Stat Of The Week: Arizona State

This week's Stat Of The Week is road victories.  0. Zero. None against teams with a winning record in Karl Dorrell's entire head coaching career. We also have not won on the road this season. But KD will get his first road victory this season Saturday. And here is the prize: ASU is a ripe 6-4! ASU is an average but inconsistent team just like Oregon State, and they are due for a bad game, just like Oregon State. They have an O line decimated by key injuries to senior lineman, opening up the game to our sackmasters Hickman and Davis who should have a great game, and ASU has an average defense. They have been sputtering with a young QB and a coach who has them playing well one week and badly the next. Sound familiar?

This week, however, ASU coach Dirk Koetter said he is ready for the blitz, and is planning a dink game around it. But before everyone gets excited at the possibility that KD might get his first road win against a team with a winning record, the season is not over. Yes, ASU is 6-4 but they have two games remaining. When they lose to us they would have to beat Arizona at Tuscon for KD to mark this win as his first road victory over a team with a winning record. That stat is for overall season record. If ASU goes to a bowl game and wins, KD gets his prize, if they lose or don't go to a bowl, well … 'wait til next year.'

Other notes

• ASU hasn't protected their young QB Carpenter well, because they lost two starting senior lineman to injury, and have allowed 3 sacks a game the last 6 games. That is great for Hickman and Davis who are #2 and #4 in the nation in sacks. But ASU says they will score against blitzes. We'll see.
• ASU QB Carpenter is the #37 ranked QB in the country (QB efficiency) and has 18 TDs, but has given up 12 picks at the same time. By comparison, Pat Cowen is #80, with 7 TDs and 7 picks.
• ASU's #40 offense gets 370 ypg but has sputtered against bad defenses, including getting only 21 points in a big loss to Cal (#93 in defense), only 10 points against Oregon State (#31), and only 13 points against Oregon (#26). ASU has 33 TDs in 10 games.
• Our offense (#67 334 ypg) has only 20 TDs in 10 games! And Medlock sits alone atop the rankings for kickers in the nation with more FGs made than anyone else.
• ASU's passing defense (#45) allows under 190 yards per game, and has 12 picks in 10 games. They have allowed 30 TDs however. UCLA's pass defense (#79) allows 210 ypg, and has 10 picks, but has only allowed 23 TDs in 10 games.
• Last time these two teams met in Tempe in 2004 it was a shootout, with ASU winning 48-42. This year, with average offenses at best, and with better defenses than two years ago, the game is expected to be low scoring, in the 20s.

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