On the eve of the Sun Devils' fall camp, we surveyed our DevilsDigest staff to get their opinions on the perceived team strengths and weaknesses, players to watch, and projected team record.

The Pac-12 media did pick ASU to finish third in the South. Do you feel that their ranking was correct, or was it too low and why?

Gabe Swartz: I definitely think the third-place ranking in the Pac-12 South preseason media poll is too low considering what ASU returns. One of the things people are boasting the most about ASU is they get so many players back, even though a lot of the Pac-12 programs got a lot of people back because the season was so much shorter than the rest of the country. So, it might not be as big of an advantage in the conference, but in terms of the national percentage of returning production from offense and defense, ASU ranks really highly there.

And I think to some extent the recent controversy (NCAA review) obviously factors into it because people are thinking that it’s going to take away from the team’s focus. But the fact that ASU goes into every game or just about every game this year with an advantage at the quarterback position, them and USC, I can't see any way that it doesn't end in USC/ASU going 1-2 or 2-1 in the South.

Mac Friday: I'm almost on the exact same page as Gabe, I think USC is going to be that clear cut number one, but I do think it is too low to put ASU at no. 3. I think that Utah isn't as clear cut and as bulletproof as ASU’s lineup with the people that they return. And so I don't understand why they're at no. 2 and ASU is at no. 3. I believe that ASU should jump that and be at no. 2. There are too many question marks around that Utah team for them to be at no. 2 compared to ASU who returns all 11 starters on defense and a whole bunch of talent on offense.

Zach Keenan: I don't know, but I differ from you guys here. I have ASU pegged at no. 2, but my no. 1 team in the South is actually Utah. I'm really high on Utah this year. They've got the quarterback transfer from Baylor, Charlie Brewer, they dipped into the transfer portal for a pretty good amount of firepower. And then the tragic loss of running back Ty Jordan…it does obviously leave a hole at running back, but you have to imagine that they have something to play for this year. They've got a really tough defense returning, so I think when we say that ASU is, I guess, too low at no. 3, we might forget that the Pac-12 South looks pretty good this year. UCLA, Utah, USC are all going to be really tough competition. But I think ASU can still find a spot at no. 2.

Cole Topham: I'd say too low considering the note Arizona State closed out 2020 and the fact that nobody in the Pac-12 South really comes close to the Sun Devils in-depth and experience, with 20 returning starters and the entire defense intact. They may not have the recent success Utah has had or the national attention yet that quarterback Kedon Slovis has garnered at USC regarding this next year's NFL Draft class. But in my opinion, ASU has proven that they can contend with the conference’s best and ranked opponents since Jayden Daniels took over. I think he's a player; many will agree has still yet to reach his potential as a passer, and this could be the season where he does that.

Hod Rabino: Already went on record saying that ASU will win the South, in my opinion. The quantity and the quality of the returning talent are second to none, and overall any deficiency or question marks that they have are still less than teams such as USC and Utah, who were picked ahead of them by the media. There's no way you can overstate the fact that the NCAA review has affected the collective opinion of the media in this case. Ultimately that's their prerogative, but it is also happens to be an opinion that I happen to disagree with.

What elements of the ASU offense give you a reason for optimism, and what aspects would cause apprehension in your opinion?

Cole Topham: I know it’s obvious, but you got to point towards the running game. White and Trayanum are truly a defense’s nightmare. They’re athletic, versatile, powerful, quick, and most importantly, unselfish. They're not afraid to give each other carries and prop each other up. They will anchor this offense once again. I think for the first time since 2017, ASU enters fall camp without a true no. 1 wideout. It’s been N’Keal Harry, then Brandon Aiyuk, and then Frank Darby. So now all eyes are on Bryan Thompson, the transfer from Utah who instantly becomes the most experienced member of the squad. So the question is, can LV Bunkley-Shelton emerge after leading the group in catches last season? And how comfortable have Johnny Wilson and Andre Johnson got since we saw them last.

Zach Keenan: Everyone's gonna say the running back room is the strength just like Cole did and rightfully so. There's nothing that I can say that hasn't already been said about that group. I'll say the offensive line is a strength since they’re returning Ladarius Henderson and Dohnovan West who are only sophomores or at least listed as such. Then they've got Kellen Diesch and Henry Hattis, who look like NFL guys. Ben Scott is probably that other starting tackle, so the offensive line looks pretty good. I'll side with Cole on this (deficiency) one, though. The wide receiving room has a ton of question marks. Bryan Thompson is probably the favorite to be the starting X, but he didn't have a great season at Utah last year, probably had only about four receptions for maybe under 200 yards. But he's a really good wideout.

The rest of that wide receiver rotation is so young; you've got Ricky Pearsall, who Jayden Daniels gave a lot of praise for on Pac-12 Media Day. Then you've got Andre Johnson as well. But it’s still, so many young guys who seemed to have chemistry issues with Daniels last year, and it's gonna come down to if those chemistry issues have been resolved, whether it's Jayden’s fault or the wide receivers’ fault, or both.

Mac Friday: I don't mean to hop on the bandwagon here, but I'm also going to stick with the running game in total as a strength, and specifically the offensive line. Kellen Diesch is a bona fide NFL prospect. Dohnovan West, Ladarius Henderson, and Ben Scott have all been playing together going on two, three years now. And then Hattis has that experience as a graduate student. This is really the first time in my couple of years here at ASU that there aren't major question marks about any position on the offensive line going into fall camp. We know who's going to be those front five.

On the other side of the coin, the wide receiver room is a big concern. Johnny Wilson was dropping passes early in the season. LV Bunkley-Shelton couldn't seem to get a good footing early in the season. And I feel like that didn't really improve a whole lot over the entire course of the four games they played. So Bryan Thompson is going to add a lot of juice to that room; it's concerning to consider that Thompson and then Geordon Porter are the two most experienced guys in that room. But you know, we've had an entire 15 practices of spring ball, we've got fall camp coming up here this week, and who knows what they've been doing all summer? So there are some question marks around them, but I think there are a lot of answers that the team could be getting on the bright side.

Gabe Swartz: I wouldn’t say the reason for optimism and the aspect that might cause you apprehension aren’t along the same lines for me. But I'll go in a different direction and say that quarterback Jayden Daniels is a reason for optimism. I do think that aside from the USC game, ASU has an advantage certainly in every other game at the quarterback position, unless you're super high on (UCLA QB) Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Charlie Brewer, who knows if he'll even be healthy enough to play in the Utah-ASU game by that point of the year because he's struggled with injuries throughout his career. But in order for Jayden Daniels to be at his best and be successful, and I know people have had Heisman buzz around him.

I think the only quarterback that's won the Heisman in the last 10 years without a receiver that has had at least 1,200 receiving yards was Lamar Jackson. So you'd have to have a ridiculous running game for a quarterback to have that kind of success. So if ASU doesn't want Daniels running around a bunch, and we know Herm Edwards has always been kind of apprehensive about that; someone has to step up to be that N’Keal Harry or Brandon Aiyuk. But Daniels gives them something that they really didn't have with Manny Wilkins in recent years, and that’s a pure advantage at the quarterback position, which gives you a chance in any game they play. As far as apprehension about the offense? It’s obviously the receiver spot because they need a number one guy. I don't think anyone's worried about talent in the room, collectively, there's tons of talent, but one guy has to step up and be the guy that Jayden can trust.

Hod Rabino: My answer is not going to deviate from what everyone described as the obvious strength and weakness on this side of the ball. The running game behind an experienced offensive line is clearly, a strength of this offense, and I believe that with the confidence that now the number three running back Daniyel Ngata has shown makes this ground attack even more lethal than it was last year, and don't forget that the key players of this unit were all just newcomers in 2020.

Needless to say that the success or failure of this offense, if not the entire team this season, hinges on the wide receiver group. This is also a unit that featured quite a few first-year players, but under a new and complex first-year offensive system, let alone a pandemic landscape that affected their spring and preseason preparations, all amounted to hurdles there were too hard to clear. This year I'd like to think that we can see some measure of improvement. However, just because every other position group on offense is pretty well established, at the very least, you have to point to the Sun Devil wideouts as the one group that has the largest burden of proof placed on them.

What elements of the ASU defense give you a reason for optimism and what aspects would cause apprehension, in your opinion?

Gabe Swartz: The core returns, and I think that there are great foundational pieces at each level of the defense. You got Jermayne Lole up front, Darien Butler, and Merlin Robertson at linebacker. And then you've got Chase Lucas, who's a fifth-year starter in the secondary and talented guys there like Jack Jones as well. So there's experience; there are guys that shouldn't be making mistakes at this point. Most of the players here have ‘been there and done that.’ Chase Lucas has played against so many different quarterbacks in his career. He knows what to expect from different guys. And I think that ASU has been super successful in terms of turning people over. Last year it was 3.3 turnovers forced per game in that four-game sample. So you can say small sample size, and that stat had a lot to do with Arizona continuing to just hand them the ball on seemingly every possession in the rivalry game.

But at the same time, I would say that's also something that you kind of worry about. Is it repeatable? Because turnovers can be fluky. Sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way; sometimes, those fumbles aren't recovered; they're just hopped back on by the offense. So I don't know if ASU can necessarily rely on forcing three and a half turnovers per game again this year, and maybe they need to lessen the number of yards per game than they're allowing.

Mac Friday: I am very excited to see what this defensive line can do and build off what they did last year. Jermayne Lole and Tyler Johnson seem to eat almost everybody's lunch when it comes to facing off against an offensive line going for tackles for loss and sacks. They're both on different preseason award watch lists for a reason. When they go, the entire defense goes. And like the offensive line, there are not a lot of questions about it. There hasn't been a ton of optimism about the defensive line before Robert Rodriguez got to ASU. You could argue that it was their weakest point on the defense, and it isn’t anymore. It starts with Tyler Johnson and Jermayne Lole. Michael Mathias was excellent. DJ Davidson plugs holes in the middle, and you've got excellent second-team guys here as well.

On the other hand, when it comes to apprehension, I'm going to say the longevity of the secondary and maybe some question marks around safety. I think Evan Fields is going to be fantastic. I think DeAndre Pierce brings great experience. But where do we go after that? What happens after those two? And can they stay healthy? I think that is the biggest question mark when it comes to the defense.

Zach Keenan: As far as depth at defensive back, I think that's one of the strong suits of the defense. How can you not like these defensive backs, at least the starting four? Jack Jones, Chase Lucas, who's on a whole bunch of watch lists. Lucas told me that DeAndre Pierce is essentially the quarterback of the defensive and that defensive brain runs in the family. Pierce had 24 tackles last year, and I feel like he doesn't get the recognition he deserved for playing that well. Evan Fields was a heat seeking missile with 38 tackles. I think he had 10 or 12 alone against the USC. If Jack Jones, who missed those last three games, can stay on the straight and narrow and showed what he could do having a five-tackle game against USC.

But my veteran logic also works against me because I'm really worried about the linebackers. I know Merlin Robertson and Darien Butler had been great, but I don't know if there's such thing as spending too much time with one group. DeAndre Pearce brought in a fresh mind, and he's controlling the defense. I think the linebacker, at least for this year, maybe in a year or two when a lot of those younger guys grow up a little, the linebackers will have fewer concerns. But this year, I've got some apprehension for that, especially after the way that UCLA just marched up the field with short and medium gains.

Cole Topham: I think the consistent pressure of Antonio Pierce’s new scheme, and I talked about this in the film breakdown, did wonders for the Sun Devils, and it helped the secondary because they were feeding off of each other. The pass rush helped out the secondary, and having a strong experience secondary helped out the pass rush. You have a great player in Jermayne Lole coming back. It was awesome to see Tyler Johnson have the season he did after everything he'd been through.

So personally, I don’t feel much apprehension from this defense. I’d like to see the linebackers more involved up front because they didn't have any sacks last season in the abbreviated schedule. And then I just want to see the secondary, mainly Jack Jones and Chase Lucas, to finally pull it all together. I feel like they've been talking about having that one NFL caliber season that's going to help them climb up the draft boards. Obviously, we didn't get to see much of Jack Jones last year, but with him returning and together with Chase Lucas being the commanders of the secondary, hopefully, they can put it all together and answer those questions about their NFL Draft stock.

Hod Rabino: I swear this is not a copy and paste of my esteem staff's answers, but I feel that defensive backfield is a definite strength, and honestly, it’s beyond important to have this group be such a formidable unit since it’s impossible to succeed in this conference without this collection of players performing at a high level. There's no doubt in my mind that if ASU does as well as I expect them to do in 2021 that this quartet of starters will turn in a strong season.

An apprehension for me would be the question mark in terms of the pass rush depth. There is no reason to believe that Tyler Johnson and Michael Matus cannot turn in another solid season. But if they're not on the field for whatever reason, how big of a drop-off will we see? We can talk all day about the aforementioned formidable defensive backfield (albeit one that may not have that great depth at safety). Yet, it goes without saying that this is a group that still will depend on the front four wreaking havoc on a consistent basis, and this is where depth at defensive end comes into play, and at least at this moment, I feel that it is somewhat of an unknown.

Which returning player who, in your opinion, is probably not considered a star but still, someone who can have a significant impact on the 2021 season?

Gabe Swartz: I think he's somewhat of a star for his position group, but making a change of position from guard to center for Donovan West, is huge for the success of the offensive line. His comfort at center, having a first-year position coach in Mike Cavanaugh trusting him to make that move in what is a very important year program. West’s success determines the level to which ASU’s offensive line will play. If you go to the defensive side of the ball, I'd say Evan fields because he somewhat gets overshadowed by ASU fans with Chase Lucas being there for so long and Evan Fields just goes about his business. He plays hard, he plays tough, and I think that at the end of the day, he's someone whose NFL stock could go up a lot this year if he elevates his play.

Mac Friday: I'm gonna stay on the offensive line but say it’s Kellen Diesch. I think that it's fantastic for Jayden Daniels to have somebody protecting his blind side that is going to go to the NFL. And then also he’s someone that he plays a major role in sealing down that left side for the running game and brings so much experience. Diesch is that guy who kind of flies under the radar on that offensive line. Gabe made a fantastic point in picking Evan Fields because I was also going to pick Fields for the defensive side of the ball. Truly a special kid that doesn't get the recognition he deserves and, assuming he stays healthy because he's had some health issues in spring ball, is going to have a fantastic final year at ASU.

Zach Keenan: I pick DeAndre Pierce. If what Chase Lucas says is gospel, then Pierce is supposed to have a huge year. The way he commands the defense is something that's really attractive to NFL scouts. So if he has a year like he did last year with that number of tackles, I think that'll draw eyes. When you get to know him, you learn just how much of a defensive mind he is. So it’s DeAndre Pierce for me.

Cole Topham: I'm gonna go younger; I think it can be Johnny Wilson. Last season, a lot of pressure was put on him to step up as a big target in the passing game, and those drop issues plagued him over the first two games, which could have affected his confidence. But he made some tough catches in the final stretch. We got to remember; this guy is 6-7 230 lbs. He's terrifyingly agile for a guy his size. So Wilson has a mismatch anywhere you line him up. And the publicity was all over him in the preseason, in terms of media coverage and the highlight catches he was making in practice. The Sun Devils need to be more consistent passing the ball in the red zone. I bet those drops get ironed out, so throw the ball up and let him work.

Hod Rabino: Not to harp on the pass rush aspect here, but I do pick Michael Matus here. Yes, he has silenced the critics pretty quickly, even in a season that just lasted for games. But he still can and should be even more of an impact player on the ASU defense and create the desired domino effect harassing the opponent’s backfield that can positively affect the rest of the Sun Devil defense.

Which newcomer are you most excited to see this season?

Cole Topham: All eyes are on Jalin Conyers because he made an impact mostly in the spring game, where he caught two touchdowns. ASU has talked a lot about expanding the role of their tight ends since Zach Hill took over as offensive coordinator, so we'll see. So I think Conyers could legitimately be that new piece that finally completes that puzzle.

Zach Keenan: I'm going with the ‘Philly Freak’ linebacker Eric Gentry. He may not get a ton of playing time, but at least to look out for in fall camp and preseason practices. Listed at 6-6 200 lbs…Johnny Wilson is bigger than this guy, and he plays wide receiver. Gentry has such a high ceiling in so many areas, and he could eventually make a move to defensive end as Tyler Johnson did. I'm just excited to see what this guy does in the Joe Connolly Iron Devils chapel.

Mac Friday: I’m gonna go with a guy from out East, cornerback Tommy Hill. He’s not going to be a starter, not with how bulletproof that defense is with their veterans. But he's a kid who comes in all the way from Florida, and he's out West just to play football. That's really it. He's got a troubled past, and he's left that all behind. He can be in full tunnel vision on football. And he's 6-1 205 lbs. He can play safety; he can play corner. You could even put him at receiver if ASU really needed to because that's what he played a lot in high school. And can also play well on special teams. He was one of the best freshmen who really stood out among the newcomers in spring ball. All the coaches have talked highly about him as well as the players. I think he's a force to be reckoned with among the newcomers.

Gabe Swartz: Jalin Conyers was one newcomer that stood out to me just based on his spring game performance. But I'm gonna go to the defensive side of the ball and a guy who's not a freshman but a grad transfer in defensive end Travez Moore. I'm interested to see how the SEC and LSU experience shaped him and how that translates to the Pac-12, and what kind of experience can he give to the defensive line to complement the starters on the D-line. What his experience on a national championship-winning team can provide a team like ASU that’s trying to win a division championship.

Hod Rabino: I agree with Gabe and will also choose Travez Moore. I feel that he could be a true X-Factor in making sure that ASU’s pass rush capabilities, at least from its defensive line, are expanded and not limited to just the starters. The way he ended spring practice certainly gave one hope that he can be a significant factor even as a reserve. I would go as far as saying that it would be somewhat hard for me to see the ASU defense collectively being one of the best in the conference in 2021 without Travez Moore making an impact in his own right.

Looking at the entire schedule, which two contests do you believe could ultimately be the swing games of the entire season?

Cole Topham: It's got to be Washington on the road and USC at home because Washington will have already played Michigan and Oregon before they take on the Sun Devils. So depending on how those games go, ASU could see them for a rematch in the Pac-12 championship game. And with USC, it has won those last two outings against ASU, with the Trojans barely scrapping those wins together during the final minutes in the Coliseum last November. So I think a better ASU roster will make sure not to make those same youthful mistakes again.

Zach Keenan: I've got the UCLA and Utah games penciled on my schedule. I won't look past USC, but it's at home, and ASU has a pretty good home schedule this year, for the most part. But UCLA and Utah they're both on the road. UCLA returns (quarterback) DTR, they've still got (running back) Brittain Brown, they still got Delon Hurt, who caused ASU problems at wide receiver, they've got a good running back (Zach Charbonnet) coming in from Michigan. Their defense is a big question, but they've got (DB) Qwuantrezz Knight, who's been a while there for a while. For the UCLA game, ASU could be 4-0 going into that game with Stanford on the horizon. So that UCLA contest could be a huge turning point where ASU could later go on a 6-0 run to start the year. That being said, the Utah game is also very important, two weeks after that UCLA game. And for ASU, if things aren't going well, they could be at a point where they're 4-2, maybe 3-3, going into the Utah game. We know when going into Salt Lake City, it's hard to come out of Salt Lake City with any feeling in your toes, and it’s harder to come out of there with a win. So those are the two games I've got penciled.

Mac Friday: My two games are Utah on the road and USC at home. I think Zach made some great points about the Utah game. And especially what he said earlier about Ty Jordan and everything that Utah has to play for. I think that's a tough game to go into Salt Lake and win on the road, especially when it's one of your first major road game tests in conference play. So I think that's going to be a tough one for ASU to win on the road. And then with USC, ASU has a terrific home schedule, and a terrific home environment at Sun Devil Stadium, especially when this year there's going to be fans. And I think that gives them an opportunity if ASU can grab the win at home to supercharge them into the bottom half of the season and beyond. Obviously, that season opener last year really left a bad taste in everybody's mouth with USC’s late comeback. So I think there is a lot to be had in that contest, whether it hinders ASU down the road if they lose that game or even helps them build up and really complete their outlook going forward into the second half of the season.

Gabe Swartz: ASU obviously has the advantage of not having to play Oregon and Cal, two of the teams that are pretty solid up in the North division. I think people have high expectations for Washington, but when we had talked to Lars Hanson from the Washington beat, he wasn't very high on their quarterbacks, so I'm not very high on Washington. I don't think that they can really repeat the way that they got to the college football playoff a few years ago with the defense mainly carrying them and just slow grind out games kicking a lot of field goals and having a good running game. I think ASU kind of tried that style in the last couple of years, and it’s a really hard thing to do all year long. So I really don't have much faith in the Washington game.

I think obviously USC is the standout game for the year because ASU has to feel like they won the first they won the first matchup when Herm Edwards was in his opening year, then they lose a heartbreaker, the Joey Yellen game where they probably feel maybe if Jayden Daniels gets to play maybe they don't get off to a 28-7 first-quarter deficit, maybe they win that game. And then last year, both teams know ASU should have won that game. So ASU has to feel like that's a huge revenge game, and it's the game where all Sun Devil fans are probably circling on the calendar and know that they got to get there to Sun Devil Stadium.

I'll zag and say that the second game that I think swings the season or at least sets the tone for the year is the trip to BYU. It’s the first road game; it's going to be a hostile environment and a game that BYU fans will get up for. They see what should have been a matchup last year and what could have been with quarterback Zach Wilson, and then they're going to try to prove that last year wasn't just a one-year wonder with Zach Wilson and being an awesome team. I think it sets the tone for the year for ASU, and ASU has to go in and make a statement in Provo.

Hod Rabino: They're really more than just a couple possibilities when answering this question, but I would agree that the road games at UCLA and Utah maybe are the true swing games of the year. Win those two games, and you should be entering the USC contest undefeated, and I know that maybe the date may be the most obvious answer here instead. But it's really important for ASU to believe they can get that USC monkey off their back after the last two games where a victory over the Trojans was certainly within their grasp. But if ASU was going to have any hiccups prior to November 6th with two challenging road games to follow in the Northwest against Washington and Oregon State, then to me, the season has already been decided in an adverse way. Needless to say that any win against teams like Utah and UCLA makes those two teams’ South championship dreams that much more distant, so that's another reason why I did pick those two contests as being the most vital for the eventual season mark for the Sun Devils.

As it stands right now on the eve of fall camp, what is your season record prediction for ASU?

Gabe Swartz: Chase Lucas said at Pac 12 Media Day that ‘if it doesn't happen in this year for ASU, when is it going to happen?’ I don't want to get too high on what he said, and I don't want to predict anything ridiculously crazy and claim that they're going to go running through the Pac-12 south. I do think that that the USC-Washington stretch in November is tough, and they'll get tripped up in one of those two. Just given the fact that it's probably going to be a grinded out game against USC and then one week later to travel to Seattle, I think they lose one of those games. I'm not sure which one, but I'm gonna say they finish 11-1, and if they beat USC, they get that tiebreaker to win the South. And if they lose to USC, and they beat Washington, they’ll probably lose the tiebreaker to USC and finish second in the South. So this will be the first time since 2014 that ASU wins double-digit games.

Mac Friday: I also think ASU is going to win double-digit games. They're probably going to drop the early road visit to Utah, and we talked about how tough that matchup is going to be. I actually think they're going to get through the USC and Washington stretch with two wins. But I think ASU’s other loss comes maybe a little bit earlier in the season to a team like BYU or UCLA. So I see them drop probably two out of their first three road games, in grind out games, getting used to playing on the road in hostile environments. Last year they only played four games overall with no fans in any of the stadiums. So hostile environments may be a tough thing for this team to overcome. So I'm going to say 10-2, but if they win that USC game, I don't think they lose a game for the rest of the season.

Zach Keenan: I got them pegged at 9-3. It's really tough because I want to go double-digit wins, but it just feels like that's a hard hump to get over between UCLA, Utah, and Washington. I think you can find two, maybe even three, unfortunately, losses there. Mac, I'd love to side with you and think that USC and Washington will both be wins. I think if that happens, then they have perfectly lined themselves up for the third year in a row for an annual Corvallis trap game at Oregon State. That's a game that two years ago they lost and really hurt their chances at a nice bowl game. So I think the way that this schedule works out the end, that between that USC-Washington-Oregon State stretch, they're gonna find at least one loss in there.

Cole Topham: I'm gonna go 11-1 with the only loss against or on the road against Washington. So following up USC on the road could be tough because the Huskies looked strong last season, and they like Sun Devils return the majority of the roster. But I think the beginning of the season holds plenty of winnable games for the Sun Devils for them to generate some momentum before the real conference, duels begin. Which is why I think UCLA and Utah are matchups that will end up as when tough wins, but ASU wins nonetheless.

Hod Rabino: I will also go with a 10-2 mark. With seven home games and what I believe should be an undefeated record at Sun Devil Stadium, ASU is more than half the way to achieving my projected feat. UCLA and Oregon State are two schools that in recent years ASU had encountered struggles facing them on the road, and as talented as this 2021 roster is, it's still one that can have its pitfalls, and I think that those two programs will be the one handing ASU its only two defeats of the year. But all in all, even with those two losses, I think they should be able to win the Pac-12 South if not go further than that.

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