Devils in Detail
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ASU Football: What’s left for the Sun Devils to accomplish in 2018

By Trevor Booth

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 10: Tight end Jared Bubak #81 and linebacker Merlin Robertson #8 of the Arizona State Sun Devils prepare for the game against the UCLA Bruins at Sun Devil Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 10: Tight end Jared Bubak #81 and linebacker Merlin Robertson #8 of the Arizona State Sun Devils prepare for the game against the UCLA Bruins at Sun Devil Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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ASU football lost their chance at a Pac-12 South title, but remaining opportunities can help close the season on a high note.

As Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert kneeled away the final seconds of the Ducks’ 31-29 victory over Arizona State, time finally ran out on the Sun Devils’ pursuit of a Pac-12 championship.

In one sense, the feeling was surreal. It didn’t seem right that a second-half flurry, where the defense gave up three points and Manny Wilkins had a chance to win the game late, fell short in the fifth one-score loss of the season.

On the other hand, the outcome felt deserved. The Sun Devils came up empty in several of their chances, rekindling a theme familiar to each defeat.

With focus shifting to the Territorial Cup, so do thoughts of a potential letdown. The aspirations of a Rose Bowl no longer exist, and it remains to be seen how Herm Edwards attempts to restore motivation.

The hopes for a conference championship may be extinct. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to play for.

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On Saturday, the Sun Devils will travel to Tucson for the 92nd edition of the Duel in the Desert. In this game, several opportunities remain, including the ASU’s first win at Arizona since 2012 and denying the Wildcats bowl eligibility in Kevin Sumlin’s inaugural season.

For Edwards, it can become the nail in the coffin for fulfilling a coach’s dream – defeating USC, UCLA and Arizona in the same season. The feat was completed by Todd Graham only once in his six seasons, giving the first-year coach a chance to add more credibility to his hire.

The proving ground is also set for Danny Gonzales and the defense. Two years ago, the Wildcats embarrassed the Sun Devils by rushing for 511 yards and scoring 56 points in Arizona’s only Pac-12 win of the season.

Gonzales’ transition has ASU ranked as a top-60 defense in the country, but threats of a similar offensive output exist from J.J. Taylor and preseason Heisman candidate Khalil Tate. While the freshmen-led 3-3-5 scheme has made its mark, shutting down the program’s rival would add final credence to Gonzales’ development.

The game’s outcome would be the final factor in deciding which bowl game ASU plays in. As of now, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports predicts the Sun Devils will face Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 15, while sites like ESPN and Athlon Sports have ASU trending toward the Cheez-It Bowl in Phoenix and the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

The location is out of their control, but traveling to a different state provides a sharper appeal than playing 20 minutes away from home.

If the Sun Devils won again, they’d have an eight win season built through wins over three rivals and a bowl game. That’s not a bad look for the program’s future.

Granted, it’ll be tough to shake the “what-ifs” of the 2018 season. If two or three plays change per game, ASU’s talks might be centered around a matchup with Washington State to decide a Pac-12 representative in the College Football Playoff.

Next. ASU Football: Rally falls short, division hopes dashed. dark

That story didn’t exist this season, but with a strong close, who’s to say it can’t happen in the near future?

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