SCOUTING REPORT: ASU AT OREGON
After back-to back home games Arizona State (6-4, 4-3 in Pac-12 play) hits the road for two games to end the regular season. First up a showdown at Autzen Stadium against Oregon (6-4,3-4), then comes the Territorial Cup against Arizona in Tucson.
But first things first.
ASU is a team trending in the right direction with three straight wins, a 31-28 win over UCLA coming last Saturday.
Oregon is headed the other direction, having lost three of its last four and is coming off a 32-25 loss to a Utah team playing without its top two players.
"Offensively Oregon has one of the better offenses. They have a very talented quarterback. He can really throw the football. They’re very balanced, with some good wide receivers," Edwards said. "Defensively, they have athletes in the back end of their defense. They’ve got a good punt returner. So all those things are a factor when you go on the road. I think our guys are starting to tune in on what it’s going to take for us to win a football game.”
Oregon leads the series 19-17. ASU won last year's game at Sun Devil Stadium, 37-35, the difference being a 41-yard field goal with 2:33 left. Wilkins threw for 347 yards and completed 24 of 39 passes while Oregon's Justin Herbert completed 19 of 35 for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. TV: Pac-12 Network. Radio: ESPN Radio 620AM.
3 things to watch
1. How will ASU's secondary defend a potent passing attack? Oregon ranks 32nd of 129 FBS teams in passing offense (267.6 ypg) while ASU ranks 39th in total defense (439.9 ypg). Oregon has a probable first round draft pick at QB in Justin Herbert and ASU will be starting at least two true freshmen in the secondary and anywhere between four and six on the unit as a whole.
2. Can Oregon slow Eno Benjamin's assault on the record books? The Ducks rank 54th out of 129 teams in the FBS in rushing defense, allowing 152.1 per game. Benjamin ranks third in the nation in rushing (1,295 yards) and has had seven 100 yards games.
3. How will the Sun Devils handle the hostile atmosphere and elements? Coach Herm Edwards isn't making a big deal about the elements and the players are taking a cue from him. They reference the game in Colorado earlier this season that posed the same challenges. Still, it will be cold and possibly raining and those are factors with which the Sun Devils haven't had to deal and the crowd there is as loud as anywhere.
About Oregon
The Ducks had been a contender in the North Division but have fallen out of the race after losses in three of their last five games. They were dealt a loss by Utah last week and the Utes were playing without their starting quarterback and running back. Mario Cristobal is in his first year as head coach after previously serving as offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator under Willie Taggart. Prior to arriving in Eugene, he spent four seasons (2013-16) at Alabama as the assistant head coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, helping the Crimson Tide to the National Championship following the 2015 season, as well as a runner-up finish after the 2016 season. Oregon is bowl eligible for the 13th time in the last 14 years.
Star power
QB Justin Herbert, Oregon: The 6foot-6, 233-pound junior is being heralded as a top five draft pick come April and most have him tabbed as the top quarterback available. This season he has completed 193 of 325 attempts with 25 touchdown and six interceptions. He has thrown for 250 yards or more in seven of 10 games this season with a best of 346 yards coming against Stanford. Last week he was 20 of 33 for 288 yards in a loss to Utah. He has 25 straight games in which he has thrown a touchdown pass. That's the longest in country.
RB Eno Benjamin, ASU: The sophomore has already put his name in the school record book and he has others he is still chasing. Most notable is his single-game mark of 312 yards against Oregon State. Benjamin ranks third nationally in rushing with 1,295 yards and 12 touchdowns in 227 carries. He has rushed for 100 yards or more in seven of 10 games but has managed 175 or more in each of the last three games. He also factors into the passing game with 10 catches for 212 yards and two touchdowns.
Trending
15 – Number of different players that have scored a touchdown for Oregon. Miami, Boston College and Texas Tech have a national best 18 different scorers.
271 – Number of yards needed for sophomore Eno Benjamin to break the school's single-season rushing record set by Woody Green in 1972.
770 – Passing yards for Oregon junior QB Justin Herbert in two previous games against the Sun Devils.
2,484 - Number of snaps played this season by freshman for ASU. Comparatively, freshmen combined for just 918 total snaps played in 2017 and 1,035 in 2016.
Bottom line
ASU is the only team that still controls its own destiny in the Pac-12 South, but a loss would complicate matters. The Sun Devils are just 1-3 on the road this season, that win coming over USC three weeks ago. The road losses were all by just seven points so they haven't been overwhelmed by any foe in any venue. Utah and Arizona are the other teams still in contention and the Sun Devils still have the head-to-head left with Arizona. Oregon is 5-1 at home with the only loss coming to Stanford in overtime.
Prediction
Oregon 28, ASU 21