ASU Football: Sun Devils hope to reverse 2019 result in matchup with Utah

(Photo: Rebecca Striffler/WCSN)

It was cold. It was rainy. And it ended in a disappointing 21-3 loss.

That’s what happened the last time now-No. 18 ranked Arizona State Football (5-1, 3-0 Pac-12) played Utah (3-2, 2-0 Pac-12) on Oct. 19, 2019. Then-freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels threw for just 25 yards with an interception while the Sun Devils broke their modern-era record streak of 125 games with double-digit scoring.

ASU went into the matchup with Utah with a 5-1 record, a No. 17 rank nationally and was on the edge of taking control of the Pac-12 Conference’s Southern Division with a win.

Now, two years later, ASU has a chance to redeem that night in Utah under similar pressure in what is expected to be another cold, 40-degree night.

While senior defensive end Tyler Johnson knows it’s unwise to think about the past, he did say that the 2019 game was part of the conversation at practice this week.

“We hit on it,” Johnson said. “Obviously [for] the guys who went up there, we know how that game ended, we know what it felt like leaving that game because I think that might have been [the] first or second time since [head] coach Herm [Edwards] had been here that we lost by more than one score. It hit us hard, so we just know when we go up there we just can’t let that happen again.”

Added senior linebacker Kyle Soelle: “You saw us as a young team. We played until the end of the game. I think that’s something we’re always going to do. I think physically, it taught us we got to focus in the weight room, focus in the offseason. I think that’s something we’ve done and we’re excited for Saturday.”

As Soelle mentioned, physicality will be a major storyline for Saturday. Redshirt junior fullback Case Hatch expects the Sun Devils matchup with Utah to be a “dogfight,” and the statistics back that up.

ASU and Utah are both top three in opponent yards allowed per game and are top two in sacks in the Pac-12, with the Sun Devils leading the Utes by a margin of seven in the latter. Utah is also second in the Pac-12 in tackles per game and leads the conference with 42 negative plays forced.

The anchors of the Utes defense include junior linebacker Devin Lloyd and junior defensive end Mika Tafua, two preseason All-Pac-12 honorees. Lloyd, a 2020 All-American, is the No. 3 rated linebacker in the FBS according to Pro Football Focus and is tied for fourth in the country with 10.6 tackles per game. Tafua leads the Pac-12 with 4.5 sacks, with two of them coming in the Utes’ commanding 42-26 win over USC last week.

The matchup at the line of scrimmage should be interesting, as the Sun Devils’ offensive line has been dominant this season. The unit has allowed just 29 quarterback pressures on the year – the ninth lowest in the country.

“[Utah is] always a big, physical group,” senior right guard Henry Hattis said. “That’s kind of their identity, but I think our offensive line is establishing that as our identity as well. It’s going to be a heavyweight fight. We’re looking forward to it.”

The ASU defense will also present a challenge to Utah. In its 28-10 win over Stanford last week, ASU held the Cardinal to three points in the second half and forced three turnovers. Three Sun Devil defenders – Johnson, senior cornerback Jack Jones and senior linebacker Darien Butler – were among the nine top-graded defensive performers in the Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus in Week 6. Johnson was awarded the Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week and the Walter Camp National Defender of the Week with five total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble against Stanford.

The unit will face Utah’s Cameron Rising at quarterback, who is making his third career start after being the backup to begin the year. Earlier this week, Edwards said the sophomore QB has “given them a spark” since he took over against San Diego State, a near-comeback win that the Utes lost in triple overtime. Last week, Rising shined with 306 yards passing and three touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown.

Meanwhile, ASU’s offense has taken what the defense has given it as of late. Whether it be Daniels’ 286-yard passing game against UCLA or the 255 total rushing yards last week, the Sun Devils have been able to beat their recent opponents in several facets.

“Certain defenses [are] going to come in wanting to stop certain guys or one guy,” senior running back Rachaad White said. “But that’s the greatness and uniqueness of our offense – is that any guy can go off any week.”

The offense has come on strong since ASU’s game against BYU, with the Sun Devils now returning to Utah to play in a similar environment. The Utes are 15-1 in their last 16 games at home. Hatch knows that overcoming the home-field advantage could be an important factor if ASU exits Salt Lake City with a win.

“Personally, [I think] Utah’s got the craziest fans in the Pac-12,” Hatch said. “I’ve been to Utah games before I came here, [and] their fanbase is just insane. So that’s going to play a big factor just like the BYU game.

“If we can handle that adversity, and just that atmosphere itself and understand, ‘Hey, play by play, drive by drive, that’s how we’re going to take care of the ball,’ I think we’ll get it done.”