Arizona State Football's Chances Against Utah Depend on Run Defense

The Arizona State Sun Devils have woken up the last two weeks. The offense has finally clicked under Mike Norvell and senior quarterback Mike Bercovici and the defense continues to stop opponents in their tracks. After upsetting the UCLA Bruins in Pasadena, the Sun Devils continued their offensive explosion in Tempe against a Colorado Buffaloes team they have now beaten seven consecutive matchups. This upcoming week is much different than a struggling Buffaloes football team at home.

The Sun Devils travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Utes. The No. 4 team in the country has sent a message to the college football world through a stout defense and powerful running game. Luckily, the Sun Devils are packing the proper kryptonite for the road trip: a stout run defense of their own.

Utes running phenom Devontae Booker is averaging over 170 yards of offense per game. You can probably rank him third behind LSU‘s Leonard Fournette and Ohio State‘s Ezekiel Elliott. But, the Sun Devils have faced several top running backs this season and with great results. Outside of their matchups against the Sun Devils, opposing running backs (including top-rated Paul Perkins from UCLA) have nearly 2,600 yards averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Against the Sun Devils the results are extremely different. That same combination of running backs have accumulated only 406 yards with a 3.1 ypc average.

Strong defensive play is critical this Saturday for Arizona State. Stopping Booker will not be an easy task. Last week the senior running back torched the California Golden Bears‘ defense for 222 yards and two touchdowns. He added 45 yards on four receptions. The Utes are likely to lean once again on Booker as quarterback Travis Wilson continued to struggle last week against Cal throwing for only 170 yards and two interceptions.

This year the heart of the Sun Devils has resided in the defensive line led by senior Demetrius Cherry, sophomore Tashon Smallwood and true freshman Joseph Wicker. If the team wishes to survive the test and continue their trek to the Pac-12 Championship , those three along with the rest of the defense will have to fortify themselves as one of the top defenses in the country, especially considering the Sun Devils’ offense will more than likely struggle to move the ball against the Utes’ defense, a defense that has created 17 turnovers in only five games.