THE GAME - Sun Devil Football will return to the Tempe to take on USC this weekend after back-to-back weeks on the road followed by a bye weekend. The contest is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9 at Sun Devil Stadium and will kickoff at 1:30 p.m. AZT. The annual Salute to Service game will be broadcast nationally on ABC and can be heard over the local airwaves on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. Additionally, the contest will mark ASU's 2019 Black Out game and the Sun Devils will also welcome back legendary quarterback Jake Plummer to celebrate his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
THE OPPONENT - USC leads the all-time series against the Sun Devils, 22-13, though ASU came out victorious in Los Angeles last season in a come-from-behind 38-35 victory. After USC won 11 in a row from 2000-2010, the two teams have split the last eight games in the series at 4-4. USC is looking to keep up in the Pac-12 South standings, entering the contest one game back of frontrunner Utah after falling at home to Oregon this past weekend.
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KICKING OFF
- ASU is one of just 4 teams nationally to not give up a 50-yard play this season (Alabama, Oregon, Penn State).
- The Sun Devils have converted 115 consecutive extra points, the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.
- Kyle Williams has at least one pass receptions in 36 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak in ASU history and currently the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. He needs a catch on Saturday to move into a tie with N'Keal Harry for fourth in ASU history in consecutive games with a catch at 37.
- ASU is coming off a season-high 9.0 tackles for loss in the loss against #13 Utah and 8.0 against UCLA, it's two highest outputs on the season.
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AN ASU VICTORY WOULD...
- Improve ASU to 4-1 in the month of November under Herm Edwards
- Avoid handing the Sun Devils its first three-game losing streak since 2016
- Improve ASU to 39-12 in games played at Sun Devil Stadium since 2012 with the current tally of 38 home wins good for 24th nationally from 2012-present. The 12 losses are tied for the 20th fewest in the FBS in that time.
- Move ASU to 5-4 over USC in the last nine games after dropping 11 straight from 2000-2010.
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MILESTONE COUNTDOWNS
- 1 100+ yard rushing game for Eno Benjamin to tie Art Malone (14 from 1967-69) for fourth in ASU school history.
- 12 rushing yards for Eno Benjamin to pass Ben Malone for 13th in ASU career history (currently at 2,463 yards behind Malone's 2,474 total from 1971-73).
- 37 rushing yards for Eno Benjamin to reach 2,500 rushing yards in his career (currently at 2,463 yards)
- 1 game with a catch needed for Kyle Williams to move into a tie for fourth in ASU history in consecutive games with a receptions with N'Keal Harry (currently at 36, needs 37).
#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)
1. Brandon Aiyuk is second in the FBS with 508 yards after the catch and has forced 12 missed tackles this year - good for 12th in the nation.
2. On run defense, Evan Fields has recorded a 8.9 run-stop percentage that leads the league and is 11th in the FBS. His 17 defensive stops this season are 18th among Power Five safeties.
3. .@eno_benjamin5 has played 216 snaps in passing routes this season, the third-highest total among FBS running backs and his 31 targets are tied for 5th.
4. Aashari Crosswell (@YkgAashari) has been credited with just one missed tackle this season, a total tied for second fewest among all FBS safeties.
5. Jermayne Lole has the 12th highest positive run impact score in the country at 24.1 percent among players graded as interior linemen.
6. .@JayD__5 has done his part to escape pressure as shown by his 47 QB scrambles this season, a total that leads FBS quarterbacks. His 379 yards on the ground - excluding quarterback sacks - are 26th among FBS quarterbacks.
7. Senior wide receiver @kylewilliamsVI has caught at least one pass in 36 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. ASU is one of just four teams in the country to not allow a 50+ yard play from scrimmage this year (Penn State, Alabama, Oregon)
9. The Devils have turned the ball over just seven times this season - the 9th-lowest total in the FBS. ASU is 10th nationally in turnover margin this season (0.99).
10. Kobe Williams has only been thrown at just 21 times this season - the 5th-lowest total among corners that have played at least 50 percent of the coverage snaps this season.
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BY THE NUMBERS
50 - The Sun Devils are one of just 4 teams nationally to not give up a 50-yard play on the year (Alabama, Oregon, Penn State). ASU has allowed just nine plays over 30 yards this season, a total tied for 9th nationally.ASU's run defense has been especially efficient, currently 8th in the country with only 22 rushing plays allowed over 10 yards this season. With just 5 rushing plays over 20 yards allowed this season, ASU is 11th in the country. The Sun Devil defense has forced a busted drive (drives resulting in zero or negative yards) on 14.9 percent of opponent possessions this season, the 36th-best total in the country.
46 - Benjamin has continued to do his part to make people miss this year, forcing 42 missed tackles this season - a total tied for ninth nationally among running backs.He has helped rally the offense when attempting to come back, recording 14 rushing first downs when the team is trailing by 7 or fewer points - the second highest total nationally - while his five rushing touchdowns while trailing lead the nation. Benjamin has played 216 snaps in passing routes this season, the third-highest total among FBS running backs and his 31 targets are tied for 5th. His 204 receiving yards this season are 10th among all FBS running backs.
21 - Kobe Williams has only been thrown at just 21 times this season -the 5th-lowest total among corners that have played at least 50 percent of the coverage snaps this season. He has been targeted just once every 9.7 snaps in coverage this season, 10th-lowest among the nation's corners. Williams has allowed just 104 yards in coverage thus far, the 5th-lowest total among the nation's corners with at least 50 percent of their snaps in coverage. Kobe Williams is the 10th-highest graded defender in the league at 79.6. Williams is the 33rd-highest graded corner in the FBS this year.
10 - ASU has been able to close games strong, allowing just 10.3 second half points per game against FBS opponents, good for 26th in the nation. At just 4.3 points allowed per fourth quarter, ASU sits tied for 14th nationally and second in the Pac-12 ASU has held four opponents under 20 points this year, a feat it hadn't achieved since 2014. The next milestone would be six such games, which ASU accomplished in 2012. ASU has held opponents to 30 or less points in 14 of 21 games in Danny Gonzales' defensive scheme, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back in a span from 2013-17.
4 - Daniels has accounted for 484 total yards of offense and four touchdowns in the fourth quarter of games (399 passing, 103 rushing). His 516 passing yards in the fourth quarter are 12th nationally while his 25 passing first downs are 9th as he has record 6 fourth quarter passing touchdowns to one interception. He has completed six passes of 25+ yards in the fourth quarter of games (tied for 8th nationally) and his 13 pass completions over 15 yards in the frame is tied for ninth. While under pressure this season, Daniels has posted the 18th-highest NFL passer rating of any quarterback in the FBS at 85.2.
1 - Crosswell has not been credited with a missed tackle on a running play this season, marking him one of just nine safeties in the country with over 100 snaps to lay such a claim. His one missed tackle on the season, period, is tied for the second-fewest in the entire FBS among safeties. Crosswell has allowed just 23 yards after the catch this season, the second-lowest total among Pac-12 safeties and 29th nationally - and his 71 total passing yards allowed are also fourth-lowest in the conference.Crosswell's five forced incompletions this season are most among Pac-12 safeties and ninth among Power Five safeties.