The Sun Devils haven’t been winning. They have been surviving. 5 out of the 13 games for Kenny Dillingham have been a bloodbath. Yes, the Devils got a seed with a conference title win against Iowa St., but those close games where they won’t have a leeway of 3-4 points point in a different direction. They almost got their a– handed to them by a 4-6 UCF team, and BYU also almost managed to curb-stomp the Devils’ offense. So, when you pile all of these factors up, what makes you think that Kenny Dillingham and his boys even have a shot at scoring a point against the Longhorns?

“Do we see Ann Arbor Quinn Ewers? Do we see Tuscaloosa of 2023 Quinn Ewers? If we do, Texas is going to freaking roll. They’re going to be a team that could potentially win the national championship,” J.D. PicKell points out. Quinn Ewers hasn’t been 100% healthy. Abdominal injury against UTSA. Ankle problem against the Wildcats. Finally, the oblique injury. Now, despite all that, 300+ yards against the Gators. 218 yards against A&M. 358 yards against Bulldogs. 202 yards against Clemson. He is hurt, but he is landing those long shots and touchdown passes like his life depends on it!!

And this will be a problem for ASU. In the entire Arch Manning vs Quinn Ewers debate, people tend to forget that Ewers is the guy who made the Texas offense what it is today. Go back to 2021: Do you think the Longhorns were capable of reaching the 2023 Sugar Bowl? If it wasn’t for Quinn Ewers?

He walked past a Nick Saban-led Alabama back in the day, so how hard can the Devils even be?? And this entire dilemma of whether Manning has to cover up for Ewers or not can finally take the backseat. Longhorns QB1 has done more than enough against Clemson.

So, yeah, we will see Manning, but Ewers still gets the start as he should. “And I don’t think anyone would be too surprised either if Arizona State got blown out on this game and all of a sudden we’re watching Arch Manning play in the fourth quarter,” Kaiden Smith adds.

But then again, if the Longhorns are so elite, then why not give them a free ticket to the natty? What’s even the point of talking about ASU, right?

ASU advance in close games

Why did we point out the 5 close games for the Devils? Yes, maybe their defense was too weak and allowed too many points. However, there is another factor. There is a pattern. Every time it has come down to the wire, ASU somehow manages to flip the script.

Close games are ASU’s bread and butter. The UCF game. 31-28 in the 4th quarter. Sam Leavitt throws a dime to Jordyn Tyson and, boom, touchdown, and the Devils win. Texas State? 28-21 in the 3rd quarter. Cam Skattebo picks up the pace and scores a TD, tying the score 28-28 going into the 4th quarter.

ASU’s defense barely allows the Bobcats to move the football. Follow that up with the beautiful short pass and fumble, and the Devils take home the win with a field goal. See, Kenny Dillingham’s squad might not be the most elite out there, but they still have something.

If the old Ewers problem arises and Sark’s love for his QB1 gets the best of him, then ASU might end up pulling an upset!!