Last week’s season opening runaway win against UC Davis counts the same as the ASU football team’s remaining two non-conference games.
But don’t tell that to any of the Sun Devils (1-0).
Friday night’s matchup with No. 21 Missouri not only sounds different; it feels different too.
“You can learn a little bit in a game like last week, but not a lot,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “This will be big to find out where we’re at because they’re established. I’m anxious and our players are anxious to play a game like this early in the season. “
Last season ASU fell in heartbreaking fashion in its first true test of the year at then-No. 11 Wisconsin. A missed extra point late in the fourth quarter ended up being the difference in a 20-19 loss.
This time around, though, the Sun Devils get to play host to their first FBS team on the schedule.
“Home or away we’re going to be jacked up, but playing in front of your own fans definitely helps,” ASU sophomore cornerback Osahon Irabor said. “We’ve been waiting for this game; guys are going to go hard.”
The Tigers (1-0), who played in the Insight Bowl in Tempe last December, haven’t missed a bowl game since 2004 and have won 22 straight non-conference regular season games.
“What they’ve done ever since (coach) Gary (Pinkel) has been there is impressive,” Erickson said. “I’ve always had great respect for them.”
MU lost its starting quarterback from 2010, Blaine Gabbert, to the NFL Draft, and designated dual-threat signal caller James Franklin at the position. The sophomore threw for 129 yards and rushed for 78 yards in his team’s win against Miami (Ohio) last week.
“He’s athletic, he can run and he can throw so we have to be locked in as a secondary,” Irabor said. “He started getting comfortable as the game went on so in week two he’ll probably feel even more comfortable.”
Containing Franklin in the pocket will be ASU’s front seven’s job.
The Sun Devils sacked UC Davis quarterback Randy Wright five times in its opener.
“You have to account for (Franklin),” Erickson said. “It slows your pursuit down a little bit. They do a lot of called runs with the quarterback. And we have to know they do have a threat back there even when there isn’t a running back in the backfield.”
The Tigers’ second leading rusher last week behind the quarterback only had six attempts.
The big pass-catching target for MU is All-American senior tight end Michael Egnew. He caught 90 passes in 2010 for 762 yards and five touchdowns.
“He plays more wide receiver than he does tight end,” Erickson said. “They have great receivers all around.”
Defensively, the Tigers were dominant in their performance last week, only giving up a late touchdown after an interception left Miami (Ohio) starting its possession at the MU 14-yard line.
In 2010, the Tigers finished eighth in the country with 38 sacks.
“Their defensive line stands out to me; they play with a lot of intensity,” ASU junior quarterback Brock Osweiler said. “They don’t seem to make very many mistakes. They understand what they’re doing. I see a great defense and I expect a fun and good game.”
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
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