The players on the No. 15 ASU football team have said all season that they buy into coach Dennis Erickson’s one-game-at-a-time mantra.

This Saturday, those words will be put to the test.

With the much-anticipated game against No. 2 Georgia Sept. 20 looming, the Sun Devils will first have to face visiting UNLV.

ASU (2-0, 1-0 Pac-10) has taken care of business thus far with lopsided wins in its first two games of the season.

While the Rebels, who are coming off a 42-21 loss to No. 22 Utah, shouldn’t pose a real challenge for ASU, the Sun Devils are approaching the game with caution.

“We are a team that has to be focused every week against every opponent,” Erickson said. “If we don’t, then we’re not going to win the game, and our players know that.”

Erickson’s influence has made focusing on the task at hand the norm for the Sun Devils.

“That’s one of those things coach Erickson has done since he’s gotten here, is just really take one game at a time,” said senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter. “I know it’s cliché and everyone says it, but coach Erickson really means it.”

The sentiment is shared across the board by the Sun Devils.

“Since coach Erickson got here, the word has always been the next win,” said junior linebacker Gerald Munns.

In the week leading up to a game, the Sun Devils break every practice and every meeting with a shout of the number of the next win they are playing for.

This week’s number is three, as the Sun Devil’s look to stay perfect heading into the showdown with the Bulldogs, a game that is sold out and will be nationally televised.

Pass protection will be a point of emphasis for the Sun Devils when they take the field Saturday.

Though the offensive line has given up just three sacks so far this season, Carpenter faced constant pressure against Stanford and was hit often.

Despite getting knocked around by an active Cardinal defense, Carpenter said he was pleased with the progression of his line.

“Overall I thought the offensive line did a good job [against Stanford],” Carpenter said. “The running game did well, and we threw with a lot of success, so we just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

One aspect of the passing game that aided the Sun Devils against Stanford was the emergence of the tight ends.

Redshirt freshman Dan Knapp caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Carpenter and junior Jovon Williams came up with a big catch in the red zone.

Carpenter said that production will need to continue as defenses begin to key on the wide receivers.

The Sun Devils have shown in their first two games that they are focused on their task at hand.

In fact, some members of the Sun Devil defense attributed their slow start Saturday to being overexcited for the game against Stanford.

With Munns out for Saturday’s game with a broken pinky, juniors Mike Nixon and Ryan McFoy, who generally rotate at the weak side linebacker position, will figure to see more action.

Munns’ absence could also mean increased time for freshmen Shelly Lyons and Brandon Magee.

This will be the Sun Devils first-ever meeting with UNLV and unfamiliarity can breed a challenge.

“They have a new defensive coordinator from last year, so we only have two games we can watch [on film],” Carpenter said. “Both those teams do different things on offense so it’s going to be a little different for us to get some looks.”

Reach the reporter at nkosmide@asu.edu.