ASU Football: With two games left, what happens now?
By Carson Field
After losing four of five games, ASU football now rides a three-game winning streak and is bowl eligible.
About a month ago, ASU football hit its low point on the roller coaster that has been the 2018 season. The Sun Devils had lost four of their last five, and the screams were the loudest they’ve been in recent memory.
Now, ASU has slowly risen from the dip, winning its last three. With two games left in the season, Arizona State is approaching a dark, mysterious stretch.
As it heads into the murky tunnel, ASU and its fans have no idea what to expect on the other side. Is it the proverbial station that is the Pac-12 Championship, or is it another devastating plunge?
Regardless, the Sun Devils are in a better place than fans probably expected a month ago. ASU’s latest win over UCLA clinched bowl eligibility for the Sun Devils with two games remaining on the schedule.
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ASU, which controls its destiny in the Pac-12 South race, is now 6-4 (4-3 Pac-12) with two road contests left. First, the Sun Devils head to the bitter cold to face another up-and-down team – Oregon. Then, Arizona State heads south to Tucson for what should be a high-stakes Territorial Cup game against Arizona.
On the road, Arizona State hasn’t been the same team. The Sun Devils lost each of their first three road games but finally won its first road game against USC at the end of October.
“We have to go on the road and win two road games – we haven’t done that yet,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards said. “We only have one win on the road.”
These last two games have huge implications for the Sun Devils and the rest of the Pac-12.
Lose out and ASU will likely find itself falling out of relevance in a bottom-tier bowl game. This could range anywhere from the Cheez-it Bowl to the Vegas Bowl to an even smaller game with ASU filling in as a replacement team (i.e. Birmingham Bowl, First Responders Bowl).
But if ASU keeps rolling, the spoils could be just as grand.
In spite of its four losses, ASU can still represent the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl. Not only would ASU have to win its last two regular season games for this to happen, the Sun Devils also must win the Pac-12 Championship Game.
The North division is currently run by the Washington schools, who control their own destinies. More than likely, Nov. 23’s matchup between Washington and Washington State will determine the division winner.
Even if the Sun Devils are unable to win the Pac-12, ASU can still make the most of Edwards’ first season. Winning both of its last two regular season would likely place the Sun Devils in either the Alamo or the Holiday Bowl.
No, those games don’t have the same glamour as “The Granddaddy of Them All.”
But even so, those games are reserved for some of the Pac-12’s top teams. Considering most fans didn’t expect ASU to reach six wins earlier this year, this would be a huge leap.
With a lot on the line, it would be easy for ASU to lose focus and look too far ahead. Quarterback Manny Wilkins has other plans.
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“We know what’s at the end, we’d be foolish if we didn’t think about it,” Wilkins said, “We’ve got a tough game next week that we got to take care of.”
All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.