Takeaways from Sun Devils' loss in Starkville, for better or worse

The Sun Devils' SEC woes continued yesterday as Mississippi State proved that this game was every bit the trap that it was speculated to be.

Expectations were high entering the game ranked No. 12 in the nation, but a consistently inconsistent effort mixed with a lack of execution was the undoing for Arizona State. It wasn't all doom and gloom, but this result casts a very 1998 feeling over the start of a modern golden era for the Sun Devils.

The Good:

Sun Devils Running Game

The story coming in to the game was the homecoming for Tupelo native Kyson Brown, but a first quarter injury limited him to 11 yards on two carries. Kanye Udoh stepped up in a major way in his absence, shouldering the load in the second half on his way to his first 100 yard game of the season and his first touchdown as a Sun Devil.

Raleek Brown also topped the 100 yard mark yesterday (110 yards on 18 carries), giving the Sun Devils two 100 yard rushers for the first time since last season's Territorial Cup game in Tucson. Seeing Udoh pick up the production after Kyson's injury gives some optimism to the running game going forward.

Clayton Smith

There were few bright spots defensively, but one that stood out was the paly of Clayton Smith. After recording 6 tackles in the opener against NAU, Clayton followed up with 5 tackles last night including two sacks, his second resulting in a 9 yard loss that helped lead to Jesus Gomez's 51 yard field goal at the end of the first half. His pass rushing ability kept the pressure on quarterback Blake Shapen throughout the game, something Devils fans hope to see more consistently.

Jesus Gomez

It's early in the season, but having a reliable kicker is an undeniable boost to this team. Gomez showcased his strong leg when he got the Devils on the board to close out the first half, later converting an 18 yard field goal that gave Arizona State their first (short-lived) lead late in the game.

The Bad:

Defensive Secondary

Where to even begin here. Blown coverages abounded as Blake Shapen exposed the secondary, torching the defense with three touchdowns of 45+ yards, including the back-breaking 58 yarder to Brenen Thompson with 30 seconds left in the game. The Devils showed brief flashes of brilliance, forcing a handful of three-and-outs for the Bulldogs, but failed to play a complete game and couldn't buckle down when it mattered the most.

Penalties

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Devils experienced too many mental lapses leading to penalties that either killed the momentum on offense or extended drives for the Bulldogs. While not the egregious yardage amount that we saw last week, the timing of the penalties couldn't be more inopportune as the team failed to establish any level of consistency on either side of the ball.

Third Down Inefficiency

Third downs could easily go into the ugly category as well, but both sides struggled to establish any effectiveness on third downs. The defense could not get off the field, allowing the Bulldogs to convert on 6 of their 14 third down opportunities. Offensively was just as frustrating, only converting three times on 14 third down chances, and not gaining their second conversion on third down until under a minute to play in the 3rd quarter.

The Ugly

Lack of Complete Game

The Devils again looked the part of a team that could only play in fits and starts. There was not a complete 60 minute effort last night, though the offense looked stellar as they salted away nearly 9 minutes of game time in the 4th quarter before settling for the go-ahead field goal. This team simply is not good enough to rely on a few good drives to win games, and this week's practices ahead of Texas State should emphasize the need for a complete effort.

Play Calling

The biggest play call question that will linger with me will be the decision to settle for the field goal on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line after driving 95 yards. Even if the attempt doesn't result in a touchdown, the Bulldogs would have been pinned back in the shadow of their own goalposts, possibly sending the game to overtime. That will be a hotly debated topic at length in the coming days.

Cowbells

This is more of a personal choice, but I'm sure I am not the only person who walked away from the TV with a budding migraine after three-plus hours of *CLANGA CLANGA*. As cowbell free as Mountain America Stadium was last season, the Bulldogs faithful showed out in full force last night. Full marks for the enthusiasm, but I'm thankful that we can avoid hearing that awful noise for the foreseeable future.

Closing Thoughts

Ever the optimist, this team still has potential. The brief times of brilliance show what this team is capable of. Coach Dillingham lit a fire under them during the halftime break, likely saying words that couldn't be repeated on TV. If this team can put together those efforts into a complete full-game effort, they will show that last season wasn't just an abnormality.

The Devils will return home to Mountain America Stadium this Saturday to host the Texas State Bobcats. Kickoff is at 7:30pm Arizona time, with the broadcast on TNT and streaming on HBO Max. Stay tuned as we break down the upcoming matchup all week leading up to kickoff.