Arizona State looks to keep Big 12 title hopes alive against Colorado

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The Sun Devils are still playing meaningful games. That's a good thing.

Arizona State doesn't exactly have an inside track to the Big 12 title game, but it still has a shot.

Next up is Colorado, just the second team with a losing record that ASU has faced. For the first nine games, the Sun Devils faced teams with winning records, and for the first eight, they faced teams with no more than one loss.

The goal for this one is to maintain the focus that comes with facing a high-level opponent and not be complacent against one that is struggling.

Let's take a closer look:

Arizona State (7-3, 5-2) at Colorado (3-7, 1-6)

Time/site: 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado

TV: ESPN2 (Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport). Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst, Kevin Turner, Jeff Munn).

Last time they met: The teams played in 2023 in Tempe, with Colorado winning 27-24. That was in Dillingham's first season. The decisive points came on a 43-yard field goal by Alejandro Mata with 12 seconds left.

The series: ASU leads 10-4-1. (ASU would later vacate its 2021 and 2022 victories over Colorado, so the official record stands at 8-4.) ASU's last win in Boulder was in 2022 (42-34); that was the year Jordyn Tyson played for Colorado.

ASU vs. Colorado storylines

The Sun Devils need a win to keep their Big 12 title hopes alive, while Colorado is just looking to find something positive.

ASU is looking for a third straight win, with the two decided by a combined seven points. Colorado has lost three straight games since it registered its lone Big 12 win of the season against Iowa State, 24-17, on Oct. 18.

Both coaches took over their respective programs at the same time. There is mutual respect between the two, as each has praised the other in media sessions and on social media platforms.

Coaching matchup

Kenny Dillingham, ASU (third year, 21-15): Dillingham, 35, took the job at ASU after a season as the OC at Oregon, with previous stints at Florida State, Memphis and Auburn. He was the 2024 Big 12 Coach of the Year and a finalist for several national honors for leading the team's resurgence from a 3-9 mark in 2023 to an 11-3 conference champion in 2024.

Deion Sanders, Colorado (third year, 16-19): Sanders, 58, played 14 years in the NFL, five of those with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that drafted him in the first round (fifth pick overall) in 1989, then later, five years with the Dallas Cowboys. Sanders, an All-American at Florida State, is in his second head coaching gig in college. That stint followed three years at Jackson State, where his teams were a combined 27-6.

Colorado will win if . . .

It can stay motivated: The Buffs are not playing for anything. They're not even playing to make a bowl game. Sometimes it's hard to keep players from checking out in that scenario.

The offensive line holds up: The Buffaloes have given up 31 sacks in 10 games, with a yardage loss of 263 yards. In Colorado's last game two weeks ago, West Virginia recorded seven sacks. That same opponent had just one sack of ASU QB Jeff Sims last week. A true freshman quarterback and a subpar offensive line are not a good combination.

Find some rushing offense: This has been a problem all season, so it's hard to see the Buffaloes finally fixing the issue. Colorado ranks 15th in the Big 12 and 106th overall in rushing offense (122 ypg). Its leading rusher, Micah Wood, has only 328 yards on 81 tries. The second-leading rusher is a quarterback who is no longer the starter.

Arizona State will win if . . .

It can run the ball: That's always a recipe for victory, and the Sun Devils should be able to capitalize here. Not only do they have an explosive back, Raleek Brown, but quarterback Jeff Sims has had quite an impact in that facet of the game. Colorado ranks 131st out of 134 schools in rushing defense, allowing a whopping 210.9 yards per game. Under Dillingham, ASU has had 14 games eclipsing 200 rushing yards, going 11-3 in those.

It takes advantage of the freshman quarterback: Much like last week's opponent, Colorado has gone through five quarterbacks. It is now starting freshman Julian Lewis. ASU needs to bring a pass rush, make Lewis uncomfortable in the pocket. Force him into mistakes. He was a coveted high school recruit with a high profile, but he's still a true freshman.

Avoid giving up the big play: Last week's game didn't need to be that much of a challenge, but it gave up touchdown plays of 75 and 90 yards. Both times it kept the foe in the game. ASU was leading 15-3 when it surrendered the 75-yard score on the next play. It was up 22-17 in the fourth quarter when it gave up the go-ahead score with 6:37 to go.

Injury report

ASU: QB Sam Leavitt, RB Kyson Brown, DB Xavion Alford, LB Zyrus Fiaseu, OL Ben Coleman, DB Rodney Bimage, DL Zac Swanson, WR Noble Johnson, DB Plas Johnson, TE Jayden Fortier, DL MyKeil Gardner, OL Xander Ruggeroli, DL Zac Swanson, DL Salesi Manu, LB Isaiah Iosefa are out. DB Adama Fall is doubtful. WR Jordyn Tyson, QB Christian Hunt, DB Tony-Louis Nkuba are questionable.

Colorado: CB R.J. Johnson, S Ben Finneseth, LS Camden Dempsey, DT Amari McNeill, DT Tawfiq Thomas are out. ILB Mantrez Walker is doubtful. CB Makari Vickers, S Carter Stoutmire, ILB Jeremiah Brown, OL Larry Johnson III, OL Jordan Seaton, DE Brandon Davis-Swain are questionable.

Cross connections

Colorado pass game coordinator Brett Bartolone was an offensive analyst at the Universityof Nevada with ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward in 2020-21.
ASU DB Keith Abney II played at Waxahachie High with Colorado DB PrestonHodge in 2021.
Colorado LB Keaten Wade played at Kentucky with ASU TE Khamari Anderson in2023.
ASU WR Derek Eusebio and Colorado safety Carter Stoutmire played together at Prestonwood Christian from 2020-22
Colorado long snapper Kameron Hawkins and ASU DL Jacob Rich Kongaika attended Arizona together from 2022-23.
Colorado LB Reginald Hughes and Breedlove played together in 2022 at Ole Miss.
ASU DB Myles Rowser and LB Keyshaun Elliott were teammates at New Mexico Statewith Colorado DE Nikhil Webb Walker in 2023.
Colorado OL Copper Lovelace played alongside ASU DB Xavion Alford in 2022 andASU RB Raleek Brown from 2022-23 at USC.
ASU LB Jordan Crook and Colorado Taurean Carter II played at Arkansas in 2022.
ASU OL Jimeto Obigbo played at Texas State with Colorado DT Tavian Coleman in2023.
ASU WR Jordyn Tyson spent his freshman year with the Buffaloes in 2022, TE ChamonMetayer played there from 2022–23, and S Kyndrick Breedlove was on the 2023 roster.Colorado’s current roster includes multiple players who were with the program duringthose seasons.

By the numbers

0— Keith Abney is one of just 29 FBS corners with 250+ snaps played in coverage and no touchdowns credited against him. His 363 snaps in coverage without allowing a touchdown are the third-most in the country among corners without giving up a score. Despite being the nation’s fourth-most targeted corner (67 targets, just one of the FBS lead), Abney has allowed just a 40.3 completion percentage this season overall, lowest among Big 12 corners and ninth lowest in the FBS.

147— Rushing yards needed for ASU QB Jeff Sims to reach 2,000 career rushing yards. In doing so, he would become just the 44th quarterback since 1996 to accomplish the feat at a Power Four school(s).

15 — Arizona State has won 15 straight games when leading at halftime.

26 – Consecutive games started by ASU right tackle Max Iheanachor. That is the longest active streak on the team.

301 —Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is 301 receiving yards away from 2,500 career receiving yards (currently at 2,199). Tyson is three touchdown receptions away from 25 career TD catches (currently at 22). Tyson is one total touchdown shy of 25 career total touchdowns (currently at 24; one rushing, one punt return, 22 receiving).

They said it

ASU coach Kenny Dillingham on the importance of the line of scrimmage: “Football games are won at the line of scrimmage, it's simple. We've practiced a little more physically, I think our defensive line has done a good job in stopping the run for most of the year. We've had a couple games where there's been some schemes and runs that have given us problems. But when it's man versus man, I think we have done a solid job for the most part. Offensively, it was good to see the offensive line play well, I thought it was their best game in pass protection by far. We're firing the ball a bit better, our ability to set and pass protect are critical in the game.”

Who will win and why

This is a game ASU should win handily, by double digits, something that has not been the norm. Colorado can't stop the run, and ASU is suited to take advantage of that. And the Buffaloes have no rushing offense, which plays right into a strength of ASU, its rushing defense.

Prediction: Arizona State 35, Colorado 24.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU looks to keep Big 12 title hopes alive against Colorado

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