Four Takeaways from Arizona State's 35-13 Victory Over Colorado
There's no place like home, and the Arizona State Sun Devils know that first hand.
After a loss on the road at BYU, the Sun Devils returned to Tempe and improved their 2021 home record to 3-0 by way of a 35-13 victory over Colorado.
The team is now 1-0 in Pac-12 play, with a big date coming up next weekend at the Rose Bowl with UCLA.
However, with the win still fresh in the hearts and minds of ASU faithful, it's time to review Arizona State's victory over the Buffaloes and pick four things that we'll take from Saturday night's performance.
Four Takeaways from Arizona State's 35-13 Victory Over Colorado
Chip Trayanum is Deeply Missed: Trayanum's absence over the last three weeks has been undersold, perhaps due to the great efforts by fellow running backs Rachaad White and Daniyel Ngata.
However, Trayanum's physical ability to move the chains has yet to be duplicated, as the Sun Devils are deeply missing the cherry on top of their "pick up first downs whenever we want" sundae. ASU just hasn't been able to churn the clock in dominant fashion aside from the occasional Jayden Daniels keeper.
Ball security was emphasized: Speaking of Daniels, he looked like a completely different quarterback on Saturday night. He was able to progress through reads and escape the pocket in situations where Daniels normally would have forced footballs into tight windows/unfavorable coverage.
Zero turnovers vs. Colorado marked the first occurrence of the year, and after coming off a four-turnover BYU loss, it's obvious head coach Herm Edwards and Co. placed an emphasis on protecting the football and not beating themselves.
ASU can get to the quarterback?: The Sun Devils were able to consistently pressure Buffs quarterback Brendon Lewis throughout the course of the game. ASU's defensive line, missing Jermayne Lole, Travez Moore and B.J. Green after his ejection, were still able to compile three sacks.
Many questions were asked of ASU's front seven, especially with the missing pieces in the trenches and secondary. At least at this moment, those questions can be answered with a resounding: "Yes, we're able to bring down opposing quarterbacks" from all defensive players.
Confidence is key: The Sun Devils we watched on Saturday did a complete 180 -degree turn from the team we saw in Provo a week ago. It's easy to say you will rebound and improve after a 16-penalty, four-turnover loss to any team in the nation.
Yet, ASU proved they had regained its swagger not for everybody else, but for themselves. The team knows they're capable of capturing big things this season, and they'll need all the self-belief they can garner before heading on the road for a second time in three weeks.
Arizona State looked like a team capable of playing good football and having fun while doing it, dominating both sides of the ball for the better part of the game.