Arizona State looks to snap a two-game skid in Pac-12 play as they travel to take on the University of Southern California Trojans Saturday.
The game will be all but easy for the Sun Devils as they travel to the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where USC has won all three of its home contests.
For coach Herm Edwards and company, it is a chance to grab just their second win in conference play.
“I think our guys are focused,” Edwards said. “They know we’re playing a talented football team. We cannot make errors if we want to have an opportunity to win.”
The story of the season for the Sun Devils has been the losses in close games. All four of ASU’s losses have come by just 7 points apiece. Most recently were 7-point losses to Colorado and Stanford.
“I say it all the time, every interview I’m in here, but we’re one, two plays away from everybody being on the same page,” senior quarterback Manny Wilkins said. “We just have to do it.”
“We’ve put ourselves in position here in the games that we have lost and we have got to find a way to win a couple of those,” Edwards said. “And if we do that, then we can end the season maybe accomplishing some things.”
Wilkins, a senior who knows he is running out of time, said it is time for the team to pick it up. The quarterback said Wednesday that he spent an hour and a half on the phone with wide receiver N’Keal Harry.
“I just told him it’s time for us to just flip the switch,” Wilkins said. “We got to do more.”
The ASU offense could have a big showing this week against a middle-of-the-road defense in USC, which has allowed an average of 229 yards per game.
As of Thursday, the Sun Devils were uncertain who would be under center for the Trojans. Freshman quarterback JT Daniels has been in the concussion protocol all week, but the school announced Friday redshirt freshman Jack Sears will betting the start.
The Trojans have had a rough go at the quarterback position as far as health goes; backup quarterback Matt Fink suffered broken ribs in USC’s loss to Utah last weekend.
That could spell trouble for USC, who comes in with just the 97th overall offense in the nation, averaging 356 yards per game.
For ASU and its defense, it could be a chance to continue their strong showing this year. The Sun Devils own the 59th-best defense in the nation according to ESPN, a huge leap from seasons prior in what is just the first year under the Edwards regime.
The team hasn’t pulled out a road win yet this season and this could be the chance for the Sun Devils to make up some ground in the Pac-12 as they take on the Trojans Saturday.
