ASU football has yet to win a road game in 2018. What will the Sun Devils need to do to knock off No. 21 Colorado?
Manny Wilkins kept the matter simple.
“You win out from here, you’re going to play in the Pac-12 championship,” he said. “That’s what our team needs to realize is that this is a must win game.”
Among facing a ranked opponent, divisional rival and high elevation on Saturday evening, the Sun Devils hope to win their first road game of the season. The task will be easier said than done.
In ASU’s two losses to San Diego State and Washington, the Devils have taken a statistical hit. The offense has scored 20.5 points per game while the defense has allowed 27.5. The numbers trail in comparison to the team’s home games, where the Devils average 39 points and give up 14.7.
The road environment has taken a toll on several ASU players – notably Wilkins. The senior quarterback’s per game averages have dipped to 222.5 passing yards and one touchdown with a QBR of 65.5 against 259.6 yards, nearly three touchdowns and a QBR of 73.7 at home.
In Colorado, the Sun Devils will face an offense that has been explosive through the first four games. Standing at 6 feet, 5 inches tall and 236 pounds, junior quarterback Steven Montez is one of the hardest Pac-12 quarterbacks to bring to the turf. He’s already thrown for nine touchdowns and two interceptions, including two games of over 330 yards against Colorado State and Nebraska.
Montez’s big target has been sophomore wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who recorded three touchdown grabs of over 40 yards in the Buffaloes’ 4-0 start. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales went as far as comparing Montez to a recent NFL draftee.
“I think Steve Montez is a really good player,” Gonzales said. “He reminds me a lot of Josh Allen from Wyoming, we played a couple times at San Diego State. We’re going against a really talented team with a bunch of talented players.”
Gonzales also likened Shenault to a current Sun Devil wide receiver – N’Keal Harry. At 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 220 pounds, Shenault possesses a wide, powerful frame that helps him break tackles and win jump balls like the ASU wideout.
“We’ve seen how we use N’Keal, they do the same thing,” Gonzales said. “We’ve been practicing against it since spring, so hopefully that’ll help.”
On defense, the Buffaloes have been just as wild. Mike MacIntyre’s unit has given up just 17.8 points per game through four victories – a total that has dropped to 15 at home. ASU’s offense won’t have an easy time scoring.
Thankfully, they should have a red hot Eno Benjamin. The sophomore running back ran amok and broke a 45-year school rushing record against Oregon State, recording 312 yards on 30 carries. This came one week after impressing with a 104 yard effort against No. 10 Washington.
To help Wilkins ease in to his throws, Benjamin will have to mirror his recent performances. ASU’s road opponents have controlled possession for an average of six minutes and 46 seconds longer than the Sun Devils. This gives the crowd noise an opportunity to take over.
Coach Herm Edwards mentioned how critical evaluating each atmosphere is on the road. Without a proper gauge, it’s hard to prepare for what’s to come.
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“The experience that I’m gaining right now is going into different venues and watching how the crowds act in those venues,” Edwards said. “That’s fun for me. That’s college football – that’s what makes it so unique when you go to these great venues. Every stadium has something.”
The Sun Devils must also capitalize when the opportunities present themselves. Things like missed throws, blocks or tackles can’t happen.
Some of those opportunities have been taken while others have been left high and dry. Both the offense and defense feel they’ll do better when the chances rise again.
“The plays that matter are the plays that when they happen at the time, it doesn’t look like it matters,” Wilkins said. “Missing shots downfield, first quarter, that could potentially give you momentum. Missing a block, getting a tackle for loss. Those are the little plays that if you get those plays and get rolling early, that could be the difference in the game at the end of it.”
“We’re creating opportunities to get turnovers,” Gonzales added. “We got seven so far, we should have about 13. I’m surprised that we don’t have more interceptions at this point. We’ve had a chance at probably five legitimate interceptions where the ball is in our hands or we knocked it down instead of catching it.
“The opportunities are there – we’re getting better. Coming into the season, the goal was if we could hold people to 16 to 18 points, we’d probably win 10 games. I think if we can hold people to 16 to 18 points we’ll have a chance to win the seven we have left.”
Of the seven games remaining on ASU’s schedule, five will come against divisional opponents. If they win out, an appearance in Santa Clara would certainly be on their horizon.
The success of the stretch will likely come down to the three remaining road games. It all starts with looking to break an unbeaten squad. We’ll see where it goes from there.
All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.