Quarterback
EDGE: ASU
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Taylor Kelly has to play better on Saturday.
He responded well the last time he struggled against Missouri. Kelly went 19-for-26 for 326 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Utah. However, UCLA is better than Utah.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Hundley returns home to the Valley. The Chandler High alum has had an impressive season under offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s offense. Hundley has nearly 2,000 passing yards and 14 touchdowns in his first year as a starter.
Hundley also has five rushing touchdowns, including one for 72 yards. While he’s a dangerous quarterback, Kelly should bounce back following a poor performance against No. 4 Oregon.
Running back
EDGE: Push
In a conference filled with great running backs, UCLA senior running back Johnathan Franklin leads the Pac-12 with 878 rushing yards. He’s averaging 6.8 yards a carry and has been a workhorse for the Bruins this season.
ASU counters with senior Cameron Marshall, junior Marion Grice and freshman D.J. Foster. They were one-dimensional against Oregon because of the early deficit. If the Sun Devils want to avoid another stagnant offense, they must incorporate their backs to establish the pass game.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
EDGE: Push
Coach Todd Graham said UCLA’s receivers are similar to California’s. While the Bruins don’t have an athlete like Keenan Allen, the Bruins are balanced at the position. Senior tight end Joseph Fauria has five touchdowns this season. Junior wide receiver Shaquelle Evans has 413 receiving yards.
Foster and junior tight end Chris Coyle are the Sun Devils’ most valuable weapons in the passing game. They had 106 yards combined in a poor offensive performance against Oregon. This group needs to step up as well on Saturday.
Offensive Line
EDGE: ASU
The Sun Devils are strong at the position. Their depth was displayed against Oregon when redshirt senior guard Andrew Sampson went down. Redshirt freshman Vi Teofilo stepped up and had a solid performance on the front line.
The Bruins are pretty young up front with freshman tackles Torian White and Simon Goines and redshirt freshman center Jake Brendel. The offensive line has allowed 21 sacks this season. Redshirt junior center Greg Capella is unlikely to play Saturday due to a concussion.
Defensive Line
EDGE: Push
It doesn’t look like junior defensive tackle Will Sutton will play against UCLA. He suffered a bone bruise against Oregon on the second play and did not return.
Without him, this defensive line has a huge hole to fill at tackle.
UCLA redshirt senior defensive end Datone Jones has four sacks and 11 tackles for loss this season. The Bruins allow 148 rushing yards a game with just eight rushing touchdowns this year.
Linebackers
EDGE: Push
In a 3-4 defense, UCLA sophomore linebacker Eric Kendricks leads the team with 57 tackles. Junior linebacker Anthony Barr has had a good year with 7.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
ASU junior linebacker Chris Young now leads the team with 51 tackles this season. Redshirt senior linebacker Brandon Magee is right behind him with 49 tackles. Young and Magee have a combined 17.5 tackles for loss.
Secondary
EDGE: ASU
Junior safety Alden Darby said ASU had the best secondary in the country before the season. Statistically speaking, the Sun Devils now have the best pass defense in the country.
Opposing quarterbacks complete 50.25 percent of their passes against ASU. Darby and senior safety Keelan Johnson have played well this season, while senior cornerback Deveron Carr and junior Osahon Irabor have held their own on the outside.
The Bruins have 11 interceptions this season, led by senior cornerback Sheldon Price. He has four interceptions and seven pass deflections. Sophomore safety Tevin McDonald is second on the team with 47 tackles.
Special Teams
EDGE: Push
Both teams have kicking problems. Which kicker will step up is a crapshoot.
UCLA kicker freshman Ka’imi Fairbairn is 9-for-14 this season. ASU redshirt sophomore Alex Garoutte is 6-for-11 while junior Jon Mora is 1-for-2.
Mora will get the start for the Sun Devils, but Graham said the offense will be “aggressive” on Saturday.
Overall: ASU
The Sun Devils responded well as a unit after their first loss, but how will they respond without Sutton? This game could go either way. UCLA is a solid team, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it left Sun Devil Stadium with a win. This is a big Pac-12 South game with future bowl implications and a possible shot at the Pac-12 Championship game.
ASU must win this game. Its schedule does not get any easier with road games in Oregon State and USC in consecutive weeks. The defensive line must somehow make up for Sutton’s absence, and the offense must have a more productive game this week.
If the Sun Devils lose on Saturday, they could lose four of their last five after the Oregon game. Sound familiar? Revert back to last season’s collapse.
Reach the reporter at mtesfats@asu.edu
