Tempe, Ariz. ? Rudy Carpenter threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns, but No. 24 Arizona State needed a fourth-quarter rally to get past Division I-AA Northern Arizona, 35-14, Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.

Chris Baloney’s 35-yard interception return on the first play of the fourth quarter gave Arizona State its first lead at 21-14.

Keegan Herring added a 15-yard touchdown run with 11:58 left, and Dmitri Nance ran in from six yards to cap a late 91-yard drive that put the Sun Devils in control.

Carpenter was 17-of-24 with one interception, and Arizona State’s defense sacked Jason Murrietta nine times, including three by Derron Ware.

Murrietta completed 15 of 20 passes for 259 yards and two long scores, keeping the Lumberjacks tied through three quarters.

Baloney opened the final quarter by stepping in front of intended receiver Kenny Mahone and ran untouched for the score. On Arizona State’s next possession, Herring took a handoff right, found no room and reversed field, went back behind the 25 and found the left corner to cap a three-play drive.

The Lumberjacks held off the Sun Devils in the second half by intercepting a tipped pass by Carpenter in the end zone and then stopping Arizona State at the Northern Arizona 1 on fourth-and-goal with 8:07 left in the first quarter.

Northern Arizona scored twice in the first half on big plays. Murrietta hit Alex Watson with touchdown passes of 80 and 60 yards to give the Lumberjacks the lead both times. Watson caught 11 passes for 206 yards.