A challenging second half of the schedule awaits ASU
It is the epitome of irony that in its last season of existence, the Pac-12 is stronger than ever in terms of its quality. More than half of its teams were nationally ranked at one point or another, and the race to earn a spot for the last-ever Pac-12 Championship game is tighter than it has been in a while.
Arizona State, a program that is in full rebuilding mode and one that has gone through a dramatic roster change, will try to navigate a difficult schedule coming off their bye week. Let's examine the opponents that lie ahead for ASU as they try and seek to notch their first conference win.
October 21 at Washington - Which aspect will have more of an impact in this contest? A Husky squad currently ranked no. 5 that is understandably euphoric after a dramatic win against a then-unbeaten Oregon, or the revenge factor pointed at the Sun Devils, the last team to beat Washington? That is the mental component that undoubtedly will affect this game in Seattle. ASU is reportedly a four-touchdown underdog, and if recent weeks’ performance has shown anything, it’s that they don’t perform at the level that the oddsmakers are expecting them to. Nonetheless, this won’t undermine the fact that Washington squarely has its eyes on the prize, namely a playoff berth, and Arizona State will play in a ruckus road environment.
October 28th Washington State - Even before an absolutely shocking 44-6 home loss to Arizona, I felt that this was a game that potentially could mark a precious league victory for the Sun Devils. Suffice it to say that after yesterday's results, my opinion has not changed, especially when you factor in the fact that the week before the Cougars travel to Tempe, they will be coming off a road game against Oregon, a team that will desperately try and keep its hopes of reaching the Pac-12 Championship Game alive. The obvious caveat that ASU has much to fix in its own house is still relevant before it can entertain any thoughts of beating a conference foe. And skeptics would tell you that if ASU endured close losses against teams such as Cal and Colorado, which on paper are inferior to Washington State, that a win, even against a team that is likely to arrive battered to Tempe on a three-game losing streak (WSU lost to UCLA the week prior to the Arizona defeat) may not be a probable outcome. ASU fans are hoping that this won’t be one more contest that will be a duplicate scenario where a victory was in reach and slipped in between Arizona State’s fingers.
November 4th at Utah - the Utes may be the most intriguing team that no one is talking about when handicapping the Pac-12 championship race. Their lone loss not only in conference play but in the overall record was at then-no. 19 Oregon State. An elite defense has done more than enough to compensate for a Utah offense that has been hot and cold, as they are missing quarterback Cam Rising, who is still rehabbing from a significant knee injury. There's no denying the fact that Utah is facing an extremely trying six games ahead and will be facing the Sun Devils after playing at USC and hosting Oregon in back-to-back weeks. The Utes are definitely one team that you can never count out, and they have already proved that trait repeatedly this year. I can definitely see the parallels between them and Washington this week, as Arizona State can feel like the proverbial trap, especially when you factor in a road game for Utah at Washington the following week. But playing in Salt Lake City with potential inclement weather is anything but a walk in the park.
November 11th at UCLA - It's only fitting that Arizona State's last ever Pac-12 road game takes place at the Rose Bowl, the most iconic venue in the conference. The Bruins squad has been a bizarro one in 2023. There's no shame when your only two losses of the year were road games at Utah and Oregon State, which were both ranked in the top 15 at the time. Yet, what has been surprising is that a UCLA defense that has been a glaring shortcoming in recent seasons has now become a strength for the Bruins while a Chip Kelly-led offense has struggled at a level that perhaps was not expected in preseason predictions. UCLA has lost two of their last three games but will probably be in less of a funk when they do host ASU.
November 18 Oregon - For obvious reasons, this is a game that has been circled and bolded ever since the 2022 Ducks’ offensive coordinator, Kenny Dillingham, became the Sun Devils’ Head Coach. The chess match between both coaching staffs, who are intimately familiar with each other, is going to be fascinating. The bigger question, though, is whether we are going to see an Oregon team that will still have one loss on its record after playing at Utah and hosting USC. If this is a team that allows the Washington loss hangover to linger and continually affect them, the contest in Tempe could become even more interesting than it currently is.
November 25 Arizona – Arizona State’s last ever Pac-12 contest, albeit facing thier in-state rival that will be joining them in the Big 12 next year. But the bigger storyline could be whether this is a game that will mark the Sun Devils’ last opportunity at a league win and/or a contest that may determine the Wildcats’ bowl eligibility. Even at a record of 4-3, Arizona, following with their eye-opening 44-6 win over Washington State yesterday, has proven that this is not only a squad that can put up gaudy offensive numbers in an already explosive conference but can also have a defense who can aptly support it (currently ranked no. 32 in Total defense). Arizona does have two difficult home games at Oregon State and UCLA before they travel to Colorado and end their home schedule hosting Utah. Not that ASU has a cupcake slate for the next six weeks, but it's not as if Arizona doesn't have quite the minefield to navigate.
As cliche as it sounds, it is still true that when Arizona State executed a self-imposed postseason ban, the Territorial Cup contest effectively became their bowl game. It's anybody's guess how much that can actually tilt the scales in the ASU’s favor, and again, if Arizona does wrap up that sixth bowl-eligible win before they arrive in Tempe, does that influence the always important mental aspect of this game?
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Arizona State is a team that simply wants to see progress from week to week. While their record won't show it, I don't think it would be out of term to state that since a low point of a 29-0 home loss to Fresno State, we've seen an ASU team that hasn’t completely turned the page but at the time has definitely shown some measure of growth, especially on offense. During a season that will go down as the most talent-heavy Pac-12 group, it will be a monumental task to win even one game in the next six weeks to provide even more encouraging signs for the immediate future of the program.
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