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Colorado quarterback Steven Montez passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns, all three scores to wide receiver Tony Brown, and James Stefanou made a 44-yard field goal with 2:03 remaining as the Buffaloes upset the No. 24 Arizona State Sun Devils 34-31 in the Pac-12 opener for both teams Saturday night in Tempe, Ariz.
Brown had nine receptions for 150 yards, career highs, as were the three touchdowns. Alex Fontenot rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown for the Buffaloes (3-1), who scored three more points in the first half (24) than Arizona State had given up in its first three games.
True freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 24 of 39 passes for 345 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Eno Benjamin rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns for the Sun Devils (3-1), who have lost three of the last four in the series. Daniels set career highs in attempts, completions and yards.
Montez's third scoring pass to Brown gave Colorado a 31-24 lead in the final minute of the third quarter, and the Sun Devils tied it at 31 on Daniels' 39-yard touchdown pass to Frank Darby with 13:51 remaining.
Colorado drove 57 yards to set up Stefanou's go-ahead field goal. Daniels was sacked once and threw three incomplete passes, including on a fourth-and-16 play, on the Sun Devils' final drive.
Arizona State was called for roughing the holder on Stefanou's 34-yard field-goal attempt with 40 seconds remaining, and the Buffaloes retained possession and ran out the clock.
Brandon Aiyuk had a career-high nine receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown.
Montez, who completed 23 of 30 passes, has nine touchdown passes this season. Daniels threw his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter.
Brown helped Colorado overcome the loss of wide receiver Laviska Shenault, who had one reception for 23 yards before suffering an unspecified injury in the first period. He did not return.
He scored four touchdowns in the Buffaloes' 28-21 victory over Arizona State last season.
--Field Level Media
