Arizona State football has matched its win total from the previous season in its first three games. The 3-0 start comes after wins over Wyoming, Mississippi State, and most recently, Texas State. The Sun Devils will head back east to Texas for the second week in a row. This time, ASU takes on the 2-1 Texas Tech Red Raiders.
A lot has changed for both sides since its 2016 meeting in Tempe. At the time, Texas Tech was led by offensive guru Kliff Kingsbury and three-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. For Arizona State, running back Kalen Ballage found the end zone eight times in the Sun Devils’ 68-55 win. That season also marked the last time ASU started with a 4-0 record.
ASU enters its first-ever game in the Big 12 Conference on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium. Sun Devil head coach Kenny Dillingham is ‘excited’ for the opportunity to experience Big 12 play and the rowdiness of Texas Tech’s fanbase; including flying tortillas.
“This will literally go down in history,” Dillingham told reporters on Monday. “There’s only one game that’s a first. In very few times in sports, you get to accomplish a first.”
Dillingham also highlighted the added pressure on his team after winning its first three games of the season.
“When you win games it’s the multiplication effect. Every game you win makes the next game even more important than the prior game…This game is our Super Bowl, so let’s go get it done,” Dillingham told reporters on Wednesday.
Arizona State will have its hands full with Texas Tech’s dynamic offense. Red Raiders junior quarterback Behren Morton is in the top five for passing yards in all of the nation. He’s thrown for 974 yards and 10 touchdowns (tied for second-most in the nation). Despite the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder’s success under center, ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward’s mentality on his approach hasn’t changed.
“Our mentality is to stop the run, challenge all routes, keep the ball in front of us, and get people off the field on third down,” Ward told reporters on Wednesday. “Our pressure is real and imaginary. We’re trying to make that quarterback think.”
Both Dillingham and Ward alluded to the fact that Texas Tech’s creative offensive playcalling will be a challenge but are up to the test. The Red Raider offense includes other notable weapons including senior running back Tahj Brooks, Washington State transfer senior wide receiver Josh Kelly, and former Sun Devil senior tight end Jalin Conyers.
“I had such a good relationship with Jalin,” Dillingham told reporters on Monday. “I’m glad to see his success. He’s had a really good first three games.”
Sun Devils freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt will get his second taste of road environment football. After connecting with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordyn Tyson for a 52-yard passing touchdown last week, look for the Michigan State transfer to have more time in the pocket as Texas Tech has two sacks in the early season. Leavitt has earned the trust of his head coach early in the season despite his youth.
“It’s really cool,” Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s able to see the work I put in, I’m able to see the work he puts in. So there’s a lot of trust there and trust is earned not given.”
After creating two crucial second-half turnovers last week, the Arizona State defense will look to limit the Red Raider’s explosive offense heading into its Week 4 matchup.
Dillingham’s Sun Devils look to rewrite the school’s history books and open the season 4-0 for the first time in eight years.
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