ASU Football: The Curious Case of Sun Devil Football

After upsetting Washington and Utah in back-to-back weeks, then getting rolled by USC. The Sun Devils beat Colorado 41-30, but still, nobody can ever guess what ASU football team will show up any given week.

In a weird feeling football game from the start, fans saw every version of Sun Devil football on Saturday night. The ASU that got run all over by Rashaad Penny early in the season. The ASU that physically dominated Utah en route to an easy win, and everything else in between.

The Colorado game was season review all in 60 minutes. The game left one burning question that seems to be asked every single week. What team will we see next week?

That question still doesn’t seem to have an answer.

The first half Sun Devils looked like they should have been down big, defense having issues in the secondary and having a tough time applying pressure on CU quarterback Stevie Montez. The offense not being able to move the ball efficiently and consistently, with Manny Wilkins looking like the only source of offense.

It all culminated in the confused look at the scoreboard to see ASU only down by three at the half and you saying to yourself “How is this game this close?”

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The second half was an entirely different story as the Sun Devil defense came up with huge plays when they needed them. Getting off the field when they needed to the most and embracing the “bend don’t break” mentality. Wilkins and Demario Richard had the offense humming as they drove down the field with ease getting everybody from N’Keal Harry to Eno Benjamin involved along with them.

Arizona State football showed off Saturday night what makes it one of the most confusing spectacles in the Southwest.

When watching ASU you expect Harry to be involved and getting the ball as much as possible. He didn’t get his hands on the ball until the 11-minute mark in the second quarter.

You would also think to see Kalen Ballage running and catching the ball out of the backfield using his freakish athletic ability to spread opposing defenses thin. Not this week as Ballage saw just one touch in the first half as Richard and Benjamin complimented each other for most of the second half.

This team is one that if you only watch certain plays, you would think this is a top 15 team. While other plays look like a team that has just two wins on the season and struggling to find a direction to go.

There are no certainties with what next week at UCLA will bring for ASU. The way this season has gone it wouldn’t be a surprise for anything to happen in Los Angeles.

One thing is certain though, with three games remaining and the Sun Devils needing one more win to become bowl eligible. You never know what you’re going to get on any given Saturday from the Sun Devils.

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