THE GAME - Sun Devil Football will finish the 2016 regular season with a trip down the road to face rival Arizona in the final game of the regular season. The 90th Territorial Cup is scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Arizona State will look to end a five-game slide that includes losses to two ranked opponents and four of the 16 coaches listed as 2016 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Semi-Finalists on Friday.
THE WILDCATS - Much like the Sun Devils, Arizona has suffered more than its fair share of injuries during the 2016 campaign. The Wildcats will enter Friday's contest riding an eight-game losing streak, the longest such streak since the 2003 season that saw the Wildcats drop eight-straight before beating Washington, 27-22, at home. Arizona has had five players throw a pass this season including Brandon Dawkins, who leads the team with 1,268 yards thorugh the air on 173 attempts. Dawkins also leads the team on the ground with 761 rushing yards, culminating in eight touchdowns.
TERRITORIAL CUP - This will be the 90th Duel in the Desert, with Arizona leading the all-time series 48-40-1. The Sun Devils downed the Wildcats last year in Tempe, 52-37, behind two fourth quarter pick-sixes. That said, neither team has truly dominated the series since the Wildcats went 8-0-1 against ASU over the course of the 1980s. Since then, there have only been two occurences where one team has posted a three-game winning streak - once for each team (ASU 2005-07, UA 1993-95). That said, the Sun Devils will be looking to take their fifth victory in the past seven contests against Arizona while improving Todd Graham to 4-1 over the rivals since his arrival in 2012.
The visiting team has been the victors in eight of the last 16 matchups between the two schools - including four of the last seven contests. The Sun Devils look to improve to 3-1 over their last four trips to Tucson. Eight of the previous 12 games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Five of the past seven games have been decided by a grand total of 22 points (ASU's 58-21 rout in 2013 being the lone outlier while the 2015 contest was a one-possession game with seven minutes left despite the final margin), with a fourth-quarter comeback, two blocked extra points, a late field goal and two late defensive stands being the difference in those contests.
AN ASU VICTORY WOULD...
- Give ASU a victory in five of the last seven games against the Wildcats and improve the Devils to 12-6 against Arizona since 1999.
- Improve Todd Graham to 4-1 in his career against the Wildcats.
- Be ASU's third victory in its last four trips down to Tucson for the Territorial Cup.
- Mark the 40th victory for Todd Graham as head coach of the Devils.
- Make the Sun Devils bowl eligible for the sixth-straight season and each of the five seasons under Todd Graham.
- Make it seven-straight seasons the Sun Devils have won at least six games, the longest streak since seven straight years from 1977-83.
- Move the Devils to 11-11 in Pac-12 road games under Todd Graham after going 5-13 in previous four seasons.
- Give ASU 14 wins in its last 27 true road contests. ASU had 15 total road wins from 2004-2011 (8 seasons).
#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)
#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)
1. ASU has scored 50 points against Arizona twice in the last 3 years after doing so just 3 times in the previous 85 years.
2. The Sun Devils are looking to improve to 4-1 against Arizona in the @CoachGrahamASU era.
3. @ZaneG_5 is 7-of-8 from beyond 50 yards this season and has an average made field goal of 40.7 yards
4. ASU has reached 25 rushing touchdowns for the third time under Graham. It had 25 rushing TDs just three times from 1980-2011.
5. .@NKealHarry15 has 608 receiving yards as a true freshman, breaking Zach Miller's 2004 record of 552.
6. @ZaneG_5 is a @LouGrozaAward finalist for the first time after being a three-time semifinalist.
7. .@FootballASU has at least 2 players with double-digit TFLs in all 5 seasons under Graham, 17 total. Had just 17 reach mark from 2002-11.
8. .@ZaneG_5 currently has the nation's longest active streak of field goals made, entering the contest with 17 in a row.
9. Should @ZaneG_5 win @LouGrozaAward, it would be the fourth time two players from same school earned it (Thomas Weber '07).
10. .@footballasu has held its last two opponents to a combined three total first quarter points after season-high 17 allowed vs. UO.
ON THE AIR
Hear the hometown call with broadcaster Tim Healey and color analyst Jeff Van Raaphorst as well as sideline reporter Derek Hagan providing all the action for Sun Devil Football this season. The hometown broadcasts are boosted by Bonneville's powerful sports/talk lineup of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, ESPN Phoenix 620 AM and 92.3 KTAR News FM. This week's game will broadcast on 92.3 KTAR News FM.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
The Sun Devils will compete in their seventh national broadcast of the season and the fourth game of the year broadcast on the ESPN Family of Networks with the tilt being shown on ESPN. Dave LaMont will provide the call alongside analyst Ray Bentley while Quint Kessenich will provide insight from the sidelines.
The Pac-12 will again provide access to Armed Forces Network for carriage of Pac-12 football games in 2016 for the benefit of the men and women in the military.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
- ASU has 26 rushing touchdowns already in 2016 after having 19 in the entirety of the 2015 season. ASU has reached 25 rushing touchdowns three times under Todd Graham. That total is notable as the Devils had just three previous seasons with at least 25 rushing touchdowns from 1980-2011 (1985, 1986 and 1996).
- Since 2012, The Sun Devils have scored 70.1 percent of the time following an opponent turnover since 2012 (89 of 127) w/ 68 TDs (55.3 percent). Conversely, opponents have scored just 50.1 percent of the time following an ASU turnover since 2012 (47 of 93) w/ 36 TDs (38.7 percent).
- For the fifth consecutive season under Todd Graham, the Sun Devils have at least two players who have reached double digits in tackles for loss (Koron Crump, JoJo Wicker and DJ Calhoun). ASU has had 17 such occurences under Graham (2012-present) after having just 17 TOTAL players reach the mark in 10 previous seasons (2002-11) with at least two players reaching double digits in the category just six times in that span.
- N'Keal Harry has now recorded 608 receiving yards this season – breaking Zach Miller's 2004 school record for a freshman of 552. He has 49 catches on the year, seven behind Miller's freshman record of 56. His four touchdown receptions this season are tied for second with D.J. Foster in Sun Devil history as far as freshmen go, trailing only Miller's school record of six.
- Should the season end today, Zane Gonzalez would hold an FBS record seven FBS records.
STRIKE FIRST
- Arizona State has scored first in 43 of the 64 games with Todd Graham at the helm and is 32-11 in the Graham era when getting on the scoreboard first.
- The Sun Devils were 5-2 when scoring first last season and are 4-3 this year after picking up victories against NAU, Texas Tech, UTSA and UCLA.
STRIKE FAST
- 258 of the Devils' 363 offensive scoring drives under Todd Graham have come in three minutes or less (71.1 percent).
- Of ASU's 58 scoring drives this season, 39 have came in under three minutes (67.2 percent), including 4-of-5 against Utah.
GETTING STARTED ON THE RIGHT FOOT
- The Sun Devils have outscored their opposition 547-325 in the first quarter under Todd Graham and 72-69 this season.
- The Sun Devils are 24-4 under Graham when holding their opposition scoreless in the first quarter and 2-2 this season when doing so.
- A strong second half start is also important and ASU scored 115 points in the third quarter of games against FBS opposition last year, a 9.6 points per third quarter average that was ranked 14th nationally.
- ASU has posted an impressive 31-3 overall record under Graham when leading at halftime.
DON'T CROSS THAT LINE
- Against Washington, the ASU defense forced 22 negative or no yardage plays (4 TFLs, 17 incomplete passes, 1 rushes of no gain) of 77 plays run by the Huskies (28.8 percent).
- On the season, the Sun Devils have forced 287 negative or no yardage plays of 828 run by the opposition (34.7 percent).
- Under Graham, ASU has forced 1,642 plays that have not resulted in positive yardage out of 4,588 (35.8 percent).
SERIOUSLY, DON'T CROSS IT
- ASU is first in the Pac-12 and second in the nation (Clemson) with an average of 8.02 TFL per game under Graham and one of two teams in the nation with more than 505 total tackles for loss (Clemson). They rank third in that time with 3.24 sacks per game.
- For the fifth consecutive season under Todd Graham, the Sun Devils have at least two players who have reached double digits in tackles for loss (Koron Crump, JoJo Wicker and DJ Calhoun). ASU has had 17 such occurences under Graham (2012-present) after having just 17 TOTAL players reach the mark in 10 previous seasons (2002-11) with at least two players reaching double digits in the category just six times in that span.
LIGHT 'EM UP
- ASU has scored 50 or more points 16 times since Todd Graham arrived in Tempe for the 2012 season.
- To put that in perspective, ASU eclipsed 50 points 10 times total in the previous 10 years before the current coaching regime (2001-11).
- Against Pac-12 opponents, the Sun Devils have scored 50 or more points 10 times under Coach Graham, after only tallying nine in the conference era prior (since 1978).
- ASU went 86 games without scoring 60 from 2005-2011. Under Coach Graham it has scored 60 or more four times ('12-63 NAU, '12-62 Navy, '13-62 USC, '16-68 TTU).
- The Sun Devils have dropped 50 on Arizona twice in the last three years after doing so just three times in 86 previous contests.
- The Sun Devil offense is currently ranked 45th in the nation in scoring at 33.2 points per game.
- The Sun Devils have rushed for 26 touchdowns this season after having 19 in the entirety of 2015. The 26 touchdowns are good for 27th among all FBS teams.
- The Sun Devils have reached 25 rushing touchdowns or for the third time under Graham in five seasons. That total is notable as the Devils had just three previous seasons with at least 25 rushing touchdowns from 1980-2011 (1985, 1986 and 1996).
- After having just two five-rushing touchdown games in nine previous seasons, the Sun Devils did it in back-to-back games to open the season, marking the fifth and sixth times in the Graham era that ASU has gone over five rushing touchdowns in a game. The Devils had three such games TOTAL from 1997-2011.
- The ASU trio of running backs (Demario Richard, Kalen Ballage and Nick Ralston) have been tough to bring down all year, logging 567 total yards after first contact out of their 1225 combined rushing yards (46.3 percent).
GOLD ZONE
- The Sun Devils have scored on 40-of-44 trips to the red zone in 2016 (90.9 percent), a total that is currently good for 18th in the nation.
- The Devils have scored a touchdown on 30 of those trips (68.2 percent). That percentage is ranked 30th nationally and is notable as ASU found the end zone on just 51.5 percent of its red zone trips last season - a total that ranked 108th in the country.
- ASU is tied for 27th nationally with 21 rushing touchdowns in the red zone this year.
SUPER DEMARIO
- Demario Richard is currently 15th in Sun Devil history with 2,141 career rushing cards and one of just 19 Devils to reach the 2,000-yard milestone.
- Richard now has nine 100-yard rushing games in his career, three shy of cracking the ASU top-five in the category.
- Of Richard's 1,663 rushing yards as a sophomore and junior, 763 have come after first contact (45.9 percent/2.1 yards per touch).
- Last season, Richard became the fourth Sun Devil in history to have at least seven 100-yard rushing games in a single season, joining Freddy Williams and Art Malone (8) and Woody Green (7, 2 times).
- Kalen Ballage has 13 rushing touchdowns this season, making him just the fourth Sun Devil since 2000 to reach double digits in the category.
- He is currently ranked 16th in the nation in rushing touchdowns (13) and 51st in total points scored (88).
- Ballage is one of just nine players nationally to rush, throw and receive a touchdown this season and one of just three running backs to do so.
- He is averaging a touchdown once every 8.97 carries this season, a total that ranks third nationally.
- Ballage introduced himself to the world in a big way against Texas Tech, tying an FBS record with eight total touchdowns (7 rushing, 1 receiving). He also tied the FBS record for touchdowns in a quarter with four in the second quarter of the contest.
- His seven touchdowns against Tech were equal to or more than five teams had in the entirety of the 2015 season. Ballage had eight total touchdowns in his two previous seasons prior to his barrage against Texas Tech.
NO RUSH
- The Sun Devils have held 23 opponents under 100 rushing yards in the Todd Graham era (64 games/35.9 percent), including four of 11 games this year.
- The Sun Devil rush defense is currently ranked 29th nationally and second in the Pac-12 in allowing just 124.5 yards per game this year.
- ASU held three straight opponents under 100 rushing yards for the third time under Graham (2013, 2015, 2016). The Devils had limited opponents to under 100 rushing yards in three straight games in just five previous seasons dating back to 1986.
- The Sun Devils finished 20th in rushing defense in 2015, 49th in 2014 and 26th in 2013 and are one of just 20 schools to be ranked in the Top 50 in each of the last three seasons.
THE WHITE PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME
- Tim White now has 14 games in his career with over 100 all-purpose yards and nine in his last 11 STARTS dating back to last season.
- White is currently sixth among all active FBS players with 3,166 all-purpose yards over the last two seasons. He currently sits 29th in the nation with 132.45 all-purpose yards per game and 26th with 1,457 total all-purpose yards. It should be noted, however, that White's numbers are skewed by appearing in three games this season as a glorified kick catcher while battling injury.
- He is seventh nationally with 811 combined kick return yards (564 on kickoffs and 246 on punt return) and ninth in punt return average at 13.0 yards per return.
- White is one of just five players in ASU history to take both a punt return and a kickoff return back for a touchdown in his career joining Jamal Miles, Terry Richardson, Mike Haynes and Lenny Randle as the only other players.
- White became the 25th player in Sun Devil history to eclipse 3,000 all-purpose yards in his career and joins Marion Grice as the ONLY other player to do so in two seasons.
TAKING OFFENSE
- ASU ranks second in the Pac-12 and 13th in the nation at 37.02 points per game (Baylor, Oregon, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida State, Oklahoma State, Marshall, Louisiana Tech, Clemson, Alabama, Texas A&M) in the Graham era.
- The Devils are second in the Pac-12 and 13th in the nation with 2,332 total points (Baylor, Oregon, Ohio State, Florida State, Alabama, Marshall, Clemson, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Louisiana Tech, Texas A&M) in that time.
MAKE 'EM PAY
- Under Todd Graham, ASU has outscored opponents 529-280 in points off takeaways but trails 55-46 this season.
- Since 2012, The Sun Devils have scored 70.1 percent of the time following an opponent turnover since 2012 (89 of 127) w/ 68 TDs (55.3 percent). Conversely, opponents have scored just 50.1 percent of the time following an ASU turnover since 2012 (47 of 93) w/ 36 TDs (38.7 percent).
- The Sun Devils outscored the opposition 142-62 in points off turnovers in 2014, ranked fourth nationally behind only Louisiana Tech's 172, Nevada's 170 and Oregon's 164. ASU scored 22 times following 27 total takeaways (81.5 percent) that year and scored touchdowns on 19 of those occasions (70.4).
- In 2013, ASU outscored its opponents 146-42 on points off turnovers while posting a +15 takeaway number, putting points on the board following 75.8 percent of opponent turnovers (25-of-33) compared to just the 33.3 (6-of-18) percent clip ASU opponents scored.
A HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR
- The Sun Devils have forced 127 turnovers under Todd Graham in the past five seasons, which is the ninth-highest total in the country in that span.
- ASU has 14 interception returns for touchdowns under Graham, compared to posting just four total in the three previous seasons prior to 2012. The total is second in the FBS for the most interception returns for touchdowns in that span. ASU has added three fumble returns as well for 17 defensive touchdowns since the 2012 season, fourth in the country in that time span.
- ASU finished with 27 takeaways in 2014 (2.1 per game) after having a streak of 29 consecutive games forcing a turnover come to an end in the season opener. The total was good for 24th nationally and third among Pac-12 schools.
- ASU led the Pac-12 with 33 takeaways in 2013, finishing fifth nationally. The team was seventh nationally with a 1.1 turnover margin that season.
TURNOVER FACTORY
- ASU ranks third in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation with a .54 average turnover margin per game (Oregon, Houston, Michigan State, Washington) since Graham took over the helm and was third in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation with a plus-34 total turnover margin (Oregon, Houston, Michigan State, Washington).
- The Devils are first in the Pac-12 and tied for sixth in the nation with an average of 1.24 interceptions per game (Houston, Louisville, TCU, Boise State, Ohio State, tied with SDSU) since 2012 and is first in the Pac-12 and tied for seventh in the nation with 78 total interceptions (Houston, Boise State, Louisville, Ohio State, Northern Illinois, TCU, tied with SDSU).
IN-ZANE IN THE MEMBRANE
- Zane Gonzalez currently leads all active FBS players in averaging 9.8 points per game in his career. Additionally, he is first among all active kickers with an average of 1.92 field goals per made per game in his career.
- Gonzalez is the new FBS career record holder for most field goals with 96 (breaking the previous record of 88 held by Florida State's Dustin Hopkins.
- Additionally, Gonzalez now has 489 points in his career as he also surpassed Hopkins' FBS record for points by a kicker of 466. He already set the Pac-12 scoring mark by any player (previously 413).
- He is 23-of-24 on field goals this season with the 23 makes leading the nation and he sits 15th nationally in scoring at 9.4 points per game. His lone miss this season came on a 53-yard attempt against UTSA and his 95.8 percentage is currently good for first in the FBS among kickers with the minimum number of attempts.
- If his career ended now, Gonzalez would also own the FBS record for scoring per game among kickers and the ASU record for overall points per game with his 9.9 points per game topping Houston's Roman Anderson's FBS record of 9.6 and Wilford White's school record of 8.6.
- Gonzalez has kicked 17 field goals in a row, currently the longest active streak in the FBS and tied for his own school record.
ZANE-IAC
- Gonzalez is a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award for the third time in five seasons and a finalist for the first time. Gonzalez is 7-of-8 from beyond 50 yards this season while the other 19 semifinalists were 11-of-19 combined.
- Gonzalez has scored at least one point in each of the 50 games he has played at ASU, breaking the previous school record of 45 such games held by Luis Zendejas for most games scoring a point.
- He leads the nation in 50+ yard field goals with seven this season. He had three against Colorado, tying the FBS record for most in a game. The FBS record for a season is eight. No other player has more than three.
- His 59-yard against Colorado was a school record and the longest kick in the FBS this season.
- Gonzalez has four or more field goals in six games in his career, tying three other players for the most games in FBS history. At 12 games with three or more field goals, he needs two to break the FBS record there as well.
- Gonzalez holds ASU's first, second and fourth highest single-season points totals in history (138, 130, 118).
- Gonzalez was good on 26 field goals last season and became the first ASU kicker ever to have 20 or more field goals in three different seasons. In fact, only Luis Zendejas had two such seasons before. No other player outside Zendejas and Gonzalez have had more than one.
KICKING THE HABIT
- Zane Gonzalez is again out to prove he is the best kickoff specialist in the nation, having kicked 56 of his 74 kickoffs for touchbacks this season (75.8 percent, 10th nationally) - the second-most in the country - while just 16 of his kicks have been returned (14th in the FBS).
- A total of 79 of Zane Gonzalez's 88 kickoffs last season went into the endzone and 66 were touchbacks (75.0 percent), the highest touchback percentage in the country and notable as just 27 of 83 opponent kicks were touched back (32.5 percent). ASU had just 33 touchbacks for the entire season in 2014 on 91 kicks (36.3).
- His 64.56 yards per kickoff in 2015 were second nationally.
- The 18 kickoff returns allowed by Gonzalez last season were the fourth-lowest total nationally and the lowest among all 67 teams with 71 or more kickoffs.
WINNING THE BATTLE FOR FIELD POSITION
- Under Todd Graham, ASU has had an average starting yard line of its own 34.6 in 39 victories compared to a starting yard line of the 25.4 for their opponents in such contests.
- Conversely, opponents have an average starting field position of their own 31.2 yard line compared to ASU starting at its own 28.7 in ASU's 25 losses under Graham.
- in 2012, ASU posted an average starting spot of its own 33-yard line that ranked 10th in the nation, according to the folks at Football Outsiders (www.footballoutsiders.com) and in 2013, the team ranked 13th nationally (average starting yard line: 33.3). With a 32.6 average starting spot in 2014, ASU was 13th nationally.
- The Sun Devils also held their opponents to an average starting line of their own 28-yard-line, a total that ranked 24th nationally in 2012 and was 32nd in 2013 (average opp. starting yardline: 28.2). ASU jumped to 11th nationally in 2014, forcing their opponents to an average field position of their own 26.9 yard line.
- ASU dropped to 46th in opponents starting position in 2015 while also falling to 62nd as far as their own starting field position went, notable given the team's 6-7 record on the year.
SEAL THE DEAL
- ASU has outscored other teams 693-530 in the fourth quarter and overtime under Todd Graham (10.8 points per game) and are averaging 12.4 points per fourth quarter this season (outscoring opponents 133-97).
- Excluding FCS NAU, the Sun Devils are currently 10th nationally in averaging 19.5 points per second half against FBS opposition and fourth in the country with 12.4 points per fourth quarter against FBS teams as well.
- The 19.5 second-half points per game are more than 13 teams are averaging PER GAME against FBS opposition this season.
- ASU's offense has scored on 22 of the 39 times it has possessed the ball in the fourth quarter this year, excluding game-ending kneel downs.
- The Sun Devils finished sixth nationally against FBS teams with 10.6 points per fourth quarter in 2014, 10th (9.9) in 2013 and eighth (9.3) in 2012.
- The Sun Devils averaged 18.5 second half points per game last season against FBS opponents, good for 13th nationally.
- ASU struggled defensively in the second half, however, giving up 18.8 second half points per game to opponents, the 14th-worst total nationally.
ROAD WARRIORS
- The Sun Devils are winners of nine of the last 18 true road contests. ASU has 13 wins in the past 27 road games, including 10 Pac-12 Conference road wins in the past 22.
- Todd Graham has 10 Pac-12 road victories under his belt already, the second-most among all ASU coaches since 1980 behind only Bruce Snyder's 18 from 1992-2000. Graham is 10-11 in Pac-12 road games at ASU, notable as the Devils were 5-13 in four seasons prior.
- The Sun Devils are 4-4 in Pac-12 games in the State of California since 2012 after going just 3-23 from 1998-2011.
T.N.T., WE'RE DYNAMITE
- The Sun Devils have a classification of "explosive plays" that equal a run of 12 or more yards or a passing play of 16 or more yards. ASU has 90 thus far this season,
- After having just eight total against Colorado and Washington State, ASU had 29 such plays in the last three games.
- ASU finished 30th nationally in plays over 10 yards last season with 216 and 27th in 30+ yard plays at 35.
- ASU finished 24th nationally with 20 plays over 40 yards in 2014 after having just 16 total in 2013 and eight the year before. ASU was 26th nationally in plays of 20 or more yards with 71.
- The Sun Devils finished 2013 tied for seventh in the nation in plays longer than 20 yards with 86 after having 72 in 2012, which was good for 19th in the country in the category.
- The Sun Devils are currently ranked 32nd in fewest penalties (58), 31st in fewest penalties per game (5.27), 52nd in fewest penalty yards (563) and 50th in fewest penalty yards per game (51.2).
- The Sun Devils averaged just 4.5 penalities for 32.4 yards per game in 2014, ranked 16th in fewest penalties per game and fourth in fewest penalty yards per game in D-I. In 2013, the Sun Devils finished eighth in fewest penalties per game (4.00) and seventh in fewest penalty yards per game (31.4).
KEEP IT CLEAN
- ASU is first in the Pac-12 and fifth in the nation with an average of 37.05 penalty yards per game (Navy, Air Force, GT, Army) under Graham and ranks first in the Pac-12 and tied for sixth in the nation with an average of 4.43 penalties per game (Navy, AF, Ball St., Army, Wisc., tied with GT).
- Since Todd Graham arrived at Arizona State, the Sun Devils have had just 287 penalties in 64 games (4.49 penalties per game).
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
- ASU is 25-8 at Sun Devil Stadium under Todd Graham.
- In 33 regular season home games under Todd Graham, the Sun Devils have averaged 39.7 points per game. Against non-conference Power Five teams, ASU is averaging 50.0 points per game at home under Graham.
- The Sun Devils join Baylor as the only other school in the country to be ranked in the Top-35 in home points per game in EACH of the past five seasons with only Arkansas State added to the list if 2016 were not included.
- ASU has posted under 20 points in a regular home game just twice in Todd Graham's tenure - a 19-16 overtime victory over Utah in 2014 and a 42-14 loss to #19 USC in 2015.
- The Sun Devils are 282-103-3 (.734) all-time at Sun Devil Stadium since 1958, the 25th-highest active winning percentage in a stadium among all FBS schools.
ON THE RISE
- ASU is 25-18 in Pac-12 games since 2012, behind only USC in the Pac-12 South for the best record in the past four-plus seasons
- ASU is 20-14 (.606) in Pac-12 games in the past three-plus seasons, behind only USC (24-11) for the best record in the Pac-12 South in that time.
- ASU has finished first or second in three of the past four seasons in the final Pac-12 South standings.
USE THEM WISELY
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Since the start of the 2012 season, ASU has used 68 timeouts on defense in third down situations, and have not allowed a first down on the ensuing play and/or forced a turnover on 48 of those occasions (70.6 percent).
HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS
- ASU has now gone 9-6 in games decided by a touchdown or less since the 2012 Arizona comeback in Tucson. ASU had gone 6-16 in such games since the 2007 season up until that moment. The Devils are 2-1 in games decided by less than a touchdown this year.
- In 2016, ASU is 4-3 in games it has been tied or trailed in the second half after going 8-19 in four previous seasons.
- ASU went 3-1 in 2013 in games decided by less than a touchdown, after going 4-13 in the previous four seasons in such games.. ASU was 3-1 in 2014 in games decided by less than a touchdown.
HOLD ON TO THAT BALL, ALSO
- In 2014, the Sun Devils had six games where they did not turn the ball over and went 6-0 in those contests. That number was notable because in the previous two seasons, ASU had just five combined games where it did not turn the ball over.
- ASU is now 12-3 under Todd Graham in games where it does not have a turnover.
- The Sun Devils have two games without turning the ball over in the four games that Chip Lindsey has been offensive coordinator. To put that in perspective, ASU had two games total in the 2015 regular season that it did not turn over the ball.
- ASU earned its first victory in a game in turned the ball over three times against UTSA after going 0-6 in the Todd Graham era prior.
TAKING DOWN THE TOP
- ASU finished 1-2 against teams ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll last season after a gauntlet that pitted the Sun Devils against three Top 25 teams in four weeks (a loss to USC, a win at UCLA, and a loss at No. 4 Utah).
- ASU was 3-2 in 2013 against team's ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll and the three victories were the most since 1997 when the team went 3-1 against teams ranked in the AP poll.
- ASU's 2014 schedule put the team on a collision course with three consecutive AP Top-25 teams (UCLA, USC, Stanford), a streak that ASU had faced only twice in program history. The last that happened was 2001, where ASU went 0-3 against No. 13 Washington, No. 8 Oregon and No. 11 Washington State. In 1994, ASU defeated No. 20 BYU in between losses to No. 23 Washington State and No. 21 Oregon.
- ASU came out of the stretch with a 2-1 record with back-to-back victories over No. 16 USC and No. 23 Stanford. It was the first time ASU has won back-to-back games over ranked opponents since 1997, when it took down No. 25 Stanford on Oct. 18 before defeating No. 10 Washington State on Nov. 1 following a bye week.
SLAYING DRAGONS
- The Sun Devils have gone 8-8 in the last 16 games against ranked teams.
- In four seasons at the helm, Todd Graham is 8-11 against AP-ranked opponents and the team was 4-2 in such teams in 2014.
- Graham has more than doubled the Top-25 win total of Dennis Erickson (3) and Dirk Koetter (2) during their tenures.
- In the previous 14 seasons, ASU was 5-40 in games against teams ranked in the AP poll. Other notable victories include the come-from-behind victory over Arizona in 2012, winning a game in the Coliseum last season for the first time since 1999 and defeating USC in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1996-97. ASU also ended a four-game losing streak to Stanford.
HAACK THIS WAY
- Matt Haack has led a punting attack that is ranked 12th nationally in punt defense and first in the Pac-12 allowing just 3.42 yards per return.
- Haack is 21st in the FBS in averaging 44.3 yards per punt this season while his 42.9 net yards per punt average is good for fifth in the FBS.
- The junior is tied for 10th nationally with 16 punts over 50 yards this season, including the nation's fourth longest punt of 76 yards.
- Haack averaged 43.1 yards per punt last season, good for fourth in the Pac-12 and 35th nationally. Yardage didn't do the whole story justice, however. Nineteen of his 74 punts were for 50 or more yards (25.7 percent) while 32 punts were downed inside the 20 yard line (43.2 percent). The 32 punts inside the 20 were the second most in the nation and four more than any other player in the Pac-12. His two touchbacks were tied for the lowest total in the nation as well.
- Haack has a 42.8 yard per punt average in his career that current ranks tied for fourth all-time in ASU history.
GRAND SALAMO
- Redshirt senior Salamo Fiso finds himself in a position this year to move into numerous Sun Devil records while also finding a spot on several preseason award lists, including the Bednarik, Nagurski, Butkus, Lombardi and Polynesian CFB Player of the Year.
- Fiso is sixth in ASU history with 206 solo tackles in his career and is just 3.0 tackles for loss behind Carl Bradford (43) to crack ASU's all-time top 10 for tackles for loss.
- Fiso finished eighth nationally and second in the Pac-12 behind teammate Antonio Longino last season in average 1.5 tackles for loss per game. His 6.0 solo tackles per game were also second in the Pac-12 (behind teammate Jordan Simone) and 12th nationally.
WHO'S THE NEW GUY
- There are plenty of new faces on the Sun Devil coaching staff this season, an especially high amount given the fact that Todd Graham remains at the helm. ASU's five new assistant coaches this season are tied for the fifth most in the nation among all FBS programs that retained their coaching staff (USC leads with 7; Fresno State, Utah State and Western Kentucky all had 6 changes).
- There are plenty of relatively new faces along the offensive front as well as the Sun Devils entered the season with the fifth fewest returning offensive line starts (15) of any team in the country.
- N'Keal Harry became just the ninth true freshman in Arizona State history to start in a season opener this year. He joins Cohl Cabral, Robbie Robinson and Kyle Williams as the only true freshman to play on Opening Day.
- Harry is just the fourth Sun Devil ever to start on offense as a true frosh in the opener and he joined D.J. Foster as the only other Sun Devil in history to score in each of their first three games of the season as a true freshman.
- The 2016 will mark the a strange year from a schedule standpoints For instance, ASU has had only a single home game after Oct. 22 just twice (1996 and 1998) in the Pac-12 era. ASU's only home game after Oct. 22 this year is Nov. 10 vs. Utah.
- The Devils had just one home game in November just once in the past 10 years (2012). Utah is only home game in November this year.
- 2016 will mark the first time since 2002 ASU finishes with back-to-back games on the road.
- The Sun Devils have finished with three of final four games on the road just five times (2012, 2002, 1998, 1996 and 1994) since joining the Pac-12.
- Manny Wilkins became just the fourth quarterback since 1970 to go 4-0 in his first career starts, joining Danny White (10-0) and Todd Hons (8-0).
- Wilkins is currently 25th nationally in completed 65.1 percent of his passes through the first five games of the season and 40th nationally with 19.4 completions per game.
- The Sun Devils entered the season as one of just two teams in the nation without a quarterback on the roster that had officially completed a pass at a four-year college until Wilkins first attempt.
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Koron Crump leads the Sun Devils with 10.5 tackles for loss this season and 9.0 sacks. He is averaging a tackle for loss every 3.1 times he makes a tackles and a sack for every 3.8 tackles. He also has a team-leading three fumbles forced this season.
With one more sack, it will be the fifth time in the Graham era a player has reached double-digit sacks. ASU had just two players reach the milestone from 2003-2011.