Oct 21, 2012 - 01:19 pm - Tempe, AZ - Sun Devil Stadium was packed on Thursday night for the highly anticipated match-up with the Oregon Ducks on a national television audience on ESPN.  ASU fans did their part by "blacking out" the stands and the Sun Devil players displayed a new pitchfork logo on the their all black helmets.  Our DieHardDevil.com photographer was on the sidelines during the game to catch the action and capture the exclusive photos from the game. Click here to view Photos ***Attention SUN DEVILS: Post your favorite topics and connect with other DieHard Sun Devils on DEVILINK, the Social Network of DieHardDevil.com. To join the movement, take a minute to Get Your Free DEVILINK Profile NOW

Oct 19, 2012 - 12:55 am - Tempe, AZ - This one had fireworks from the opening kickoff.  72 seconds into the game there was a fumble, a game ending knee injury to Will Sutton, a Sun Devil touchdown on their first play from scrimmage, a 71 yard Oregon touchdown run and a two point conversion.  After the smoke cleared, Oregon was off to the races and showed why they are one of the best teams in the country.   The Ducks dominated on both sides of the ball in front of a national television audience on ESPN, and the Sun Devils couldn’t get their “high octane” offense into gear. By the end of the first quarter of play, the Ducks racked up three touchdowns on 233 yards on a total of 33 plays.   With early defensive injuries to Sutton, Junior Onyeali and Davon Coleman, Oregon took full advantage and ran the ball at will with plenty of speed and misdirection.  With ASU still unable to get anything going on offense, the Ducks continued to attack and finished the first half with 329 rushing yards and took a commanding 43-7 halftime lead into the locker room. ASU received the kickoff to start the second half, but both teams went three and out on their first possession on offense.  The pace of the game slowed down considerably in the second half and the scored stayed the same until Anthony Jones returned an interception 36 yards for an ASU touchdown with 9:33 left in the fourth quarter.  DJ Foster showed some fight near the end of the game with a hard fought catch and run for one more Sun Devil touchdown, cutting the Ducks lead to 43-21. What was supposed to be a promising evening for the Sun Devils to take advantage of a great opportunity, at the end of the day they just couldn’t keep pace with the three-time conference champion Oregon Ducks.  The injuries on defense didn’t help, reality set in and the Sun Devils got beat by a better team as they couldn’t match the speed and depth of their opponent.  Final score, Oregon 43- ASU 21.   ***Attention SUN DEVILS: Post your favorite topics and connect with other DieHard Sun Devils on DEVILINK, the Social Network of DieHardDevil.com. To join the movement, take a minute to Get Your Free DEVILINK Profile NOW

Oct 18, 2012 - 01:49 pm - By James Romo for DieHardDevil.com ASU faces the #2 nationally ranked Oregon Ducks tonight in the first “BLACKOUT” game of the 2012 season in front of another national ESPN audience.  This game presents yet another chance for ASU to make some noise at the national level and possibly get some recognition beyond just the local and regional media outlets.  It's one of those rare games that needs no hype, and will have Sun Devil Stadium maxed out in attendance with the hopes of witnessing history.  The Oregon roster is lined with flat out game-breaking athletes running a system designed to put them in positions to make big plays.  To date, the Ducks schedule lacks a quality opponent or win that they can really hang their hats on.  The opponents and final scores in their undefeated season don't really tell us how this Ducks squad stacks up with some of the recent powerhouse teams they've fielded.  In essence, it's extremely difficult to get a true sense of how good both teams are. ASU Offense vs Oregon Defense The Sun Devils will try to jump on the Ducks early capturing momentum and getting the home crowd fired up.  If there is any perceived mediocrity in Oregon's defense, it would be their pass defense which is ranked 70th nationally yielding 233 passing yards per game.  That ranking is somewhat misleading as teams have been behind on the scoreboard and forced to throw the ball excessively in an attempt to get back into the game.  However, the emergence of the ASU running game last week, in combination with the receiving core that has stepped up recently should help keep the Duck defense honest.  As has been the case all season, ASU receivers have been able to find space between their opponents linebacker core and secondary, and I foresee them looking to duplicate that success tonight.  Oregon operates out of a base 4-3 front, but can seamlessly move into a 3-4 look depending on opposing offensive formations and down and distance.  Their defensive front is stacked with big and athletic play-makers. They do a great job of maintaining contain and are above average at tackling in space on first contact.  Senior defensive end Dion Jordan (6-7, 243) out of Chandler HS is a handful to block due to his size and speed on the edge.  The other bookend is Taylor Hart who leads the team in sacks.  Oregon will be without starting defensive tackle Isaac Remington who has been suspended from the team, which should help the ASU power run game that sets up their play-action passing.  The Duck linebackers are inexperienced, but extremely athletic, disciplined, and assignment sound.  They are led by Kiko Alonso who has 7 tackles for loss and two interceptions.  The Oregon secondary is loaded with big play talent.  Even without senior All-America safety candidate John Boyett who is out for the season with a knee injury, the rest of the secondary has stepped up nicely.  Safety Avery Patterson has two pick-six interceptions, and cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu has two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown of his own.  They combine with cornerback Terrence Mitchell to make up a formidable defensive backfield.  Because of the overall athleticism on the Oregon defense, expect to see some wrinkles in the ASU playbook that are designed to get the Duck athletes out of position.  Misdirection and play action will be recurring themes for both teams. ASU Defense vs Oregon Offense Defensively, the Devils will be tasked with limiting the Duck offensive weapons who have become household names across the country.  Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota runs the Oregon spread-option offense as well as any of his predecessors.  Mariota is dynamic running it, and probably more accurate throwing it at a 67.9 completion rate and 15 touchdowns.  Running back Kenjon Barner averages 6.3 yards/carry, 121.2 yards/game, and has 9 touchdowns.  He is a true game-breaker, who if given the outside edge, has the potential to run wild on the ASU defense.  Perhaps the most explosive and versatile player in the nation is De'Anthony “Black Mamba” Thomas who can line up in the backfield or at receiver. On the season, Thomas has a 9.3 yards/carry average and 6 touchdowns as a running back.  Receiving, he is averaging 10.2 yards/catch and 3 touchdowns.  The ASU defensive ends and outside linebackers have been assignment sound, but have lost outside contain on a few occasions and given up long runs.  Against this Duck offense, any breakdowns in assignment or gap integrity are going to yield big plays that could decide this game.  True freshman Byron Marshall (and little brother of Cameron Marshall) has also rushed for 3 touchdowns and is averaging 5.4 yards/carry.  The Ducks have an impressive receiving core in Bralon Addison, Keanon Lowe, and Colt Lyerla who have combined for 7 touchdowns. Special Teams The kicking game is going to be put to the test and need to be shored up for ASU to have a chance in this game.  The last time Oregon was in Sun Devil Stadium, ASU outplayed the Ducks and had seemingly put themselves in a position to win.  Oregon pulled out an 11 point victory, but only after capitalizing on seven ASU turnovers.  If the Devils can avoid turnovers and mental breakdowns, this should be, at the very least, a very close game. Many fans and people around the program are comparing the magnitude of this game to the 1996 showdown with Nebraska.  A win in front of a national audience against a top ranked team would validate to national media outlets the rapid rise of the ASU program.  A win will create shock waves throughout the college football world and Sun Devil Nation, and also send the message to conference foes that ASU is for real.  The game is an expected sell-out and crowd noise has been a huge factor in every big win in Sun Devil Stadium over the years.  I fully expect that all the DieHard Devils in attendance will make this extremely tough for Oregon to run their fast-paced offense the way they'd like, and the fans will be a major “X” factor to Blackout the Duck. ***Attention SUN DEVILS: Post your favorite topics and connect with other DieHard Sun Devils on DEVILINK, the Social Network of DieHardDevil.com. To join the movement, take a minute to Get Your Free DEVILINK Profile NOW

Oct 18, 2012 - 09:15 am - by Mike Howell for DieHardDevil.com To the 3-time Conference Champion and #2 Team in the Nation, welcome to Tempe. To a freshman quarterback yet to play a true road game, welcome to #90's backyard. You've thrown 5 interceptions in 6 games and our secondary knows it. To the explosive running backs in green or fluorescent yellow or gray or white or silver or clear, you think you'll steal the show tonight on national TV? While you're thinking, look across the field at Sun Devil power & speed in the form of #1, #6 and #8. Marion Grice, Cameron Marshall and DJ Foster might have something to say about that. To the much improved defensive line representing Quacky the Duck, welcome to #10, the most efficient & productive QB in the PAC-12 who in six games has generated 1,600 yards through the air, 210 on the run, 14 Touchdowns and 2 Interceptions. And to your secondary, #10 has thrown 99 consecutive passes over three games without an interception. So mind the passing while you're minding the run. Finally: To Chip Kelley, the coaching staff and players from the northwest.... Welcome to SUN DEVIL STADIUM. ALL IN. DieHardDevil. Are You? Prove it.     ***Attention SUN DEVILS: Post your favorite topics and connect with other DieHard Sun Devils on DEVILINK, the Social Network of DieHardDevil.com. To join the movement, take a minute to Get Your Free DEVILINK Profile NOW

Oct 18, 2011 - 10:03 pm - By Juan Roque for DieHardDevil.com   As time expired on the scoreboard in Eugene on Saturday night, the Sun Devils weren’t able to limit their own mistakes and match the speed of their opponent, two key factors that were imperative to have a chance at victory.  In what could potentially be a preview of the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game on December 2, 2011, Arizona State and Oregon faced each other this past Saturday in front a record crowd of 60,055 at Autzen Stadium.  There was much hype and anticipation for this game with ESPN’s College Game Day broadcasting in Eugene and a national television audience.  This was an big opportunity for the Sun Devils to end a six year drought against the Ducks and establish themselves as one of the elite teams in the league.  Unfortunately for the 5-2 Sun Devils, they were not able to seize the moment, losing to the Ducks 41-27. During the first quarter and a half, there was cause for excitement for ASU fans.  After slow starts against Oregon State and Utah, the Sun Devils drew first blood on their second possession after the defense forced a fumble and recovered the ball at the Oregon 33 yard line.  Capitalizing on an Oregon penalty, Brock Osweiler connected with Gerell Robinson in the front right corner of the end zone for a 20 yard touchdown.  As they are known to do, the Ducks responded quickly and took advantage of a late hit personal foul penalty by ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict that put the ball on the ASU 16 yard line.  True freshman and speedster DeAnthony Thomas scored on the next play to tie the game 7-7.  ASU was not going to be deterred, and in a wild first quarter took the lead back 14-7 when Brock Osweiler hit a wide open Mike Willie for a 25 yard touchdown.  Once again, Oregon responded back and scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 21-17 lead into the locker room at halftime.  The end of the second quarter was a pivotal point in the game, as ASU was intercepted on a solid drive at the end of the half.  Oregon took possession with just over a minute left until halftime and scored the go ahead touchdown in less than four plays from scrimmage.  Huge momentum swing. In the second half, despite taking the lead 24-21 on a quality drive on their first possession, everything went wrong for ASU’s defense.  Led by their back up quarterback, Bryan Bennett and back up running backs, Kenjon Barner and DeAnthony Thomas, the Ducks broke loose and scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to pull ahead of the Sun Devils for good.  Despite losing its starting quarterback Darron Thomas early in the third quarter, Oregon used its running game masterfully by gaining 276 yards in the second half and winning the time of possession after having the ball only 11:14 in the first half.  ASU’s potent offense was held in check for the rest of the game punting four times which allowed the Ducks to seal the win. Grading the Game Quarterback Brock Osweiler’s numbers, while impressive, were in vain.  The ASU quarterback completed 29 of 46 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.  He was not able to scramble as effectively as in past games rushing for minus five yards and he threw a costly interception in the second quarter, where there seemed to be some confusion on the route by Mike Willie. Oz was also picked off again at the end of the game on a ball that bounced out of Jamal Miles hands.  Osweiler was constantly under pressure from the Oregon defense and was sacked four times and hit on several others.  After a great first half he was not as crisp after halftime and leading ASU to a touchdown on the first drive of the third quarter.   Grade: B-     Receivers Gerell Robinson was again the star of the day catching six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.  Mike Willie hauled in five passes for 79 yards and a score.  Aaron Pflugrad was rather quiet against his old team and only caught two passes, and George Bell caught three passes and had a completion called back due to a penalty.  The unit ran wild in the first half but then was shut down in the second half by the Oregon defense.  The other factor that brought this grade down was the personal foul penalty to Robinson at the end of the first half that ended up being a huge momentum swing to the Ducks.   Grade: C   Running Backs Cameron Marshall broke the century mark running 20 times for 101 yards and a touchdown with a 4.8 yard per carry average.  Jamal Miles ran seven times for 68 yards.  Miles was also caught six passes for 24 yards.  The Ducks were prepared and focused to stop the ASU run game, but the unit played as well as can be expected and once Marshall is 100% after the bye week, he will be a lot bigger factor down the road.   Grade: B-   Offensive Line Right tackle Aderious Simmons was back in the lineup after missing five weeks with a high ankle sprain.  In his first action back he did a decent job and held Dion Jordan without any sacks, but played too high in the running game and looked out of place during some plays.  Dan Knapp also did a decent job at left tackle in keeping the Ducks defensive ends without any sacks.  The interior of the line needs to improve in their blitz pickup.  This is a huge issue as every week Osweiler is getting hit and sacked by linebackers. Teams will continue to do this until ASU figures out a way to stop it.  Four sacks is not a winning number and Osweiler was pressured numerous times.  Run blocking is still an issue with the interior playing too high and not getting any push off the line.  Injuries are affecting this unit big time and once again, the bye week comes at a good time.   Grade: C-   Defensive Line Bo Moos, Jamar Jarrett and Davon Coleman had five tackles each.  Toa Tuitea had three tackles and Will Sutton had two.  It was a tough day for the defensive line after being disruptive and productive in the past few games.  The group would make some quality stops and seem to be in control, then the Oregon offense would break off a long run and big play.  Oregon ran for 327 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per carry.  In 22 pass attempts by the Ducks,  there were no sacks, hits or pressures. This group will need to continue to work hard and step their game up.  Junior Onyeali is expected back for the Colorado game which will help.   Grade: C-   Linebackers Colin Parker continues to make plays and came up with a huge first quarter fumble that led to an ASU touchdown and had five tackles on the night.  Star linebacker Vontaze Burfict was once again ordinary with seven tackles and was penalized twice for personal fouls, one which led to a Duck score.  Burfict struggled to shed tackles, was out of positon on several plays and missed a few tackles.  In short, he has had a disappointing first half of the season after being named to several award watch lists.  Shelly Lyons had seven tackles and an interception that set up a field goal in the second quarter, but also struggled in the second half shedding blockers.  Oregon’s 327 yards rushing and 6.7 per carry average falls on the linebackers shoulders as much as the defensive line.  They had problems closing on the speedy Oregon backs and we really missed Brandon Magee out there.   Grade: D   Secondary Oregon passed for 209 yards and given that there was hardly any pressure on the quarterback this unit deserves a pat on the back…sort of.  Eddie Elder had a costly penalty that kept a Duck drive alive but the unit played rather clean for the entire night.  Deveron Carr was the leader with seven tackles.  Elder had six stops.  Clint Floyd was playing a decent game until he left the game due to injury.  After intercepting two passes and forcing a fumble the week before the unit did not have any takeaways against Oregon.   Grade: C   Special Teams Alex Garoutte was consistent and solid as he hit two field goals in the second and fourth quarters and made all of his extra points.  Josh Hubner had a busy night punting eight times with a 43.3 yard average.  Jamal Miles returned 6 kickoffs for 103 yards.  Coverage teams were better as Oregon averaged 24 yards on kickoff returns and 8.6 yards on punt returns.   Grade: B   Going into the bye week there is plenty to do.  This loss was disappointing but in the big picture it has not harmed ASU’s chance to win the Pac-12 South.  ASU needs to regroup, correct their errors and get better discipline as a team.  The issues this team has had this season are 100% correctible.  This is a good football team that has not played up to its full ability yet.  Seven games into the season they’re 5-2, still ranked and have a serious shot at running the table and finishing the season 10-2 with a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game in December.  It’s important that during the bye week, they get healthy, refocused and get ready to close out the season the way they are capable of.  If they take care of business the rest of the way, they will potentially get another shot at Oregon, assuming the Ducks get through Stanford and win the north.  How they recover from this loss, get healthy and prepare during the next two weeks will determine how far they will go the rest of the way.  “Prosperity is a great teacher, Adversity a greater.” – William Hazlett

Oct 15, 2011 - 03:58 pm - By Juan Roque for DieHardDevil.com This is one of those opportunities that doesn’t come around very often.  The stars are aligned as two of the top teams in the Pac-12 conference meet for battle and a national ESPN College Game Day audience.  We will witness plenty of speed, scoring and some of the coolest uniforms in college football.  A large number of fans and recruits will be watching and taking note.  On Saturday, the Arizona State Sun Devils will have their most difficult contest of the 2011 season.  ASU, ranked eighteenth in Associated Press football poll, will travel to one of the most hostile, places to play football...Autzen Stadium, home of the defending conference champion Oregon Ducks.  The Ducks, 4-1 and ranked number nine in the poll, will provide this season’s most formidable challenge for the upstart Sun Devils.  The 2011 season has brought good fortune to ASU in breaking streaks against USC and Oregon State in convincing fashion, and Oregon is another team that has recently had the Sun Devils’ number.  The Ducks go into Saturday’s game with a six game winning streak against ASU that dates back to the 2005 season.  Not a lot has gone right for ASU against their conference foes from the Pacific Northwest during this time.  The Ducks have beaten the Sun Devils by an average score of 42-20 during this six year rut.  The closest game was last September when Oregon escaped Tempe with a 42-31 win after an ASU turnover meltdown in the second half helped the Ducks overcome a halftime deficit.  To put this streak in perspective, the last time the Sun Devils beat the Ducks was a 28-13 battle in Eugene on October 2, 2004.  The seven year itch must be unbearable for ASU as they trek north on a mission to put an end to yet another opponent streak.   There is no question that the power has shifted in the Pac-12 conference after a one school reign that lasted a decade.  With the fall of the once mighty USC Trojans to NCAA probation and a coaching change, Oregon has emerged as the team to beat.  In response to their new status as the elite team of the conference, the Ducks have risen to the challenge having lost only three conference games since 2007 and have a 13 game winning streak at Autzen Stadium.  Head Coach Chip Kelly has taken the program to a new level since former coach Mike Belotti stepped down following the 2008 season to become the Athletic Director.  The Ducks enjoyed considerable success last season by going undefeated in the regular season and earning a berth in the National Title game in Glendale against Cam Newton and the Auburn Tigers.  The Ducks came up short 22-19 despite giving the Tigers all they can handle.  This season, the Ducks began with a disappointing loss against another group of Tigers from LSU in Arlington, Texas 40-27.  Since then,the Ducks have been rolling over everyone in their path winning four games in a row with an average score of 56-18.  With ESPN College Game Day coming to Eugene and the game being televised to national audience, the Ducks will be looking to make a statement that they are still among the nation’s best despite their game one loss.   Meet the Ducks on offense Oregon has the most explosive offense in the Pac-12 conference.  The Ducks run a hybrid version of the Spread but rather than think “pass first” they actually prefer to establish the ground game and then open the field up for their quarterback and receivers.  Unfortunately for the Ducks, they will be without the best running back in the country; LeMichael James.  James suffered a dislocated elbow during the fourth quarter of the Cal game last week, and while all indications are he will be okay and back on the field soon he will not play this Saturday.  It’s bad news for Oregon because James, a Heisman Trophy front runner, has been unstoppable lately averaging 170.9 yards per game and 9.0 yards per carry.   With the absence of James, the Ducks will need to rely on true freshman DeAnthony Thomas and junior Kenjon Barner to carry the work load on the ground.  DeAnthony, nicknamed “Black Mamba” by Snoop Dogg during his days playing pee wee football, has shown flashes of dominance in his short time in Eugene and is a future star in the Pac-12.  Through five games he is the second leading rusher on the team and averages 7.6 yards per carry.  Anthony is also the Ducks’ top receiver with 17 catches for 286 yards and four touchdowns.  Barner is a veteran who is fast and athletic and averages 6.2 yards per carry.   Quarterback Darron Thomas is one of the Pac-12’s best signal callers and is the driving force behind the offense.  Thomas took over the starting job last season when Jeremiah Masoli left the program due to legal problems during the off season.  Thomas stepped in and led the Ducks to the National Title game and earned second team all conference honors.  In 2011, Thomas has not skipped a beat completing 79 of 133 passes for 1040 yards, 15 touchdowns and only two interceptions.  He is also very effective on the ground running 18 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns.   Senior Lavasier Tuinei is the Ducks’ best receiver after DeAnthony.  On the season Tuinei has 17 catches for 190 yards and four touchdowns.  He was shut down last week against Cal and will be looking to redeem himself and get back to being productive this week against ASU.   Rashaan Vaughn can make plays but has not put up numbers like his fellow teammates but with the absence of James and Anthony possibly playing running back he will be much more involved this week.   On the offensive line the Ducks are big and athletic.  At the guard positions they boast two all-conference players in left guard Carson York and right guard Mark Asper.  Asper is a monster inside and uses his 6’7” 325 body to run over opposing tackles, and athletic enough to get to the second level and block linebackers.  Left tackle Darrion Weems and right tackle Nick Cody have combined for 56 starts.  This is a veteran unit that plays very well together. How ASU matches up The Ducks’ “run first” approach will not change despite the injury to James.  Expect Oregon to use misdirection, option reads and perimeter runs to move the chains and drive the ball down the field.  This is a huge test for the entire ASU defense.  The defensive line has to be stout and not allow themselves to get pushed off the ball or be moved laterally down the line.  They will need to penetrate the line of scrimmage and get into the Duck backfield in order to disrupt Darron Thomas’ reads and force the running backs to move laterally rather than vertically.  This will allow ASU to maximize its speed at linebacker and close in on the Oregon backs and bring them down behind the line of scrimmage or for short gains.  This is critical for the defense.  If Oregon gets their ground game hitting on all cylinders it will be a long night in Eugene.  Auburn and LSU shut down Oregon’s ground game and won.  This will be the mission of the ASU front seven Saturday, and while it may be cliché, it’s an important key to pulling off the upset.  In the secondary, the Sun Devils need to keep doing what they have been doing lately.  They need to read their keys and not allow the play action or misdirection passing plays to fool them. The Ducks will test their discipline early, so it’s very important that they trust their coaching and preparation and not do anything that will give the Ducks the edge.  They need to keep the Oregon receivers in front of them and not allow themselves to get lulled into a mistake.  This is how Oregon makes its living; they capitalize on mistakes made by the secondary that lead to big plays. Key Matchup: ASU Linebackers vs. Oregon Backs   Meet the Ducks on defense Oregon’s offense is the strength of the team without question.  The defense, while efficient, has been far from dominant through the first five games.  The Ducks are allowing opponents to score an average of 22.6 points per game, run for an average of 173 yards and pass for 230 yards.  The bend but don’t break approach has been effective to date due to the offense being nearly unstoppable.  The unit can make plays though and they have players at key positions that can disrupt the opposition.  They are an opportunistic bunch and run their schemes well.  In 2011 the unit has 31 tackles for loss for 136 yards in losses, has 11 sacks and has forced five fumbles.  While not a stifling dominant defense, they get the job done.   The best player the Ducks have on defense is Middle linebacker DeWitt Stuckey.  While not a physically imposing player at 5’11” 221 pounds the senior plays with a ton of heart and passion.  His nose for the football and intensity are reminiscent of the late Sam Mills who played in the NFL for 12 seasons with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers despite being 5’9”.  Stuckey is second on the team in tackles with 28 along with a sack and quarterback hit.  Michael Clay is also a talented defender on the weak side who can cover laterally very quickly and is a physical tackler.  Clay has 21 tackles in 2011 along with a sack, a pass break up and a defended pass.   On the defensive line, the premier player is defensive end Dion Jordan.  Jordan, a Chandler native, is tall and fast.  The 6’7” 240 pound junior leads the defensive line in tackles with 19.  He is adept at getting into the opposing backfield with six tackles for loss.  Defensive tackle Taylor Hart is does a good job holding down the interior.  The 6’6” Hart has broken up two passes and defended two others to go along with his 14 tackles.   In the secondary, free safety John Boyett is a the star.  Boyett leads the team in tackles with 29, has broken up four passes and defended four others.  He is quick to react in run support and is constantly around the football.  Rover Eddie Pleasant plays a hybrid safety linebacker position and is a play maker.  Pleasant is third on the team in tackles with 27 and has broken up three passes.  Terrance Mitchell is their best cover corner and has defended well during the first part of the season. How ASU matches up This is a game where Cameron Marshall needs to emerge and have a big night after a disappointing game last week.  The Ducks defense is not what it was in years past and teams have been able to move the ball on them.  In order to win this game, ASU needs to establish long drives that end in points and it begins with the running game.  Time of possession is the main key to victory.  By eating up the clock with long drives, the Sun Devils will keep their defense rested and able to keep up with Oregon’s fast pace.  The offensive line will need to step it up big time and have their best game of the year run blocking.  They need to get off the ball, engage and move the Ducks off the line of scrimmage to open holes for Marshall.  At some point, this unit has to become fed up with the criticisms and do something about it.  Brock Osweiler must be very alert and expect the Ducks to do something he hasn’t seen to manufacture pressure and react accordingly.  He needs to be patient and wait for his opportunities and strike when they present themselves.  While decent, the Ducks’ secondary should be no match for ASU’s deep receiving corps.  If the running game is established it should be easy pickings for Osweiler as the Ducks will be outmatched in the perimeters.   Key Matchup: ASU run game vs. Oregon Front Seven   Prediction Oregon is a good football team without question.  Oregon has speed and talent.  No doubt about it.  Oregon will be tough to beat at Autzen.  Absolutely.  But keep in mind they are not the dominant juggernaut that has existed in recent seasons.  Despite being on a four game roll, the Ducks haven’t beaten anyone relevant.  After their loss to LSU, the Ducks blew out Nevada, Missouri State, Arizona and California who have a combined record of 6-15.  At some point, the Ducks will stutter step in their dominance of the conference just like their predecessors, and there is no reason that it can’t happen Saturday.  The Ducks are not unbeatable as Auburn and LSU have shown.  In those two losses, the Ducks were shut down on the ground and were beaten up physically.  If ASU goes into Autzen with a sense of purpose, they play error free, limit turnovers and keep the ball away from the Ducks offense, they will break another streak.  However, if they get off to a slow start or turn the ball over like they did last season, they’ll make this challenge much more difficult and most likey suffer their second loss of the season.  This is one of those rare games where ASU has a unique opportunity to show the nation who they are and where this program is headed.  Let’s see if the Sun Devils are ready to step up to the challenge with ESPN College Game Day broadcasting to the entire nation.