ARIZONA STATE AT UTAH
Arizona State on Saturday visits Utah at Rice Eccles-Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Sun Devils (3-3 and 2-1 in the Pac-12) are coming off last week’s upset of thenNo. 4 Washington. Utah (4-2 and 1-2) lost last week 28-27 at USC.
Kickoff is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. TV: FS1. Radio: 98.7 FM. Streaming: Fox Sports Go app.
1. Was it a fluke? After last week’s win over then-No. 4 Washington – in which the defense performed at a level not recently seen – ASU players and coaches insisted: This wasn’t a fluke. There’s only way to prove such a thing. And that’s to use it as a turning point in the season. With one conference loss, the Sun Devils control their destiny.
3 things to watch
2. Can they win on the road? This has been a problem. For a really long time. ASU hasn’t won a conference road game in more than two years, a streak of nine losses. Overall, the Sun Devils have lost their last seven road games.
3. Can they overcome the loss of another key player? The Sun Devils already are without senior linebacker Koron Crump, out for the year with a knee injury. At the end of last week’s contest, senior end/linebacker Alani Latu suffered a left-foot injury. As of Friday, ASU had not ruled out Latu, but he appeared doubtful. Coach Todd Graham recently called Latu the defensive MVP of the season’s first half.
State has not cracked the Top 25. Per computer guru Jeff Sagarin, ASU has played the fourth-toughest schedule in the country.
After three weeks, the Sun Devils’ third-down
of 54.55 percent was the worst in the nation. In their three games since, opponents have converted just 25 percent of third downs (9 of 36). Utah has scored 68 points off turnovers.
six games, the Utes have 17 takeaways, which ranks second in the Pac-12 and ties for fourth nationally. They have recovered eight fumbles and picked off nine passes.
Bottom line
The truth: ASU is better than many expected. The Sun Devils have improved each week, and last Saturday it paid off with a win that got national attention. The next step: winning on the road. That won’t be easy this week. Coming off two losses, Utah can’t afford another conference setback. The Sun Devils play well, giving themselves a chance, but come up short.