TEMPE, Ariz. -- K.J. Costello threw for 231 yards and a touchdown, and Stanford remained in the thick of the Pac-12 North Division race with a 20-13 win over Arizona State on Thursday night.
Stanford (5-2, 3-1) needed a half to get its offense fully rolling off a bye week, held to a pair of field goals in the first half. The Cardinal put together a pair of impressive drives in the third quarter and had a 16-minute advantage in time of possession to tie No. 14 Washington atop the Pac-12 North.
Arizona State (3-4, 1-3) was held to a field goal in the first half before Manny Wilkins scrambled for a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to pull the Sun Devils within 20-13.
Arizona State got the ball back at its own 16 -yard line with 2:20 left, but couldn't get off a final play from Stanford's 20 after a short gain.
Wilkins threw for 353 yards, but the Sun Devils turned it over three times, including one on a failed trick play, to lose for the fourth time in five games.
Arizona State had a good drive going late in the first half, but failed on a trick play when receiver N'Keal Harry's pass off a reverse was intercepted at Stanford's 11.
The Cardinal appeared to have a touchdown when Cameron Scarlett turned a screen pass into a 59-yard score, but it was called back on a holding penalty.
Jet Toner hit his second field goal of the half, from 31 yards, on the final play of the half to put Stanford up 6-3.
Arizona State opened the second half with Brandon Ruiz's second field goal.
Stanford opened by dominating the Sun Devils on a pair of long scoring drives to take control.
Costello hit JJ Arcega-Whiteside on a 28-yard touchdown pass on the first drive, and Scarlett scored on a 1-yard dive to put the Cardinal up 20-6.