The ASU football team’s performances against Pac-12 south opponents in 2011 have been nothing short of dominant.
In three games the team has won by a combined score of 126-50.
On the other hand, UCLA hasn’t played nearly as consistent. In its only Pac-12 south game, the team fell to UA embarrassingly, 48-12.
But when the No. 19 Sun Devils (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12) travel to Los Angeles this weekend to meet the Bruins (4-4, 3-2 Pac-12), both teams will have a chance to put a stranglehold on the division title.
If ASU wins, it can clinch a spot in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game with a win over Washington State next week. If UCLA comes out on top, it can clinch the same honor by winning the final three games of the season.
“We understand that this game is one we have to get to meet our goals,” ASU junior quarterback Brock Osweiler said. “This is what we’ve been working towards all season; I can promise you we’re going to have a great week of execution. This means a lot to us.”
The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 55-34 last year in Tempe after falling behind 17-0 early. That was former ASU quarterback Steven Threet’s final start before Osweiler took over when Threet went down with a concussion. Osweiler finished with 380 yards and four touchdowns.
“We understand what’s on the table for us to succeed,” he said. “The mood shifts to finishing. We want to secure the south. Everything is in our hands, we control our own destiny.”
UCLA essentially employs a triple-option attack revolved around the downhill running prowess of running backs Johnathan Franklin, Derrick Coleman and quarterback Kevin Prince. The Bruins rushed for 294 yards against a more than capable California team last week.
Price completed only nine passes for 92 yards. In a 49-20 loss to then-No. 23 Texas, Prince completed three passes and threw three interceptions before being benched. In the Bruins’ blowout loss to UA, Prince made 35 attempts and completed just 48.6 percent of them.
UCLA would prefer to keep the ball on the ground and out of the air, where ASU leads the Pac-12 in interceptions with 13. It’ll be up the Sun Devils getting ahead early and the defensive line to force the Bruins to pass.
“It's a big defensive end week," senior defensive tackle Bo Moos said. "They have to be able to stay outside and do their job. They have a strong side of their line and a weak side that flips, so we have to be able to make adjustments. Those guys on the outside have a little bit more on their shoulders but they’ll be okay.”
According to a number of Sun Devils, UCLA has as much talent defensively at its skill positions as any team in the conference. From their athletic front to their split safety secondary, the Bruins have a lot going for them.
“They’ve got seven or eight guys they play that were heavily recruited,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “They’ve got confidence because they’ve been staying afloat. They create a lot of problems.”
Because the Bruins pass defense is ranked fourth in the conference, allowing 238 yard per game, a fully-healthy ASU junior running back Cameron Marshall will likely see a lot of touches against the eleventh ranked rush defense in the Pac-12.
“He’s a warrior,” Osweiler said. “He’s fought through (injury) all year and now that he’s healthy, it gives him, and us, that extra gear.”
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
