Cameron Marshall's physical running style could give the Ducks defense problems. (Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)
Well, here it is. Arizona State is 5-1 but still unranked in the AP poll. If the Sun Devils feel disrespected, they will have the college football spotlight this week in order to prove its critics wrong.
Arizona State takes on No. 2 Oregon on Thursday night, the team’s biggest test of the season, by far.
The Devils haven’t played an FBS team that has a winning record, and they have received good fortune by not having to face the starting quarterbacks of Illinois, Missouri or Utah. Arizona State’s only loss came at Missouri.
So, yeah, Oregon is going to be an entirely different beast.
“All we’ll tell our guys is that they’re the three-time conference champion,” Arizona State coach Todd Graham said in the Arizona Republic. “That’s all you have to say about Oregon. They’ve proved it on the field, and they’re the team that everybody’s shooting for.
“Obviously, this is the biggest game of the year. This is what it’s all about. They got a great football team, but I got a lot of confidence in ours, and I know our guys are going to play their best game Thursday.”
Looking beyond Arizona State’s iffy strength-of-schedule, you see a confident, well-balanced team.
Offensively, the Sun Devils can rely on a ground game that features talented running backs Cameron Marshall, Marion Grice and D.J. Foster, and the efficiency of sophomore quarterback Taylor Kelly, who has thrown 11 touchdowns with no interceptions in three conference games.
Defensively, Arizona State has a big-play unit that ranks second nationally in both tackles for losses at 9.83 per game and sacks at 4.33 per game.
Still, the big question: Will all that hold up against a team as good as the Ducks?
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet in my opinion,” Graham said.
