11/17/2022 football Edit

Oregon State Football: A Closer Look At Arizona State

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

Publisher

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With the No. 23 Oregon State football team (7-3, 4-3 Pac-12) set to face Arizona State (3-7, 2-5) on Saturday, BeaversEdge takes a closer look at the Sun Devils...

ASU Quick Hits

- The Sun Devils have been credited with just 44 missed tackles in the last four games (11 percent missed tackle rate) - ranked 10th and 4th in the FBS over the last five weekends.

- Jalin Conyers has 123 yards after contact in his last three games. No other tight end in the country has more than 49 in that stretch,

- Opponents have an NFL quarterback rating of just 81.4 since the start of 2021 - the 13th-lowest mark in the FBS.

- ASU's defensive linemen have combined for 28 quarterback hits this season, good for 24th among defensive lines in the FBS.

- Since 2020, ASU has been stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage on just 6.8 percent of its rushes - good for the 14th-lowest tally in the FBS.

- Ro Torrence has allowed just 165 yards to receivers in coverage this season - the lowest in the Pac-12 by 42 yards and the 16th-lowest tally in the FBS (min. 200 coverage snaps)

- Trenton Bourguet's 1.98-second average time to throw when facing the blitz is the fastest in the country (min. 40 dropbacks vs. blitz).

- X Valladay's 16 total plays over 20 yards this season (rushing and receiving) are fourth among FBS running backs.

- Elijhah Badger's 21 missed tackles forced on receptions this year are tops in the Pac-12 and sixth among FBS receivers.

- Nesta Jade Silvera has 32 solo tackles against the run this season, the most for an FBS interior lineman this season.

Did You Know?

Oregon State has won just one time in Tempe in the last 53 years with that lone win coming in the 2009 campaign... ASU holds an all-time advantage of 21-4 against the Beavers at Sun Devil Stadium...

In that '09 matchup, Sean Canfield led the Beavers with 216 passing yards and a score while the Rodgers brothers had themselves an afternoon. Jaquizz Rodgers tallied 81 yards and two touchdowns to pace the ground attack while James Rodgers hauled in 10 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown...

Storyline To Watch: Avoiding The "Trap" Game

With Arizona State already out of the postseason and dealing with a looming coaching change at the end of the season, the Sun Devils don't have much to play for in this matchup other than pride and playing the role of spoiler...

That being said, this could arguably be one of Oregon State's biggest road test so far this season in the sense that this is a game they should win.

With the Oregon game looming next week and just two games left in the regular season, Oregon State has to resist the temptation to overlook the Sun Devils despite their record.

Head coach Jonathan Smith called ASU "dangerous" earlier this week and that adds more context about how much attention the Beavers are giving the Sun Devils.

The home/road splits have been a real thing for OSU so far this season, but if they play like they're capable of and don't give ASU too much confidence and momentum, they'll be in a great position. If the Beavers allow ASU to hang out and believe they can win, it could create a true trap game scenario...