With the majority of the players returned from last year, the ASU football team is counting on tough experiences from 2010 to pay dividends Friday night against No. 19 Missouri.
In five of their six losses last season, the Sun Devils fell by a combined 20 points, two of which by a single point. In those five 2010 losses, ASU committed 14 turnovers while its opponents made six.
In close games, those changes of possessions make all the difference when talent can’t separate two teams.
“Anytime you’re playing a great opponent like Missouri, turnovers are going to be key,” junior quarterback Brock Osweiler said. “But we’re a lot older and a lot more mature now. We understand what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis. We know how to prepare.”
Penalties also played a deciding role. ASU averaged 60.8 penalty yards per game while the winning team took 47.
“Our players realize how important the little things are,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “We have a better team than previous years so that always makes you better. These guys have been around and been in games like this.”
Excitement under control
Sun Devil Stadium is expected to welcome between 60,000 and 70,000 blacked out fans Friday night.
And although the extra fan support will undoubtedly help make a bigger home field advantage for ASU, it’s important the team keeps its emotions in balance.
“That’s something that comes with age and game experience,” Osweiler said. “This time has a lot of both of those. It’s easier said than done but when the bullets start flying Friday night, we should have all that intact.”
Top-25 matchup, kind of
In the USA Today coaches’ poll, the Sun Devils (1-0) moved up to No. 23 in week two.
ASU was the last team not listed in the other major college rankings, the Associated Press poll.
The USA Today poll is the one used in the BCS formula at the end of the season.
“We leave the rankings to (the media) and the coaches,” Osweiler said. “Wherever we are, we really don’t care. We’ll play as hard as we can and the Sun Devil way.”
Missouri (1-0) is ranked in both polls; No. 19 in the coaches’ and No. 21 in the AP.
Kicking games
The aspect of most games that often gets overlooked could end up being the difference Friday.
For ASU, redshirt freshman kicker Alex Garoutte got off to a nice start in the first game of his college career last week.
He made both of his field goal attempts, one from 49 and the other from 25.
For Missouri, redshirt senior kicker Grant Ressel, a member of the Pre-Season Groza Award Watch List, made 17 of 19 attempts last year and kicked a 38 yarder last week against Miami (Ohio).
Injury update
After spraining his ankle in the team’s season opener against UC Davis, ASU redshirt senior offensive lineman Aderious Simmons hasn’t practiced since.
“He won’t play this week and might not play next week,” Erickson said.
Sophomore defensive tackle Will Sutton, who left practice Tuesday with a bruised foot, returned Wednesday and is expected to be fine for Friday.
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
