ASU Football: Sun Devils seek road win, divisional lead against Colorado

ASU football hopes to make a ripple in the Pac-12 South race while travelling to face the 21st-ranked Colorado Buffaloes.

The path to a championship is never easy. For Arizona State, now is the time to be in position.

“It’s going to take good execution,” said coach Herm Edwards. “We got to play really good football in all three phases.”

After an up-and-down first five games, the Sun Devils (3-2) hope to take the next step toward a Pac-12 South title when facing No. 21 Colorado (4-0) on Saturday.

ASU is coming off their first conference victory, a 52-24 dismantling of Oregon State in Tempe. Sophomore running back Eno Benjamin shattered a 45-year program rushing record with a 312 yard performance against the Beavers.

The Buffaloes are coming off their third victory by 20 or more points, handling UCLA 38-16. The win pits CU in sole possession of the early Pac-12 South race with a 1-0 conference record.

In Colorado, the Sun Devils will face a team gifted with physical talent. Junior quarterback Steven Montez has a NFL ready body at 6 feet, 5 inches tall and 235 pounds while sophomore wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. has a wide frame like N’Keal Harry at 6 foot 2.

Together, the pair have lifted an offense that’s averaged over 40 points and 500 yards. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales knows he’ll need all hands on deck to slow them down.

“They’re a pretty talented group on offense,” Gonzales said. “They do it multiple ways. You can’t key off on a lot of those things and know what’s coming.”

But there’s a catch to the success. The Buffaloes’ undefeated start has come against teams with a combined 1-16 record. It’s hard to judge how good they might be.

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On the other end, the Sun Devils have been a different team away from home. Statistics have shown a dropoff in points scored, points allowed, passing yards and time of possession, among other things.

Senior quarterback Manny Wilkins might feel that difference the most. As a starter, he’s posted a 3-9 road record compared to 11-4 in Tempe.

Wilkins’ lowest point of 2018 came during the team’s Sept. 22 loss to No. 10 Washington, where he threw for 104 yards and zero touchdowns at Husky Stadium. Against an unbeaten opponent, he expects the road atmosphere to be more challenging.

“Any time you go into another team’s stadium where they’re familiar with their surroundings and they’re rolling, it can be difficult,” he said. “The fans play [a huge part].”

To negate the crowd noise, expect the Sun Devils to take a run-first approach. Edwards and offensive coordinator Rob Likens feel Benjamin’s success can lead to execution of a play-action attack to carve the Buffalo secondary.

This opens up more opportunities for Harry, who has been limited by double teams from opposing corners. He received a pair of designed runs in ASU’s victory against the Beavers.

It’ll also be another opportunity for the defense to prove their commitment to the new scheme. The Sun Devils took a step forward while limiting Oregon State to seven second-half points, including a goal-line stop to seal the game in the fourth quarter.

Edwards and Gonzales hope another week will show better tackling from safeties and a continuation of limited scoring. The team currently allows 19.8 points, a number Gonzales hopes to drop between 16 and 18.

By then, he says, the Sun Devils might have a decent defense. Combine that plan with consistent offense, and ASU could have a favorable result on Saturday.

Next. ASU Football: Sun Devils looking to conquer road woes. dark

“This is a good match for us,” Edwards said. “We’ll go up there and we’re going to have to execute very well if we’re going to win this football game.”

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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