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#23 Sun Devil Football Hosts UNLV on Saturday

by thesundevils.com
Sep 8, 2021

THE GAME -  The #23 Sun Devil Football program enters the second weekend of the 2021 season this Saturday, Sept. 11 against the UNLV Rebels at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. AZT kickoff on ESPN2 (Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport on the call) and will be carried over the airwaves on Arizona Sports 620 AM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst, Jordan Simone).

THE REBELS -  Despite the relatively close proximity between the two schools, this will be just the second meeting in history between Arizona State and UNLV. The Rebels won the lone contest, 23-20, back in 2008. UNLV dropped its season opener to Eastern Washington in double overtime, 35-33.

KICKING OFF

  • ASU's secondary has combined for 127 career starts, a total that is second in the nation behind only Indiana. The group is led by Chase Lucas' 40 career starts, who needs nine starts this season to break the Sun Devil school record currently held by Dexter Davis (47).
  • ASU has 19 rushing touchdowns in that span, which is tied for the second-most by any FBS program over a three-game stretch since at least 1996 (Nebraska, 22 in 1997).
  • ASU has scored 157 points over this three-game stretch since a streak of three straight 50-plus games and 162 points in 2013 (54 vs. Colorado, 53 vs. #20 Washington and 55 at Washington State).
  • ASU has forced 38 turnovers in its last 12 games dating back to 2019, good for the most in the nation over a 12-game span. In fact, the next closest team (Iowa) has just 29 in that span. ASU has multiple takeaways in 10 of those (and three or more in six of them).
  • ASU has 38 takeaways since October 2019, and only Clemson (47), Baylor (45), Alabama (42) and Cincinatti (42) have more in that span. However, ASU's takeaways have come in just 13 total games, compared to 23, 20, 22 and 21, respectively by the previously mentioned teams.
  • ASU's offensive line has allowed just 214 combined quarterback pressures by opponents since 2019 - the sixth-fewest among Power Five programs.
  • Darien Butler became the first Sun Devil linebacker with two interceptions in a game since Carlos Mendoza in 2012. 
  • Southern Utah only managed 78 yards rushing, the seventh opponent not to reach the century mark on the ground in the Edwards' era.

#10THINGS (Twitter-Friendly Notes)

1. Jayden Daniels has committed just five turnovers on 657 plays in his career, the fewest among FBS quarterbacks since 2019 (0.8 percent of plays). 

2. ASU has held opponents to less than 30 points in 21 of 31 games under Herm Edwards, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back in a span from 2013-17. 

3. Starting with 1996 season, ASU's 19 rushing touchdowns in its past three games is topped only by Nebraska's 22 in November of 1997. 

4. ASU's offensive line has allowed just 214 combined quarterback pressures by opponents since 2019 - 6th-fewest among Power Five schools.

5. ASU has forced 38 turnovers in its last 12 games dating back to 2019, good for the most in the nation over an 12-game span. In fact, the next closest team (Iowa) has just 29 in that span. ASU has multiple takeaways in 10 of those (and three or more in six of them).

6. ASU has allowed just seven plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 30 games. The .23 50+ yard plays per game allowed are second-fewest in the FBS.

7.  Since 2019, ASU has allowed a fourth quarter touchdown drive just 18.8 percent of the time (12-of-64), good for 13th among all Power Five schools. 

8. ASU's secondary has combined for 127 career starts, a total that is second in the nation behind only Indiana (142). 

9. Chase Lucas (40 career starts) needs just eight starts this season to break Dexter Davis' school record of 47.

10. Receivers Andre Johnson, Johnny Wilson, LV Bunkley-Shelton and Ricky Pearsall had the 1st, 2nd, 19th and 23rd-highest run blocking grades among all wide receivers non the FBS in week one. 

DANNNGGGGG DANIELS

  • Entering this season, Jayden Daniels had thrown for 877 passing yards in the fourth quarter of games in his career, 14th among Power Five quarterbacks since 2019.
  • His nine fourth quarter passing touchdowns entering the year were 11th among Power Five QBs since 2019. His fourth quarter NFL passer rating is 111.4 in the fourth quarter, ninth among Power Five QBs since 2019.
  • He leads the nation since 2019 in yards per pass completion with 11+ yards to go at 18.7 ypc (765 yards on 41 completions). His NFL passer rating with over 11+ yards to go since 2019 is 130.5, second in the nation behind Texas Tech's Tyler Shough (131.3). 
  • His 827 rushing yards overall (sacks excluded) are 25th among active quarterbacks.
  • Daniels has committed just five turnovers on 657 plays in his career, the fewest among FBS quarterbacks since 2019 (0.8 percent of plays). 
  • Daniels is one of just seven FBS quarterbacks since 2019 to not throw an interception on third down (min. 50 attempts).
  • Since 2019, Daniels is fifth among FBS quarterbacks in yards per attempt on third down at 9.3 (1,000 yards on 107 attempts).
  • Among Power Five quarterbacks with at least 100 third-down attempts since 2019, Daniels is 13th with an NFL quarterback rating of 101.8.

RUSH HOUR

  • Starting with 1996 season, ASU's 19 rushing touchdowns in its past three games is topped only by Nebraska's 22 in November of 1997. Kansas State (2002) and Nebraska (2000) also had 19 in a three-game span. ASU had seven rushing touchdowns at Arizona and six at Oregon State to close 2020, and then had six in the Southern Utah opening-game win on Sept. 2.
  • ASU has gone over the 200-yard mark on the ground in five of its last seven games dating back to 2019.
  • ASU led the Pac-12 and was seventh nationally in averaging 264.2 rushing yards per game last season. It was the highest single-season tally at ASU since the 1981 team posted 266.6 yards per game on the ground. 
  • Arizona State running backs averaged 7.2 yards from scrimmage per touch (505 yards / 70 touches) on first down last season.
  • Rachaad White had just three yards for loss on the season and DeaMontre Trayanum had just four as PFF credited the duo with a 0.0 percent stuff rate, marking them the only running backs in the Pac-12 with such a claim and two of just five running backs nationally to do so. Neither player lost a yard in the opener.

THE PRICE IS WHITE

  • Rachaad White was the leading rusher for the Sun Devils in the opener, registering his third consecutive multi-rushing touchdown game dating back to last year.
  • A credit to his smooth cuts and the big men in front of him, 58.0 percent of White's rushing yards came before contact last season. He averaged 5.8 yards per rush without being touched on the year - tops in the nation and 3.0 more yards than any other player in the league
  • White led the nation in averaging 10.0 yards per rush (420 yards on 42 attempts) while he was 14th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (151.0). He was second among Pac-12 running backs with 151 receiving yards and caught all eight of his targets.

#BYTHENUMBERS
ASU's secondary has combined for 127 career starts, a total that is second in the nation behind only Indiana (142). The group is led by Chase Lucas' 40 career starts, who needs eight to break the Sun Devil school record currently held by Dexter Davis (47). Lucas was the highest graded corner in the Pac-12 in coverage last season with a grade of 84.7 and the 16th-highest-graded corner in the nation.He allowed just 7.8 yards per catch were third in the league and only allowed five first downs, fourth-fewest in the league.

ASU has forced 38 turnovers in its last 12 games dating back to 2019, good for the most in the nation over an 12-game span. In fact, the next closest team (Iowa) has just 29 in that span. ASU has multiple takeaways in 10 of those (and three or more in six of them).ASU has 38 takeaways since October 2019, and only Clemson (47), Baylor (45), Alabama (42) and Cincinatti (42) have more in that span. However, ASU's takeaways have come in just 13 total games, compared to 23, 20, 22 and 21, respectively by the previously mentioned teams.

ASU has held opponents to less than 30 points in 21 of 31 games under Herm Edwards, notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of 43 previous games dating back in a span from 2013-17. Last season, ASU was first in the Pac-12 in allowing just 23.2 points per game (32nd nationally).. In 2019, ASU was 35th in the country, allowing 22.4 points per game. The Sun Devils allowed just 25.5 points per game in 2018, good for 53rd nationally. These totals are notable as ASU was 103rd nationally at 32.8 points per game allowed in 2017 and had finished 99th or worse in three consecutive seasons prior.

Arizona State has played in 11 total games decided by four points or less in the Herm Edwards era (since 2018), which is tied for fourth in the FBS in that time behind Kansas State (13), Iowa State (12) and North Carolina (12). ASU has seven wins in games decided by four points or less (7-4 record), tied for second behind Nevada (8) for the most wins by four points or fewer since 2018. The Sun Devils have played in 19 games decided by a touchdown or less since 2018, going 9-10 in that time. The 19 games are third behind Texas (21) and North Carolina (20) for the most in the country in that span. 

ASU has allowed just seven plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 30 games. The .23 50+ yard plays per game allowed are second-fewest in the FBS in that time behind only Washington (.09 percent on 3 plays over 32 games). ASU ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 50+ yards played allowed each year from 2014-17. ASU is one of just seven teams in the country to rank in the Top-35 in fewest plays over 30 yards allowed in EACH of the last three seasons (Cal, Washington, Utah, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern). ASU has allowed just 43 in that time (1.4 per game/31 games)).

Jayden Daniels has committed just five turnovers on 657 plays in his career, the fewest among FBS quarterbacks since 2019 (0.8 percent of plays). Daniels is one of just seven FBS quarterbacks since 2019 to not throw an interception on third down (min. 50 attempts). Since 2019, Daniels is fifth among FBS quarterbacks in yards per attempt on third down at 9.3 (1,000 yards on 107 attempts). Among Power Five quarterbacks with at least 100 third-down attempts since 2019, Daniels is 13th with an NFL quarterback rating of 101.8.

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