Vincentian national and Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry was on another level against the Utah Utes on Saturday.
All told, the junior wideout caught nine balls for 161 yards and three touchdowns. Three.
“We didn’t throw it a lot, but we made it count,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards said after the game. “N’Keal’s a fabulous player and he has two back-to-back games now where without his presence, it hurts you.”
With that score, ASU jumped out to an early 14-0 lead.
Fast forward to late in the second quarter and it’s the Utes with the 17-14 lead. Until Harry went back to work.
There was a scary moment for ASU fans, however, as Harry was slow to get up, favoring his right arm as he headed to the locker room with his team up 21-17 at halftime.
Luckily for ASU, the wide receiver returned to action to start the second half and showed his true speed in the fourth quarter.
“I just had to check myself mentally, make sure I was in it,” Harry said when asked about his injury and him returning to the game. “I knew in the second half I had to be tough.
“It was a great all-around performance by our offense and out defense tonight.”
Not only did he shed his would-be tackler, Harry turned it up the field before using the extra effort to extend for the touchdown.
His three-touchdown performance helped seal the game for ASU as they took down Utah 38-20.
“I’m not really worried about [being a focal in the offense], I’m not really too worried about that,” Harry said after the win. “I just want to go out there and do whatever it takes to help my team get the win.”
Harry is now tied for fifth in program history in career touchdown receptions with 22 and is the first Sun Devil since Devin Lucien against California in 2015 to have a three-score game.