THE GAME - Sun Devil Football returns home for its penultimate game of the season against the sixth-ranked Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. The contest is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. AZT kickoff and will be nationally televised on ABC. Fans hoping to tune in over the airwaves can listen on ESPN Phoenix 620 AM.
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THE OPPONENT - Oregon leads the all-time series against the Sun Devils, 20-17, a mark heavily influenced by the Ducks' 10-game winning streak over ASU from 2005-16. The Devils got the monkey off their back with a hard-fought win at Sun Devil Stadium in 2017 but Oregon defended home turf in Eugene despite ASU's late rally and a tough call on what was deemed a failed two-point conversion by officials. The Ducks enter the contest having locked up the Pac-12 North Division and with an eye on a spot on the College Football Playoff.
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KICKING OFF
- Kyle Williams has at least one pass reception in 38 consecutive games, good for fifth in ASU history behind Chris McGaha's career total of 39.
- ASU's run defense is currently fifth in the country with only 23 rushing plays allowed over 10 yards this season. With just 5 rushing plays over 20 yards allowed this season, ASU is 7th in the country. USC's 70 rushing yards were the fewest allowed by the ASU defense since the Trojans only accounted for 23 rushing yards in 1998.
- Oregon State marked the eighth time in 10 games that ASU held an opponent under 150 total rushing yards (151 vs. Utah, 217 vs. UCLA). The Devils had just five such games last season. It is the most since have nine such games during the 2015 season.
- The Sun Devils have allowed just one fourth quarter touchdown over the past seven games (at Utah). It had allowed one touchdown in the fourth in each of the first three games of the season. All told, ASU is allowing just 3.3 points per fourth quarter against FBS opponents this season, the 5th-lowest total nationally.
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AN ASU VICTORY WOULD...
- Avoid handing the Sun Devils its first five-game losing streak since 2016
- Qualify the Sun Devils for a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
- Be ASU's second win against the Ducks in the last three seasons after having dropped 10 in a row from 2005-16.
- Hand Oregon its first Pac-12 loss of the season.
- Give ASU a 5-4 record under Herm Edwards against ranked opponents and move the Devils to 3-1 in such games this season.
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MILESTONE COUNTDOWNS
- 38 passing yards for Jayden Daniels to set the ASU freshman school record for passing yards (currently at 2,236 behind Rudy Carpenter's 2,273 in 2005).
- 1 100+ yard rushing game for Eno Benjamin to tie Art Malone (14 from 1967-69) for fourth in ASU school history.
- 33 rushing yards for Eno Benjamin to pass Darryl Harris for 12th in ASU career history (currently at 2,585 yards behind Harris' 2,617 total from 1984-87).
- 126 rushing yards for Eno Benjamin to leapfrog several people into 7th in ASU career rushing yards (currently at 2,585 yards Darryl Clack's 2,711 total from 1982-85).
- 1 catch needed for Kyle Williams to move into a tie for fourth in ASU history in consecutive games with a reception (currently in 5th with 38 behind Chris McGaha's 39).
- 3 catches needed for Kyle Williams to climb into eighth-place on ASU's All-Time career catches list (currently in 10th place with 154)
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#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)
1. ASU has allowed just 3.3 points per fourth quarter against FBS opponents only this season, the 5th-lowest total natioanlly. ASU allowed a fourth quarter touchdown in each of its first three games this season It has since allowed just one over the last seven contests.
2. 32 freshmen have played for the Sun Devils this season (21 true and 11 redshirt), tied for the third-highest total nationally. 8 true freshmen have started for the Devils, the second-most in the FBS behind Alabama (9).
3. .@eno_benjamin5 has played 283 snaps in passing routes this season, the second-highest total among FBS running backs and his 45 targets are tied for 4th.
4. Aashari Crosswell (@YkgAashari) has been credited with just one missed tackle this season, a total that leads the nation's 227 safeties that have played at least 400 snaps.
5. 28 of Ray Guy Award semifinalist Michael Turk's 49 punts (57.1 percent) have been downed inside the opponent 20 this season.
6. 21 of Frank Darby's 54 career catches (39%) have gone for 20 or more yards. The touchdown reception against Oregon State was the ninth total touchdown of his career that went for 20 or more yards.
7. Senior wide receiver @kylewilliamsVI has caught at least one pass in 38 consecutive games, dating back to his freshman season - a total good for fifth in ASU history and the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS.
8. Chase Lucas and Kobe Williams have each been credited just just one touchdown against them in coverage this season, tied for 30th among the nation's corners and third in the Pac-12.
9. Brandon Aiyuk has 1,583 all-purpose yards on just 78 total plays this season, the seventh both nationally. The six players ahead of him are all running backs and have at least 178+ touches on the year.
10. Despite missing a game, Jayden Daniels has accounted for 664 passing yards in the fourth quarter of games, good for 9th nationally while his 31 passing first downs are 7th.
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BY THE NUMBERS
78 - Brandon Aiyuk has racked up 1,583 all-purpose yards this season on just 78 total plays (20.3 yards per touch, which is third nationally). For perspective, the six players ahead of him in the FBS in total all-purpose yards are all running backs and all have at least 178 touches on the year (5 of which have 200+). The senior is currently 6th nationally and first in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards at 158.30 per game - the most for any wide receiver in the country. He is over 2,000 all-purpose yards (2,438) in his career at ASU despite being in Tempe for less than two full seasons.
45 - Eno Benjamin has played 283 snaps in passing routes this season, the second-highest total among FBS running backs and his 45 targets are 4th. He has been targeted on 20.5 percent of ASU aimed passes (balls not thrown away, spiked or batted) - the 12th-highest percentage of running backs nationally. His 279 receiving yards on the year are 5th among FBS running backs. He has continued doing his part to make people miss, forcing 51 missed tackles on the season, tied for 14th nationally.
38 - At 2,236 passing yards, Jayden Daniels needs just 39 passing yards to surpass Rudy Carpenter's freshman school record of 2,273 yards. Despite missing a game, Daniels has accounted for 664 passing yards in the fourth quarter of games, a total good for 9th nationally while his 31 passing first downs are 7th. He has recorded 7 fourth quarter passing touchdowns to one interception. He has completed nine passes of 25+ yards in the fourth quarter of games (tied for 2nd nationally) and his 17 pass completions over 15 yards in the frame is tied for 7th.
5 - Frank Darby hauled in a 24-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter against Oregon State, his fifth touchdown catch over the past three games. Prior to that, Darby had caught five receiving touchdowns in 30 career games. 21 of Darby's 54 career catches (39%) have gone for 20 or more yards. The touchdown reception against Oregon State was the ninth total touchdown of his career that went for 20 or more yards. Darby now has 12 catches for 262 yards and five touchdowns over his last three games. Darby's 19.67 yards per reception this season is first in the Pac-12 and 18th nationally.
3 - At just 3.3 points allowed per fourth quarter, ASU sits tied for 5th nationally and second in the Pac-12. It has allowed just one fourth quarter touchdown in the last seven games, notable as the team allowed a fourth quarter touchdown in each of its first three games. ASU has closed games strong, allowing just 9.4 second half points per game against FBS opponents, good for 21st in the nation. ASU's defense has done it's part to limit opponents on short-field drives (drives beginning less than 60 yards for the end zone), holding teams to 3.09 points per drive in such situations (34th in the country).
1 - Aashari Crosswell has not been credited with a missed tackle on a running play this season, marking him one of just 5 safeties in the country to lay such a claim. His one missed tackle on the season, period, is the most among the 227 FBS safeties that have played at least 400 snaps. Crosswell's three forced fumbles are the most among FBS safeties. Crosswell is the 13th-highest graded defender in the Pac-12, regardless of position, with his score of 77.5. Crosswell has allowed just 56 yards after the catch when targeted this season, the fifth-lowest total about Pac-12 safeties despite being the 7th-most targeted safety in the league.