The second quarter opened with the Sun Devils driving on the Missouri 23. Some tough runs fell just shy of a first down and an ill-advised personal foul forced ASU into a 47-yard field goal attempt. Alex Garoutte shook off his earlier miss from 42-yards to connect to give extend the ASU lead to 10-3.
Undaunted, Missouri drove back. Facing excellent ASU coverage, James Franklin scrambled on a 3rd and 14 for 22 yards. He later overcame that coverage to connect on a pair of 20-yard receptions to put the ball at the ASU 1. A Franklin fumble was recovered by the Tigers and an overthrown ball on the ensuing play seemed to end the threat...however, the Devils were called for pass interference in the end zone. On the next play, Franklin kept the ball for the Tiger touchdown.
Brock Osweiler wasted little time in issuing a Sun Devil response. On the first play of the next drive, he found a streaking Aaron Pflugrad for a 60-yard touchdown to retake the lead. However, the nightmare of 2010 resurfaced as the ensuing extra point was blocked.
Despite a 3-and-out on their next possession, a 73 yard punt pinned ASU deep at their own 6, but a personal foul on Missouri gave the Devils some breathing room. Another Tiger personal foul, this time for a facemask, negated a big Missouri sack, but there was no damage done as ASU was forced to punt despite their foray into Tiger territory, being fair caught at the nine yard line.
Missouri looked to run out the clock, but ASU penalties for holding and roughing the passer gave the Tigers a new lease on life. They managed to maneuver themselves into range for a 54-yard kick, but the kick was missed.
It's a 16-10 ASU lead in very imperfect first half