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COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Huskies Run Over by Sun Devils, 32-17 : Pacific 10: Two Arizona State backs each rush for 100 yards against slumping Washington.

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From Associated Press

The nation’s sixth-best rushing defense was only the second-best on the field Saturday night as Arizona State won the line battle in running past No. 19 Washington.

Mario Bates gained 163 yards in 27 carries and scored two touchdowns in the Sun Devils’ surprising 32-17 Pac-10 conference victory.

“I don’t know what got into the offensive line,” freshman quarterback Jake Plummer said. “They just got tired of losing.”

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Plummer, making his third consecutive start in place of injured Grady Benton, engineered two third-quarter scoring drives after Washington (5-3, 3-2 Pac-10) stumbled to a 17-16 halftime advantage.

It was the second consecutive victory for the Sun Devils (4-4, 2-3) after losing three in a row.

“That’s a good ASU football team, they controlled the line of scrimmage,” Washington Coach Jim Lambright said.

The line opened holes for Bates and George Montgomery--who added 100 yards in 15 carries--in a 254-yard rushing effort.

Washington had held its opponents to 84.7 yards per game rushing, but Arizona State became the first team to have two 100-yard rushers against the Huskies since the Sun Devils did it in 1986.

“You go back to practice and how we’ve been practicing and the coaches calling all the right plays,” said Bates, a sophomore who has rushed for more than 100 yards the last three weeks.

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Washington was held to 111 yards on the ground, being forced to throw after falling behind in the second half. Napoleon Kaufman picked up 119 yards in 16 carries.

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