day included a 75-yard rumble on the first snap of the second half. He also scored from 13 yards out and capped it off with a 4-yard run in the final minute.

The Buffs ran for 315 yards overall.

''We didn't play very well and my hat goes off to them because they ran the ball on us unlike anyone has ever run it the whole time I've been at Arizona State,'' said Sun Devils fifth-year coach Todd Graham.

Sefo Liufau threw for 265 yards on 23 of 31 passing against the nation's worst pass defense in his return to the Buffs starting lineup for the first time since spraining his left ankle at Michigan on Sept. 17.

His biggest play came when he slipped a sack, rolled left and found Bryce Bobo all alone for a 66-yard gain to the Sun Devils 9. Three plays later, Liufau took it in himself from the 3 to snap a 10-10 tie.

''We can enjoy the win tonight, but we have to go back to work on Monday and prove ourselves all over again,'' Liufau said.

The Buffs (5-2, 3-1 Pac-12) need just one more win to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. The Sun Devils (5-2, 2-2) lost for the first time in eight games against Colorado.

Senior Zane Gonzalez's field goals of 50, 51 and 59 tied an FBS record for most 50-plus field goals in a game and his 59-yarder established a Sun Devils record. It was the second-longest at Folsom Field behind Mason Crosby's 60-yarder against Iowa State on Oct. 16, 2004.

POLL IMPLICATIONS:

Colorado: After falling out of the Top 25 with their 21-17 loss at USC, the Buffs might inch their way back into the poll.

THE TAKEAWAY:

Arizona State: The Sun Devils came in surrendering more yards in the air (404.3) than any team in the country, and they gave up plenty on the ground against the Buffaloes, whose fans stormed the field after the game.

Colorado: The Buffs need some work on special teams. Jay MacIntyre's two muffed punts led to 10 points and he also let a punt bounce past him at the 30 and get downed at the 5. That led to a field goal. Also, Davis Price missed an extra point and shanked a 26-yard field goal attempt.

UP NEXT:

Arizona State: The Sun Devils host Washington State.

Colorado: The Buffs, who extended their nation-best takeaway streak to 20 games with safety Afolabi Laguda's third-quarter interception, travel to Stanford.

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AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org