Arizona State Eyes Victory Against BYU in Top 25 Clash

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00:00The highest Big 12 ranked team, that's still number 14 BYU.

00:10But now another Big 12 team in the CFP Top 25, that's Arizona State, courtesy of an upset

00:17win outright on the road last week in Manhattan, Kansas against K-State.

00:23So now we go to Tempe, Arizona for our third Top 25 tilt of this week, 13 Saturday in the

00:29Sun Devils, Joe, at eight and two straight up this season, in the second year with the

00:34young Kenny Dillingham as their head coach, a three and a half point favorite against

00:40the BYU team that suffered its first loss of the season last Saturday.

00:45Let's start with the Cougars' perspective.

00:47How do you expect BYU to bounce back?

00:49Well, again, better defensive effort.

00:51I know they buckled up in terms of the second half and, you know, got exposed a little bit

00:55from an offensive perspective.

00:56But again, on the road in Tempe, I think they need to score first, run the football,

01:01and keep Sam Leavitt and Cam Scatterboo on the sidelines.

01:04Very impressed with that victory last week in Kansas State, because Sam Leavitt started

01:09out rolling out, utilized the RPO game, then threw over the top to expose that defense.

01:15And more importantly, it's Arizona State's defense.

01:17They're holding opposing quarterbacks to 59 percent completion percentage, have forced

01:2211 interceptions, Kev, on the season, 38 percent third down defense.

01:27They are legit, very difficult to run on.

01:29So if BYU does have success running the football, staying in manageable situations, I think

01:34they'll be in, you know, position to pull this out.

01:37But I don't see it.

01:38I think the more complete team with the more aggressive coaches, Kenny Dillingham, give

01:42me Arizona State by seven or more.

01:44So I am on LJ Martin in this game, one of my favorite bats on our slate today.

01:49One of the things, you know, you always have to do this, is try and sift through some of

01:53the games where you were playing fake teams, or even some early season numbers.

01:58Because I was looking through the recent games, and Arizona State's run defense looks pretty

02:02bad.

02:03But big picture, it looks all right.

02:04Well, that's because the first two games of the year, against Wyoming and Texas State,

02:07they allowed 64 rushing yards against 59 rushing attempts, which is Georgia level, right?

02:15Let's get those out of here.

02:17Remaining sample size is a team that allows 145 yards per game on 4.5 yards per carry.

02:24If you look at the most recent games that they've played against Big 12 running backs,

02:28removing Fire Gundy, Ollie Gordon, it's 11 of 25 game, the average is 113.2 yards per

02:36game on 5.5 yards per carry.

02:39The LJ Martin number today, 61-plus, cleared it in four straight.

02:44I think Arizona State could win.

02:46I'm torn on the side.

02:47I don't think either team is running away from the other.

02:50It keeps the ground game going all night.

02:52I like LJ Martin.

02:53I think he can get into the hundreds.

02:54I believe this game is close, as the odds anticipate it to be.

02:58BYU is a perfect 4-0 out right, and then, of course, against the spread as an underdog

03:04this season.

03:05Arizona State, one of the six best cover teams in the country.

03:08They are not just 8-2 straight up, but they have covered in all eight victories.

03:13ASU is used to playing in these tight-knit games.

03:17Last week, the upset win against K-State was a 7.5-point spread.

03:21The Sun Devils won outright.

03:23It was the largest spread ASU has seen this year.

03:26All 10 games, 7.5 points or fewer in that spread component.

03:31Arizona State has also gone over in four of its last five, at least 53 combined points

03:37in its last five games in its entirety.

03:40In total, 49.5.

03:43We have some really elite offensive playmakers in this matchup.

03:47You mentioned the guys for Arizona State, and I do want to highlight Cam Scadaboo, a

03:51guy that does it both on the ground and as a receiver for the Sun Devils.

03:56Six consecutive games with at least 100 scrimmage yards, 175 scrimmage yards in four of the

04:02six.

04:03Two games this year against Mississippi State and Oklahoma State with at least 274 scrimmage

04:10yards.

04:11If you expect Arizona State to win big today against a BYU defense that ranks tops in the

04:16Big 12 in terms of total defense, how involved is Scadaboo?

04:20Oh, a ton.

04:21I mean, he's got to have between 25 to 35 touches, and that's not just running the football.

04:27We saw him abuse Oklahoma State in the screen game, did have a big touchdown reception.

04:31He's a big back.

04:32You get him out in space, get those blockers in front of him, he can go take it to the

04:36house.

04:37His run after contact are phenomenal, so that's what I expect.

04:40Arizona State averaging 190 rushing yards per game.

04:43They're throwing it for 208.

04:44I was just looking at this total, I was going to pose the question to you, 49 and a half,

04:49it seems high to me.

04:51I think we can go through it later tonight.

04:53Yeah, I'm not sure on the total.

04:54I just will add quickly, and I know we're about to get into Ben's top 10.

04:57I'm curious to see if BYU sits on the waiting list after the one loss.

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