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Sun Devils trying for seventh straight win over Huskies

GAME CHANGER: Junior wide receiver Mike Willie looks for a route after catching a pass against Oregon earlier this season. ASU topped Washington with a last-second touchdown last year, but travel to Seattle on Saturday to take on the Huskies. (Photo by Aaron Lavinsky)
GAME CHANGER: Junior wide receiver Mike Willie looks for a route after catching a pass against Oregon earlier this season. ASU topped Washington with a last-second touchdown last year, but travel to Seattle on Saturday to take on the Huskies. (Photo by Aaron Lavinsky)

It has been almost one year since ASU defeated an FBS opponent.

The last victory came Oct. 17, 2009. The opponent was Washington.

In that matchup the Sun Devils miraculously saved a game destined for overtime when then quarterback Danny Sullivan found Chris McGaha for a 50-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left.

A blown coverage by the Huskies allowed McGaha to be wide open and caused UW defensive coordinator Nick Holt to storm off the field in a rage of fury.

State Press Television By Andrew Boven

It wasn’t an easy way to lose a football game and there were a lot of frustrations in the Huskies’ locker room afterward. There certainly has to be plenty of motivation to play ASU again.

Add in the fact that UW is coming off a huge win against Southern California and the Huskies confidence is flying sky high.

“Washington had a big week last week against USC,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “It was a very impressive win against a good football team.”

UW senior quarterback Jake Locker bounced back from arguably the worst game of his career and accounted for 421 total yards in the upset of the Trojans.

The Huskies let Locker run more last week and he had more overall success. That is when the senior is most dangerous; when he uses his tremendous size and speed to keep the defenses guessing.

“They ran the option a little bit more than they had earlier,” Erickson said. “They are getting the ball in his hands more as far as the run game is concerned. There is probably no better way to do that, since he is one of the best athletes around.”

Considering that in Locker’s previous game he completed just four of his 20 pass attempts in a blowout loss to Nebraska, the bounce back game was pretty impressive.

“He isn't what he is without being one of the biggest competitors around that I've ever seen,” Erickson said. “He finds ways to get things done. He had a bad game against Nebraska and we all have those. The difference between him and a lot of people is that he came back the next week and beat a great football team on the road. He took the game over himself.”

When Locker is able to run, it opens up the UW offense and allows more to be available in the passing game.

“It opened up things for them in the passing game,” Erickson said. “He is a warrior, like Tim Tebow was for Florida and that is the best comparison I can have for him. That's what he's all about."

Locker has the benefit of having a talented wide receiver’s group that is led by juniors Devin Aguilar and Jermaine Kearse.

Senior linebacker Mason Foster and sophomore cornerback Desmond Trufant lead the Huskies defense, but the unit has struggled at times this season.

The UW defense has struggled to stop the run and have given up huge days on the ground to Nebraska and USC.

In the recent years, both the UW program and the ASU program have looked to rebuild and turn the corner.

While ASU has struggled to get big time wins, the Huskies have now defeated USC in back-to-back years.

The Sun Devils have yet to get over the hump with a big win.

“We are playing better and faster but the bottom line is we have to win,” Erickson said. “We have seven football games left and we are capable of a good season. We have to keep improving and getting better and better."

ASU hasn’t lost to UW since 2001 and that trend needs to continue if the Sun Devils have any bowl hopes.

"We feel close,” ASU quarterback Steven Threet said. “Some bad performances and we haven't got it done. Too much talent, too many good players, and too good of a scheme for the problems to continue."

Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu


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