The queasy feeling that results from watching the Sun Devil football team’s roller coaster ride from one week to the next this season can be a stressful endeavor, to say the least.

And in one game against No. 24 California, ASU took the meager excuse of a crowd at Sun Devil Stadium for a jaunt around the gridiron that traversed more peaks and valleys than a drive up to Flagstaff.

Once again, boneheaded penalties — 11 for 123 yards — dashed promising opportunities and translated into points for the opposition.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to believe that ASU coach Dennis Erickson has his players’ heads in the right place this season.

“It’s hard, and the mental state is not good,” Erickson said about the loss. “It would be for any team that went through this.”

Undoubtedly, the Sun Devils would not have to go through “this” if they could find a way to stop shooting themselves in the foot every time they take the field.

On Saturday, they simply could not finish off a Cal team that
they had on the ropes for a majority of the fourth quarter.

Ironically, the same defense that courageously fought to keep ASU in the game all afternoon is the same one that failed to stop the Bears from scoring the final drive that started on their own 19-yard line.

“As a defense, you obviously want that situation,” senior linebacker Mike Nixon said of Cal field position. “It’s on us to win the game.”

But a defense that spent a total of 34:32 on the field was gassed by the final drive, and one of the better performances of the season by the savvy unit was spoiled.

The Sun Devils managed to hold the Pac-10’s best rushing attack heading into the game to just 57 yards – 159 fewer than its season average — by completely shutting down one of the top running backs in college football in Cal junior Jahvid Best.

Consequently, a season that started out with ASU outscoring weak opponents 88-17 in its first two games, took a plunge down the “loopty loop” on its amusement park ride of a season.

Following a valiant effort in Athens, Ga., that resulted in a loss decided by a field goal as time expired, the Sun Devils returned home to play a talented Oregon State team.

ASU appeared outcoached and mismatched in a game which saw senior quarterback Danny Sullivan get ushered to the sidelines with boos.

The next week, the Sun Devils turned the ball over six times and was able to pull out a win over one of the worst teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

A win is a win, but the sour taste that lingered after the bizarre win over the Cougars was replaced by a much sweeter one when Sullivan heaved the rock 50 yards with five seconds left in the game to beat a tough UW team in one of the most exciting finishes in Sun Devil Stadium history.

With everything seemingly on track for the first time this season, ASU made the trip up to Stanford, where Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart gashed a defense that had not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season for 125 yards.

And then there is last Saturday.

California jumped on the Sun Devils 14-0, and it appeared that the rout was on.

However, a defense that seemed like it was constantly on the field during the first half suffocated the Bears’ vaunted rushing attack, and eventually the offense was able to capture the lead after numerous blunders.

But when Cal sophomore Giorgio Tavecchio’s kick sailed through the uprights with 21 seconds left, ASU’s postseason hopes tagged along for the ride.

What team will show up this week against USC?

It is yet to be determined, but one thing is for certain: The Sun Devils flirted with greatness this year, but the season is officially over.

Reach Erik at emschimm@asu.edu.