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Sun Devil Football Hits the Road to Battle UCLA at the Rose Bowl

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Sun Devil Football Hits the Road to Battle UCLA at the Rose BowlSun Devil Football Hits the Road to Battle UCLA at the Rose Bowl

THE GAME - Sun Devil Football will head into the final quarter of the season this weekend, the first of back-to-back road games, as the team travels to the Rose Bowl to take on the UCLA Bruins in Pasadena on Saturday. The contest is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. Arizona time kickoff (6:30 in Los Angeles) and will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks.

THE BRUINS - UCLA is 4-5 this season, but it leads the all-time series against the Sun Devils 19-13-1. However, ASU has won the last two contests in the Rose Bowl between the two programs. 

One of the more tightly contested rivalries in the last decade of Pac-12 action, ASU is 6-4 against the Bruins since 2007 and winners of three of the last four games. Four of the last six games have been decided by a touchdown or less (2011-13, 2016) with a grand total of 11 points separating the two teams in that span while the 2014 and 2015 games evened out with a dominating victory for each team. 

THE PAC-12 - With a victory, ASU would improve to 5-2 in Pac-12 games with just two remaining, guaranteeing it would finish no worse than third in the Pac-12 South standings this season.

Since 2012, ASU has won at least one Pac-12 game in California in four of five seasons, with wins over #7 UCLA (2015), USC (#JaelMary in 2014), #14 UCLA (clinched Pac-12 South) and California (first Pac-12 road game in 2012). Prior to the California win on Sept. 29, 2012, ASU had lost seven straight Pac-12 games in California and was 3-23 from 1998-2011.

AN ASU VICTORY WOULD... 

  • Improve the Devils to 30-22 in games against Pac-12 opponents since 2012, the second-best record in the Pac-12 South behind USC's 35-16 mark.
  • Give ASU a Pac-12 victory in the state of California for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Prior to the California win on Sept. 29, 2012, ASU had lost seven straight Pac-12 games in California and was 3-23 from 1998-2011.
  • Mark the Sun Devils' third consecutive victory in the Rose Bowl. 
  • Make the Devils bowl eligible for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. 
  • Guarantee that ASU finishes no worse than third in the Pac-12 South standings. 
  • Give ASU two straight road victories for the first time since 2014 (at USC and at Washington).

#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)

1. ASU is 3-1 this season in games decided by touchdown or less and 12-7 since 2012 UA comeback. Was 6-16 in such games from 2007 to UA game.

2. .@FootballASU is 4th nationally in red zone scoring at 96.8% (30-of-31) trips with lone blemish coming while kneeling at end of UW win.

3. Chase Lucas targeted 15 times Sat, season high for any player, Allowed just 6 catches for 62 yards, 12 tackles, a PBU and a paltry 52.6 QBR.

4. ASU is 38-16 since 2012 when committing fewer than 6 penalties and just 6-14 when comitting 6 or more.

5. ASU and Michigan are the only programs in the FBS with at least 3 defensive linemen with 20+ QB pressures (Smallwood 27, Wicker 24, Latu 20)

6. In last 3 years, 10 players have logged at least one game w/ double digit tackles (30 total). @ShowinStatsSam = 11, Other 9 combined = 19

7. Perspective on @ShowinStatsSam's 7 gms in row with 10+ tackles: No player since AT LEAST '00 has more than 6 such games, let alone in a row.

8. ASU has lost only seven turnovers (2 on tipped ball interceptions) this season, good for 8th nationally. Was 82nd last year with 21 turnovers.

9. .@CodeBlackRich4 now has 10 career games with over 100 rushing yards, tying Ben Malone for eighth in ASU history.

10. .@dj_calhoun remains one of 3 inside linebackers to not miss a tackle on a running play this season and has missed just 1 tackle overall in 2017.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  • Christian Sam has reached double-digit tackles in seven consecutive games, more than any other Sun Devil has accomplished since AT LEAST 2000 - let along in consecutive games.
  • Leading the charge in ASU"s secondary improvements has been Chase Lucas, who has allowed just 48.1 percent of the passes thrown his way to be completed this season (25 of 52) with four breakups and an interception. In his last three games, he has been targetted a team-high 27 times, allowing just 12 catches for 153 yards and a paltry 59.64 QBR. 
  • Despite being pressured on 33.6 percent of his dropbacks - the 19th-highest total nationally among 78 FBS QBs who drop back at least 50 percent of the time - Manny Wilkins is 13th nationally with a 87.3 NFL QB rating under pressure - fourth-highest among all QBs pressured at least 33 percent of the time and second among all Pac-12 quarterbacks.
  • Wilkins has just three interceptions this season (two coming on tipped balls). This number is notable as only once in the Pac-12 era has a quarterback had 5 or fewer interceptions in a season where they started over 75 percent of the games (Taylor Kelly with 5 on 278 attempts in 2014, missed three games).
  • In fact, outside of Kelly, no quarterback in Sun Devil history with at least 275 attempts in a season had fewer than seven interceptions in a season (Wilkins is currently at 297).

STRIKE FIRST

  • Arizona State has scored first in 48 of the 74 games with Todd Graham at the helm and is 36-12 when doing so.
  • The Devils are 4-1 this season when scoring first (wins vs. NMSU, ORE, WASH, UTAH).

STRIKE FAST...?

  • 279 of the Devils' 410 scoring drives since 2012 have come in three minutes or fewer (68.0 percent).
  • The fast paced-offense was in full effect against Oregon with four drives coming under two minutes in that effort while five of ASU's seven scoring drives against Colorado came under the three-minute mark.m
  • Two of ASU's four scoring drives against NMSU came in under 30 seconds - marking the first time ASU had two scoring drives of 50+ yards occur in less than 30 seconds since the 2014 USC game.

...OR NOT?

  • Despite the Sun Devils' previous modus operandi of quick-hitting scoring drives, ASU has been content with more methodic drives in 2017 with just 20 of 44 scoring drives coming under three minutes (45.5 percent). 
  • The Sun Devils are currently 23rd nationally in averaging 32:20 minutes of possession a game, a total is second in the Pac-12. 
  • In the last decade, the best ASU finished in terms of time of possession was third nationally in 2007 at 33:08 per game. Since that season, ASU has finished no better than 32nd in possession time per game (2014) and has finished below 50th seven times.
  • ASU has 14 scoring drives this season that have lasted four minutes or longer after having just 10 total in the entirety of 2016. ASU had just eight scoring drives longer than four minutes in 2015.
  • 12 of the last 23 Sun Devil scoring drives have been 10 plays or longer compared to just 3 of the first 21 scoring drives this season going into double-digit plays. ASU had 15 scoring drives last 10 plays or longer in the entirety of 2016 and is already at 15 this season.
  • ASU had three scoring drives over 5 minutes against Stanford and followed that with two drives over 6 minutes against #5 Washington, notable as the Devils had just four scoring drives total in 2016 that lasted longer than five minutes.
  • ASU's 16-play, 8:08-minute scoring drive against Washington was the longest scoring by plays and by duration since Todd Graham's career began in 2012.In fact, it was ASU's longest scoring drive since a 9 minute, 43 second field goal drive against Oregon State in 2008. It was the longest touchdown drive by time since at least the 1999 season (as far back as drive possessions were readily available).

GETTING STARTED ON THE RIGHT FOOT

  • The Sun Devils have outscored their opposition 617-389 in the first quarter under Todd Graham
  • ASU is currently 41st nationally in scoring 7.0 points per first quarter this season, though the Colorado victory marked the first time this season that ASU was held scoreless in the first quarter.
  • The Sun Devils are 27-4 under Graham when holding their opposition scoreless in the first quarter. ASU has posted an impressive 35-3 overall record under Graham when leading at halftime.

DON'T CROSS THAT LINE

  • ASU forced 27 plays against Colorado that resulted in negative or no yardage (18 incomplete passes, 6 tackles for loss, 3 plays for no gain) of the 80 total plays in the contest (33.8 percent)
  • This season, ASU has forced 207 plays resulting in negative or no yardage of 630 total (32.9 percent).
  • Under Graham, ASU has forced 1,865 plays that have not resulted in positive yardage out of 5,276 (35.3 percent).

SERIOUSLY, DON'T CROSS IT

  • The Sun Devils are eighth nationally and second in the Pac-12 in averaging 3.33 sacks per game this season.
  • ASU is second in the nation in averaging 3.16 sacks per game since 2012. Additionally, ASU is first in the Pac-12 and second in the nation (Clemson) with an average of 7.7 TFL per game under Graham (since 2012).
  • Last season, the Sun Devils had at least two players who reached double digits in tackles for loss (Koron Crump, JoJo Wicker and DJ Calhoun) for the 5th time since 2012. ASU has had 17 such individual occurences under Graham (2012-p) after having just 17 TOTAL 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.

#NOFLYZONE

  • The Sun Devil pass defense has been much improved in recent weeeks, allowing fewer than 266 opponent passing yards in four of the last five games - and under 200 in three of those. To put that in perspective - ASU had just three games holding an opponent under 200 passing yards TOTAL in 2015 and 2016.
  • ASU has four games this season allowing under 200 passing yards, matching its total from 2014. It had five such games in 2013 and eight in 2012. 2017 marks the first time ASU had at least three games in a row allowing fewer than 200 passing yards since opening the 2012 season with seven such games.
  • ASU allowed just 467 total passing yards in its three-game stretch against Stanford, Washington and Utah. Again, for perspective, ASU had given up more than that in a SINGLE GAME on seven different occassions in the 29 games prior to that run.
  • After having just two interceptions in the first six games of the season, ASU has five interceptions in the last three games.
  • Leading the charge has been redshirt freshman Chase Lucas, who has allowed just 48.1 percent of the passes thrown his way to be completed this season (25 of 52) with four breakups and an interception. In his last three games, he has been targetted a team-high 27 times, allowing just 12 catches for 153 yards and a paltry 59.64 QBR.

HE'S THE MANNY

  • Despite being pressured on 33.6 percent of his dropbacks - the 19th-highest total nationally among 78 FBS QBs who drop back at least 50 percent of the time - Manny Wilkins is 13th nationally with a 87.3 NFL QB rating under pressure - fourth-highest among all QBs pressured at least 33 percent of the time and second among all Pac-12 quarterbacks.
  • His four touchdowns under pressure are tied for 24th nationally among all quarterbacks. Against Colorado, Wilkins had a 119.0 passer rating outside the numbers with two touchdown passes. 
  • Wilkins has shown what he can do in a clean pocket however, ranked 14th nationally with a 70.8 completion percentage when there's been no pressure this season - good for third in the Pac-12.
  • Wilkins has three touchdown passes over 50 yards this season after not having any in his career previously.
  • Wilkins has a 115.4 NFL quarterback rating on deep passes (passes of more than 20 yards), good for 10th nationally.

MANNY OF THE HOUR

  • Since his first quarter interception at Arizona last year (over 9 1/2 games), Wilkins is 207-of-311 (66.6 percent) with 2,430 yards, 12 touchdowns, 3 interceptions (two on a tipped pass) with a 143.00 passing efficiency in that time 
  • Wilkins broke the school record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception at 192 dating back to last season before his first quarter interception against Stanford, breaking Rudy Carpenter's previous school record of 149 from the end of 2005 to 2006.
  • Wilkins has just three interceptions this season (two coming on tipped balls). This number is notable as only once in the Pac-12 era has a quarterback had 5 or fewer interceptions in a season where they started over 75 percent of the games (Taylor Kelly with 5 on 278 attempts in 2014, missed three games).
  • In fact, outside of Kelly, no quarterback in Sun Devil history with at least 275 attempts in a season had fewer than seven interceptions in a season (Wilkins is currently at 297).

GOLD RUSH

  • ASU has 18 rushing TDs this year as it seeks to reach 25 rushing touchdowns for the fourth time in the last six seasons. The current total of three such times is notable as the Devils had just three previous seasons with at least 25 rushing touchdowns from 1980-2011 (1985, 1986 and 1996).
  • Six times in the Todd Graham era has ASU had gone over five rushing touchdowns in a game. The Devils had three such games TOTAL from 1997-2011.
  • Yards after contact have been a been impressive in recent years with the likes of Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage. 711 of ASU's total 1352 rushing yards this season have come after contact (52.6 percent) with Ballage accounting for 239 of those (2.35 yards after carry per rush) and Richard logging 362 on 568 total yards (63.7 percent).

GOLD ZONE

  • ASU is third nationally in converting on 96.8 percent of its red zone appearances this season (30-of-31), however, the Devils took a knee in the final seconds of the team's victory over fifth-ranked Washington in the red zone - the lone 'blemish' to the team's total this season. 
  • The Devils sit 14th nationally in red zone touchdown scoring with 23 touchdowns on those 31 attempts (74.19).
  • The Sun Devils scored on 43-of-47 trips to the red zone in 2016 (91.5 percent), a total that ranked 10th in the nation. ASU scored a touchdown on 33 of those trips (70.2 percent). That percentage was ranked 22nd nationally and notable as ASU found the end zone on just 51.5 percent of its red zone trips in 2015 - a total that ranked 108th in the country.

SUPER DEMARIO

  • Demario Richard is currently 6th in Sun Devil history with 2,743 career rushing yards and needs just 257 yards to become ASU's fifth career 3,000-yard rusher. 
  • He became just the sixth Sun Devil in the Pac-12 era to reach 2,500 career rushing yards this season and is second among all Sun Devils in that time in career yards.
  • Richard has 10 100-yard rushing games in his career, tied for eighth in school history and two shy of cracking the ASU top-five in the category.
  • Richard had a touchdown rush in three consecutive games for ASU this year, the first three-game stretch reaching the feat in his career and has a touchdown in five of his last seven games. 
  • Richard became the 27th Sun Devil to eclipse 3,000 career all-purpose yards and has also brought his career touchdown total to 26, needing just four more to move into ASU's all-time top-10. 
  • In 2015, 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).

CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALLAGE

  • Kalen Ballage had 14 rushing touchdowns last season, making him just the fourth Sun Devil since 2000 to reach double digits and moved him into a tie for the seventh most single season rushing touchdowns in ASU history. He finished 26th in the nation in rushing touchdowns (14) and 34th among all position players with 94 total points scored. 
  • Ballage has five rushing touchdowns this season and now has 26 in his career, creeping up on ASU's all-time Top-5 in the category (the threshold being 28 rushing TDs).
  • Ballage became the 26th Sun Devil to eclipse 3,000 career all-purpose yards and his 28 career touchdowns overall are two shy of cracking ASU's all-time Top-10 in the category.

NO RUSH

  • The Sun Devils have held 25 opponents under 100 rushing yards in the Todd Graham era (73 games/34.2 percent), including four of 12 games last year and twice so far in 2017. (Texas Tech and #5 Washington). Colorado was held to just 109 rushing yards. 
  • Last 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.

TAKING OFFENSE

  • ASU is ranked second in the Pac-12 and 14th in the nation at 35.9 points per game in the Graham era.
  • Arizona State and Louisiana Tech are tied for the active FBS record of 117 consecutive games scoring more than 7 points. The Sun Devils last scored a touchdown or less when they were shutout, 28-0, against eighth-ranked USC in the 2008 season. They have scored 30 or more points in 65 of those games (55.6 percent).

MAKE 'EM PAY

  • ASU has outscored opponents 573-315 in points off takeaways since 2012 and 37-31 this year. ASU has 11 takeaways this season and has scored points following seven of those.
  • Since 2012, ASU has scored 69.8 percent of the time following an opponent turnover (97 of 139) while finding the end zone 73 times in that span (52.5 percent).
  • Conversely, opponents have scored just 52.5 percent of the time following an ASU turnover since 2012 (53 of 101) with 41 touchdowns (40.6 percent).

A HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR

  • The Sun Devils have forced 139 turnovers under Todd Graham, which is tied for the 17th-highest total in the country in that span.
  • ASU has 16 interception returns for touchdowns under Graham, compared to posting just four total in the three previous seasons prior to 2012. The total is tied with Ohio State for first in the nation in that time. 
  • ASU has added four fumble return touchdowns as well for 20 defensive touchdowns since the 2012 season, good for fourth in the country in that time span behind Ohio State (25), Alabama (22) and Boise State (21).

TURNOVER FACTORY

  • ASU is ranked 9th in the nation with a .50 average turnover margin per game since Graham took over the helm and is 9th in the nation with a +37 total turnover margin since 2012.
  • The Devils are second in the Pac-12 and tied for 11th in the nation with 87 total interceptions in that span.

WINNING THE BATTLE FOR FIELD POSITION

  • Since 2012, ASU has an average starting yard line of its own 34.1 in 44 victories compared to 25.5 for their opponents in such contests.  
  • Conversely, opponents have an average starting field position of their own 31.3 yard line compared to ASU starting at its own 28.0 in ASU's 30 losses under Graham.

CLOSE IT OUT

  • ASU has outscored other teams 748-594 in the fourth quarter and overtime under Todd Graham (10.1 points per fourth quarter and OT) and averaged 12.8 points per fourth quarter last season. 
  • Excluding FCS NAU, the Sun Devils finished 2016 seventh nationally in averaging 19.6 points per second half against FBS opposition and second in the country with 11.9 points per fourth quarter against FBS teams.
  • ASU has started second halves strong this year, ranked 38th nationally in averaging 7.6 points per third quarter.

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 had 14 such plays against Colorado and 79 total this season.
  • The Devils are tied for 11th nationally with seven passing plays of over 50 yards this season. It had one in all of 2016. 
  • ASU is 28th nationally with eight plays over 50 yards this year after having just two total last season. 
  • ASU had two 50+ yard scoring passes in the opener, something it had not achieved since the Jael Mary game against USC in 2014. They were the first two 50+ yard scoring passes of Manny Wilkins' career.

KEEP IT CLEAN

  • ASU has averaged just 36.8 penalty yards per game since 2012, good for the fourth-lowest total in the country behind only Navy (26.8), Georgia Tech (36.2) and Army (36.4).
  • Since Todd Graham arrived at Arizona State, the Sun Devils have had just 324 penalties in 74 games (4.38 penalties per game).
  • ASU is 38-16 since 2012 when it has fewer than six penalties in a game compared to a 6-14 record when it has 6 or more. 
  • ASU currently leads the nation in fewest penalties per game (3.67) and is second is fewest total penatlies (33). It is seventh in fewest penalty yards per game (35.67) and eighth in fewest penalty yards (321).

PROTECT THIS HOUSE

  • ASU is 29-10 at Sun Devil Stadium since Todd Graham took over in the 2012 season. The 29 wins are the second-most home wins under any Sun Devil head coach behind Frank Kush.
  • The Sun Devils join Baylor and Oregon as the only schools in the country to be ranked in the Top-40 in home points per game in EACH of the previous five seasons.
  • ASU has posted under 20 points in a regular home game just four times in Todd Graham's tenure - a 19-16 overtime victory over Utah in 2014 and a 13-7 victory over #5 Washington in 2017 but also a pair of tough losses to USC (a 42-14 loss to #19 USC in 2015 and a 48-17 loss to #21 USC in 2017).
  • The Sun Devils are 286-106-3 (.730) all-time at Sun Devil Stadium since 1958, the 29th-highest active winning percentage in a stadium among all FBS schools.

USE THEM WISELY

  • Since the start of the 2012 season, ASU has used 71 timeouts on defense in third down situations, and have not allowed a first down on the ensuing play and/or forced a turnover on 50 of those occasions (70.4 percent).

HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS

  • ASU has now gone 12-7 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 3-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less this season.

HOLD ON TO THAT BALL, ALSO

  • ASU is now 15-3 under Todd Graham in games where it does not have a turnover after the Washington victory this season and 3-0 in such games in 2017.
  • The Sun Devils have turned the ball over just seven times this season (two on tipped ball interceptions), a total good for 5th nationally. ASU finished 82nd in the country a year ago with 21 turnovers. 
  • 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.  

TAKING DOWN THE TOP

  • The Sun Devils have gone 10-9 in the last 19 games against ranked teams. 
  • In his time at ASU, Todd Graham is 10-12 against AP-ranked opponents after defeating Oregon and Washington this season. Those 10 wins are the 5th-highest total in the Pac-12, one behind USC's total of 11.
  • ASU's victory over No. 5 Washington this season was one of just four victories over a Top-Five team in program history and the first since a fateful 19-0 victory over #1 Nebraska in 1996.
  • 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. 
  • ASU is 29-22 in Pac-12 Conference games since 2012, the second-best total in the Pac-12 South behind USC (36-16).

DIRTY HARRY

  • Possessing deceptive speed and elusiveness, N'Keal Harry has 358 yards after the catch this season on 794 yards (45.1 percent) and is averaging 6.0 yards after catch per reception this season. The 358 yards after catch are third in the Pac-12 behind USC's Deontay Burnett (417) and WSU's Tavares Martin (371).
  • Harry has proved himself as a valuable possession receiver as well and has 60 receptions on 91 targets this season, good for second and third, respectively, in the Pac-12 this season. 
  • At 794 yards thus far this season, Harry has already surpassed his freshman total of 659 receiving yards. 
  • Harry is on pace to become just the 14th Sun Devil receiver in history to go over 1000 receiving yards in a season and would give ASU it's fifth 1,000-yard receiver in the last seven years after having none from 2006-09.
  • The sophomore has started every game at Arizona State, now at 21 straight games - the most among all offensive players. He has a reception in every one of those games.

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.

BRING THE WOOD...OR THE WICKER...OR THE LATU

  • Tashon Smallwood is third nationally among all FBS defensive tackles (and first in the Pac-12) with 27 quarterback pressures this season.
  • JoJo Wicker is seventh among defensive ends with 24 pressures this season while also sitting 19th among all ends with a 5.6 percent run-stop percentage.
  • With A.J. Latu's 20 quarterback pressures this season, ASU is one of just two programs in the country with three defensive linemen with over 20 quarterback pressures this season, alongside Michigan.
  • Tashon Smallwood logged a career best 4.0 tackles for loss with two sacks  against NMSU, becoming the first Sun Devil to have 4.0+ tackles for loss since Antonio Longino against Arizona in 2015. 
  • After having just 1.5 tackles for loss and no sacks in his career entering the season, A.J. Latu already has 8.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks this season.
  • Four times in the Todd Graham era has a defensive player had at least 10 sacks in a season. ASU had just two players reach the milestone from 2003-2011.
  • For the fifth consecutive season under Todd Graham, the Sun Devils had at least two players that 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 same season just six times in that span.

IN THE RIGHT HANDS...OR FEET

  • The Sun Devils came into the season as one of just three teams in the country that started the year with no kickers OR punters with D-I experience on the roster, along with Virginia and UAB. 
  • Brandon Ruiz set an ASU record with his 52-yard field goal in the opener, his first career field goal to make him the first Sun Devil to have their first career field goal go for 50 or more yards. 
  • Ruiz became became the first Sun Devil in school history to kick two or more field goals longer than 50 yards in their freshman season. 
  • The true freshman is currently seventh nationally and first among all freshmen and in the Pac-12 in touchback percentage (76.92 percent) and 7th nationally with 40 total touchbacks.
  • Ruiz is second among all freshmen kickers in the country with 14 field goals this season and tied for 18th among all kickers. 
  • Ruiz has twice been honored as the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Oregon, at Utah).

AIR IT OUT

  • 40 of Jalen Harvey's 50 career catches (80.0 percent) have gone for a first down (21 of his 25 catches this season) while he has averaged 16.9 yards per catch average in career and 47 yards per catch on two career touchdown receptions.
  • Harvey is currently 29th nationally and first in the Pac-12 in averaging 17.76 yards per reception this season.
  • John Humphrey introduced himself to the Sun Devil nation in a big way in the opener, catching seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The debut is the second best for a first collegiate game in Sun Devil history, trailing only Calvin Demery's 1969 school record of 201 yards in his first game.
  • Kyle Williams is currently the top rated receiver in the Pac-12 in terms of a quarterbacks NFP QBR when targeting a certain receiver, grading out at 121.9 with 46 catches on 56 targets with four touchdowns.
  • The Sun Devils have had 5 different receivers with 100+ yards in five games this season, a total it had never reached in an entire season prior to this year. 
  • Only six times in school history has ASU had four different players with at least 100 receiving yards in a game in a single season (2004, 2005, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017) - notable as four of the six times in history it has happened have come since 2012 when Todd Graham arrived.
  • ASU currently has the 33rd-highest graded receiving corps in the country this season, according to PFF.

GO D.J., THAT'S MY D.J.

  • D.J. Calhoun is one of just three inside linebackers in the country this season - and the only Pac-12 ILB - to not miss a single tackle on a running play this season with 56 tackles and none missed.
  • Calhoun has missed just one tackle, period, this season (on a passing play) and is second in the nation in tackling efficiency with 78 total tackles to just one missed tackle (78.0 efficiency per PFF).
  • Calhoun is fourth among Pac-12 inside linebackers with 21 combined tackles in the passing game. According to PFF, Calhoun has 11 "stops" in the passing game - or a non-productive play for the offense - a total that is second in the Pac-12 and 17th nationally. 
  • Calhoun is third in the conference and 43rd nationally with 8.7 tackles per game. He is tied for 27th nationally and is second in the Pac-12 in averaging 5.4 solo tackles per game.

SAM, I AM

  • Christian Sam has reached double-digit tackles in seven consecutive games, more than any other Sun Devil has accomplished since AT LEAST 2000 - let along in consecutive games. 
  • Over the last three years, there have been 30 instances of a Sun Devil reaching double digit tackles. Sam is responsible for 11 of those while nine other players combined for the other 19. 
  • Christian Sam is currently ranked 3rd in the nation and first in the Pac-12 with 7.1 solo tackles per game. 
  • He is 8th nationally and first in the conference in averaging 10.6 tackles per game. 
  • He is tied for 6th in the country among inside linebackers with a 12.9 run-stop percentage - good for first in the Pac-12 - with 33 total stops on 255 run snaps played according to PFF. A stop constitutes a "loss" for the opposing team's offense. 
  • Sam has 14 stops in the passing game this season, a total tied for sixth among all inside linebackers in the FBS.