Arizona State: 10 Fun Facts Heading into UNLV Game
A record of 1-0 is great, but 2-0 sounds better, doesn't it?
The Arizona State Sun Devils agree, and that's the team's only focus heading into Week 2 of the college football season.
We've seen a number of Pac-12 teams already have disappointing outings to start 2021; ASU isn't interested in joining the likes of Oregon or Washington unless it's in a conference championship game.
UNLV creates an intriguing matchup in Sun Devil Stadium. Despite losing to Eastern Washington in overtime last week, the Rebels turned into a different team once quarterback Doug Brumfield went under center. Brumfield was announced as the starter for this week by UNLV almost immediately after the loss.
Running back Charles Williams ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns last week, establishing the Rebels' ability to run the ball when needed.
Of course, many remember the last time UNLV faced Arizona State, a game that still lives in many Sun Devil memories.
This time should be different, for a variety of reasons. While those reasons are up for debate, these 10 fun facts (provided by Connor Smith of ASU Athletics) are not:
Ten Arizona State Fun Facts Heading Into UNLV Game
1. ASU's offensive line has allowed just 214 combined quarterback pressures by opponents since 2019, the sixth-fewest among Power-5 schools.
2. Arizona State has 19 rushing touchdowns in its last three games, which is tied for the second-most by any FBS program over a three-game stretch since at least 1996 (Nebraska, 22 in 1997).
3. ASU has held opponents to fewer than 30 points in 21 of 31 games under head coach Herm Edwards. Previously, Arizona State allowed 30-plus in 32 of 43 previous games in a span from 2013-17.
4. The Sun Devils have 38 takeaways since October 2019, and only Clemson (47), Baylor (45), Alabama (42) and Cincinnati (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.
5. Arizona State receivers Andre Johnson, Johnny Wilson, LV Bunkley-Shelton and Ricky Pearsall had the first, second, 19th and 23rd highest run blocking grades among all wide receivers in the FBS in Week 1.
6. 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 only 29 in that span. ASU has multiple takeaways in 10 of those (and three or more in six of them).
7. The Sun Devils have allowed just seven plays of 50 or more yards to opponents since the 2018 season, over 30 games. The 0.23 50-plus-yard plays per game allowed are second-fewest in the FBS.
8. ASU defensive back Chase Lucas (40 career starts) needs just eight starts this season to break Dexter Davis' school record of 47.
9. Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels has committed only five turnovers on 657 plays in his career, the fewest among FBS quarterbacks since 2019 (0.8 percent of plays).
10. 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-5 schools.