When Arizona State goes on the road this weekend to face No. 20 UCLA, it will take on its toughest challenge yet in an early battle for Pac-12 South supremacy. With the rest of the conference dropping numerous losses, some of them highly surprising upsets, it’s only the Sun Devils and the Bruins who stand alone on top of the division rankings with three wins and one loss each, as well as a singular win in conference play.
However, much like the messages expressed on Monday by ASU head coach Herm Edwards, the Sun Devil players aren’t going to treat Saturday’s contest with extra emphasis or load greater expectations on because of the moment. Saturday is just another football game; one they are determined to win.
“Every game we play this season is important,” redshirt senior running back Rachaad White said. “We aren’t feeding into or thinking about this as one big game to decide (our whole season). If you win this game or lose this game, you never know what can happen. If you win this game, then every game after this game will be a big one because you can’t lose. We just have to control what we can control. We always want to win.”
“We want to win out; every game is important,” redshirt freshman wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton said. “There’s no game that’s less important or doesn’t matter; that’s how you lose games. I feel like even after this game, the next game is just as important. I don’t think about how we have to win this game, or we can’t lose this game…. We just have to win; that’s my mindset.”
Adding extra emphasis and drama to the table is that Saturday’s contest is a homecoming trip for many of the Arizona State players who grew up in Southern California. The last time the SoCal Devils went home, the team dropped a 28-27 heartbreaker in the L.A. Colosseum to USC. With fans in attendance at the Rose Bowl, there will be friends, family, and former coaches in the stands, adding that much more incentive and pressure. They’re determined to stay focused and not let their emotions get the best of them this time around.
“I’m very excited; a lot of family and friends are going to be there,” freshman safety RJ Regan mentioned. “But around game time, especially before the game, you have to block that out. Friends and family might be hitting you up before the game, but you have to try and block it out until the game is over.”
Regan has never played on the road in front of family and friends, so Saturday will be the first of many visits to SoCal as a Sun Devil. For senior linebacker Darien Butler though, this is just business as usual. The Compton, California native shared some insights into his process of sharing guidance with his fellow Angelenos.
“I try to let them know what’s at stake,” he explained. “I don’t think we should pick and choose which games we need to go hard or play hard in, no matter who our opponent is. Speaking for this defense, we play hard, we play physical, we play fast, that’s what we do. I’m just letting the younger guys know we have something serious at stake. If we want to get business done and reach the aspirations we talk about, we need to handle our business definitively.”
In order to take care of business, Arizona State must take on and beat one of the strongest defenses in college football against the run in UCLA. Through four games, the Bruins have allowed just 64 rushing yards per game, good enough to lead the Pac-12 by a margin of 26 yards, ahead of Oregon State allowing 90. On the other side of the coin, Arizona State and its three-headed monster of a backfield are second in the Pac-12, averaging 211.5 rushing yards per game.
“It’s a very good defense; they do a good job of keeping you guessing,” offensive coordinator Zak Hill remarked. “They’ve got experienced guys all over the place; they’re a good veteran crew. With that, they’re always on the same page… It’ll be a great challenge for us.”
“Some things will hit in the run game because of some pressures. It’s a fine line we will have to dance, full of give and take. It’s a defense that can put you in negative yardage, but there’s also opportunities to hit some things too, so it will be a fun back and forth matchup.”
With the intense battle on the ground, Arizona State’s ever-developing pass game should have some chances to flourish against the Bruins, who, contrary to their success in defending the run game, have struggled negating opposing air attacks. Stanford sophomore quarterback Tanner McKee threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 35-24 loss to UCLA. Fresno State senior quarterback Jake Haener diced the Bruin defense for 455 yards in Week Three’s heroic upset over UCLA.
ASU junior quarterback Jayden Daniels has only eclipsed 250 yards passing once this season, against the now No. 13 BYU Cougars. A bright note, however, is that Daniels’ 265-yard outing against the Cougars came against another formidable rushing defense. Known for his explosive rushing ability, if defenses manage to curb Daniels using his legs, then stepping up in the pocket and throwing the ball to a developing core of receivers is a strong option. The running backs know it, too; if their efforts are stopped, they’re willing to put the “Pass” in Pasadena.
“It’s a self-confidence thing,” White remarked. “We care about whatever contributes to the win on offense. Everybody just does their jobs for the win. If they want to stack the box, then the outside guys are (ready). If that’s the case, the running backs preach to the receivers, “It’s y’all’s week you have to step up.’ Everybody has to do their job in order for everything to go right.”
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