Had it not been for a close loss to Notre Dame, more people might be talking about Arizona State right now as a Pac-12 contender. The Sun Devils will get their chance to make a statement -- and to clinch the division -- against UCLA next weekend.
How to watch Oregon State vs. Arizona State 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
It looks like it’s going to be a shootout in the desert.
For now, though, they must focus on stopping Sean Mannion and the nation’s second-ranked passing offense. Luckily, the Sun Devils match up pretty well in this category, boasting the 19th-ranked passing defense. Something’s got to give.
Flipping that, Arizona State’s passing offense is 18th, while Oregon State’s passing defense is 91st in the country. Neither defense is particularly good at keeping points off the board, though, so expect scoring all game long.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Oregon State won last year’s game, 36-26, but trails in the all-time series, 26-12-1. The Sun Devils are ranked No. 19 in the BCS.
Vegas: Arizona State is a 14-point favorite. The over/under is 64.5 points.
Weather: Sunny all day. What’d you expect?
Three names to know
Sean Mannion (Oregon State quarterback) - Because this game will likely come down to offense, you'll need to know the names of both signal callers. Mannion is having the finest season of his career so far, with 31 touchdowns to six interceptions and a 68 percent completion rate.
Taylor Kelly (Arizona State quarterback) - The Pac-12 is full of fantastic passers, but Taylor Kelly never seems to receive enough credit, despite his 24:8 TD:INT ratio. He takes care of the ball and makes good decisions, and is a decent runner to boot.
Jaelen Strong (Arizona State wide receiver) - Brandin Cooks will get a lot of press for being the best wide receiver in the conference, but Strong has put together a good season of his own with 728 yards and five touchdowns, good for sixth in the Pac-12.
Two things at stake
With UCLA hot on its heels and a visit to Pasadena coming next week, Arizona State cannot afford a loss of any kind. A win here would mean that the Sun Devils maintain their one-game lead, and a win next weekend essentially wraps up the South.
Oregon State has lost two consecutive games and is looking to improve its postseason bowl positioning. Unfortunately, Arizona State is the first of three tough opponents in a row -- Oregon and Washington still both await.
How to witness
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
Online streaming: Pac-12 Network. Xfinity subscribers can watch the game here.
Further reading
Arizona State blog House of Sparky has a comprehensive breakdown of the Beavers. Oregon State blog Building The Dam hopes to put the pieces back together after two straight losses.
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