The Arizona State Sun Devils lead the Oregon State Beavers 28-20 after three quarters, and the third period mirrored the game's first half in many respects. Reminiscent of the game's first 30 minutes, the two teams repeated a very similar process: the Sun Devils turned the ball over early, the Beavers capitalized, and then the Sun Devils put up points.
Both teams swapped punts in the first two possessions of the third quarter, but then the Beavers' Anthony Watkins picked off Brock Osweiler and followed up with a 40-yard return to the Sun Devil 11-yard line. The Beavers scored two plays later on a five-yard pass from quarterback Sean Mannion to James Rodgers, pulling Oregon State within 21-20.
ASU resorted to a series of short passes on the following drive before running back Cameron Marshall broke four tackles en route to a 37-yard touchdown run. The play marked Marshall's first big run of the day, pushing his total from 17 to 53 rushing yards in just one play.
Both teams exchanged a few more punts over the final five minutes of the period before ASU began piecing together a sustained drive. The Sun Devils will start the fourth quarter on the Beaver eight-yard line.