The No. 10 Washington Huskies will look to start a new trend against the Arizona State Sun Devils this weekend. Here is everything you need to know about Saturday nights game.
After losing 11 of the last 12 games against Arizona State, the Washington Huskies are looking to reverse the trend.
Arizona State is led by head coach Herm Edwards, who has given the Sun Devils a new identity in his first season. After starting 2-0 with an upset victory over Michigan State, the Sun Devils came back to earth against San Diego State for their first loss of the season. The game ended with its fair share of controversy, but the Arizona State defense should shoulder the blame after giving up 311 yards rushing to the Aztecs.
Washington will enter the game coming off a great win against the Utah Utes and the defense as a whole should receive some recognition for their play. Washington held Utah to 261 yards of total offense, forced three turnovers and didn’t allow a single point to be scored in the second half. If they plan to buck the trend against Arizona State this weekend, it will start with another strong performance on the defensive side of the ball.
Whether you’re a fan of the programs or not, this will be the game to watch late Saturday night. Herm Edwards will look to prove his Sun Devils are ready to compete for a Pac-12 title, while Washington is simply looking to put their past struggles against this program behind them.
How to watch and bet on Washington vs. Arizona State
Date: Saturday, Sept. 22
Start Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Seattle, WA
Stadium: Husky Stadium
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN, FuboTV
Betting Odds
Points Spread: Washington -17.5
Money Line: Washington -1000, Arizona State +600
O/U: 51
Keys to Victory
Washington – If Washington plans to reverse their past misfortune against Arizona State, they must improve offensively. The defense has played great as a unit all season, allowing only three offensive touchdowns through three games, but the offense has yet to really get things going. It’s not for lack of talent, with former Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Jake Browning at quarterback and the schools all-time leading rusher Myles Gaskin at running back, many would think this offense would be lighting it up, but it simply hasn’t been the case. The key to turning it around will start with the offensive line, who lost standout left tackle Trey Adams to season-ending surgery. The loss of a 6’8″ 316 pound anchor on the line is never easy, but if this group can get on the same page this weekend and open up some holes for the running backs, Washington should have no trouble putting away Arizona State at home.
Arizona State – Arizona State has been great offensively, especially in the passing game, led by quarterback Manny Wilkins and star wide receiver N’Keal Harry, but defense is what earned them an upset victory over Michigan State. Last season, Arizona State controlled the line of scrimmage and finished the game with five sacks and seven tackles for loss, which is exactly the recipe to upset the Huskies again this weekend. With a struggling Washington offensive line, Arizona State should look to exploit it all night and make Browning as uncomfortable as possible. If they can come out and perform defensively like they have in the past, the Sun Devils could earn a victory over the Huskies once again.
Prediction
Coming into the game with a struggling offense, the Huskies are favored by 17.5 points, but Arizona State, who is 11-1 straight up and 12-0 against the spread will cover once again. The game will feature some great defensive play from both teams, but Washington will hold off the Sun Devils in the end.
Final Score – Washington 20, Arizona State 13