Saturday’s matchup against ranked UCLA is going to be the toughest game for ASU so far. The Sun Devils did lose to ranked BYU, but they aren’t in the Pac-12. And every Pac-12 game is crucial. With UCLA ranked #20, now is the time for the Devils to show up and get back into the top 25 with a win.
ASU does have one win so far in the Pac-12 after beating Colorado last Saturday. UCLA also won on Saturday, beating Stanford. So this game against UCLA will also be a good preview to next Friday’s home game when ASU hosts Stanford. (Make sure to check out our Twitter @azsportsbooks for exclusive content from the game)
DraftKings Game Odds
- Spread: +3 ASU/ -3 UCLA
- Total: 55.5
- Moneyline: +145 ASU/ -165 UCLA
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UCLA Bruins Preview (3-1)
The UCLA offense is having a season and racked up a total of 455 yards against Stanford. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson has thrown for over 250 yards in the last three games, with two touchdowns against Stanford last week. Running back Zach Charbonnet had 118 rushing yards and one touchdown last week and 117 rushing yards in the team’s win against LSU. Wide receiver Kyle Phillips had 120 yards and two touchdowns in their win against Stanford.
This means the Devils defense needs to step up and put pressure on the quarterback and make sure that Charbonnet and Phillips don’t get the ball. The problem is, there is a lot of talent on the Bruins’ offense, so the Devils will need to play aggressively to keep them from scoring.
On the other side of the ball, the Bruins defense is also good, but not sure if they are good enough to stop ASU’s dual-threat quarterback. I expect a high-scoring game, hopefully with the Devils coming out with the win. Even though sportsbooks like DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM have UCLA as the favorite.
ASU Sun Devils Preview (3-1)
Quarterback Jayden Daniels was unstoppable again last week throwing for 236 yards and rushing for 75 yards including two touchdowns. I would like to see more from the running backs though. Rachaad White had 70 receiving yards against Colorado, but only 37 rushing yards. In total, the Devils did end the game with 439 total yards against the Buffaloes. Luckily, running back DeaMonte Trayanum is returning after missing the last three games.
The ASU defense was outstanding, limiting the Buffaloes to only 13 points, 67 passing yards, and 65 rushing yards and completing a few sacks.
They will need to put that defensive pressure on UCLA and gain even more yards this game on offense if they want to get the W against their Pac-12 opponents. ASU will also need to watch their penalties. There was some improvement with the Sun Devils only having seven penalties last Sunday, but they need to continue to play hard AND smart.
I am a little worried about the Devils starting off slow. They tend to have a sluggish first half before ramping it up in the second half. To beat a tough UCLA team, the Devils will have to start off hot and continue that momentum through the whole game.
How To Watch The ASU Game
- Date: Saturday, October 2
- Time: 7:30 PM MST
- Location: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA
- TV: FS1