Quarterback
Edge: Washington State
Luke Falk is not the same quarterback who turned the ball over four times in his third career start against the Sun Devils last season (mind you, he still threw for 601 yards and three touchdowns). He's managed his turnovers well and and both ASU head coach Todd Graham and co-defensive coordinator Keith Patterson have said he has made great strides.
So far this season he's thrown for 3,239 yards and 28 touchdowns with just six interceptions, but has yet to face a pass rush quite like ASU's.
ASU redshirt senior Mike Bercovici took plenty of slack for his game-ending interception against Oregon in triple overtime, but it was his rushing touchdown and play down the stretch that helped the Sun Devils even get to that spot in the first place.
He's thrown for 2,244 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, but has struggled with fumbles and has thrown seven interceptions this season.
Running back
Edge: ASU
Washington State may be presenting its most balanced offensive front in the Mike Leach era, but there is little comparison to what Demario Richard, Kalen Ballage and D.J. Foster bring to the table for the Sun Devils in the backfield.
Richard and Ballage each exceeded 100 yards rushing against Oregon as the Sun Devils rushed for more than 300 yards, finally showing the one-two punch that was expected by many when the season began. Foster, who finally returned to his old role in the slot and the backfield, was balanced and showed flashes of the all-conference player of seasons past.
Wide receiver
Edge: Washington State
ASU's wide receiver woes this season have been well-documented, but the emergence of Tim White on his own almost can make up for it.
Almost.
The Cougars already have three receivers (Gabe Marks, Dom Williams and River Cracraft) with more receiving yardage than ASU's leading receiver, redshirt senior Devin Lucien (415). Marks, a redshirt junior, has been particularly impressive in already catching 63 passes for 800 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Offensive line
Edge: Push
Both sides have surrendered 26 sacks so far this season, but Washington State has not let it impact its dynamic "air raid" much. Same situation with ASU, whose running game has been solid despite some of the line's struggles.
Defensive line
Edge: ASU
ASU's defensive line has been one of the cornerstones of its dynamic front seven, with a solid rotation in place with redshirt senior Demetrius Cherry, junior Ami Latu, sophomore Tashon Smallwood and freshman JoJo Wicker. In doing so, they've been particularly impactful in the running game. Washington State throws exponentially more than it runs, so the onus will be on them to open up lanes to pressure Falk.
Linebacker
Edge: ASU
The Sun Devil linebacker corps has a strong case to argue it is the class of the Pac-12 conference, and it's easy to see given the production it has had from starters such as Salamo Fiso, Laiu Moeakiola, Antonio Longino and Christian Sam along with the play of backups such as DJ Calhoun and Ismael Murphy-Richardson.
Secondary
Edge: Washington State
ASU redshirt senior Jordan Simone may be making his return to Pullman on Saturday, but may no longer be in the better defensive backfield.
Freshman Kareem Orr has been solid given his inexperience, but there remains a clear gap felt in the absence of Damarious Randall and the injured Armand Perry.
Senior Kweishi Brown appears to have taken a step back this season, overshadowing Lloyd Carrington's solid play.
Washington State's secondary has contributed to forcing seven interceptions and seven lost fumbles as a defense.
Special teams
Edge: ASU
The Sun Devils took a massive step back in this phase against Oregon, but the recent strong stretch still feels like it is more likely to stay than go. Junior kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a career-high three kicks last week, but that is something that will likely return to the mean soon. Tim White remains a weapon on kickoff returns, and Matt Haack should have at least a couple coffin corner punts in Pullman.
Overall
Edge: Washington State
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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