ASU Football: Sun Devils pull away late, axe Lumberjacks 44-13

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY SportsArizona State rung in the new season with a 31-point victory over the visiting Lumberjacks.

It was slow, sleepy, and lethargic at times, but the Arizona State Sun Devils got in the win column Saturday with a runaway victory against visiting Northern Arizona.

Arizona State (1-0) was able to turn a slim 10-3 halftime advantage into a 44-13 blowout, using an increased emphasis on a ground attack that tallied four second half touchdowns. The win marked the team's 13th season-opening win in its last 14 seasons.

"When you look at (the score) you can see it was 44-13, and that sounds really good," said head coach Todd Graham after the victory. "It was, like, 10-6 for a…