Written by Garin Turner
It’s week two of Pac-12 play as Arizona State (2-2, 0-1 conference) returns home after playing consecutive games on the road to take on Oregon State (1-3, 0-1 conference) 8 PM EST on the Pac-12 network. Both teams are coming off back to back loses and will look to turn their seasons around with a win. Arizona State is 28-13-1 all-time against Oregon State including 20-4 at Sun Devil Stadium. It is the home opener for Pac-12 play for the Sun Devils. “Oregon State is our next opponent at home. There a team when you watch them on tape they play in a lot of high scoring games, believe it or not. They have actually scored 128 points thus far in four games. Very competitive football team, Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards said.
This game could see a lot of milestones for the Sun Devils by the end of it. Quarterback Manny Wilkins needs 56 passing yards to move into sixth in school history (currently at 6,661). 251 yards would put him in fifth and 339 would give him 7,000 in his career. He’s also five touchdown passes away from moving into ninth in program history. Coming into the game, Wilkins is 94 of 145 for 1,062 yards with seven touchdowns to just one interception.
The Sun Devils don’t turn the ball over much. No running back has fumbled in 633 consecutive carries which dates back to the 2016 season, good for a streak of 23 games. Eno Benjamin is the leading rusher for the Sun Devils with 68 carries for 283 yards and two touchdowns. He’s helped out in the passing attack as well with 18 receptions for 127 yards and a score. Last week against a good Washington team, he rushed 26 times for 104 yards and a score. I think the offense has been in spurts a very explosive offense and I’m hoping now the running game will take it to another dimension,” Edwards said.
Despite losing their last two games, the Sun Devils don’t give up too many big plays. ASU hasn’t allowed a play of over 40 yards, one of just three times to claim that feat. In the last four seasons, the Sun Devils have allowed 20, 16, 30, and 21 plays of over 40 yards.
Oregon State have put up decent numbers on the season, but they haven’t been able to stop anybody. So far on the year, they’re averaging 32 points a game but have given up 43.5. Total yards are 454.8 while giving up 540 including giving up over 250 yards per game in the passing and running game.
