Bizarre scenes unfolded during Arizona State's 70-7 victory over Morgan State on Saturday night when both head coaches agreed to shorten the fourth quarter to just 10 minutes. The decision came after Arizona State had established a commanding lead.
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham expressed surprise at the agreement, stating, "I've never been part of a game like that. I didn't even know that was legal, but I learned something today. When he asked to shorten it, I said: 'Whatever he wants, we'll do'." Dillingham confirmed that Morgan State head coach Damon Wilson had requested the officials shorten the final quarter, to which Dillingham readily agreed.
The Sun Devils had scored 28 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, and another 21 in the third, resulting in the 63-point advantage. The shortened fourth quarter saw no further scoring from either team, preserving the final score of 70-7.
The victory for Arizona State was highlighted by a strong performance from Kentucky transfer quarterback Cutter Boley, who threw for 387 yards and six touchdowns in his debut. Wide receiver Reed Harris contributed six receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
While the rule change in the Arizona State game generated unusual attention, the night also featured a controversial finish in the Michigan versus Western Michigan game. Western Michigan appeared to have secured an upset with a Hail Mary touchdown as time expired, but officials reinstated one second on the clock. Michigan capitalized on this, with quarterback Bryce Underwood completing a 47-yard pass for a 13-12 victory, a decision that drew significant discussion on social media.