State of ArizonaThe football program proved formidable in beating Wyoming to start the season.
There is no argument about that.
But will this continue when the The Devils of the Sun host the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday?
Actually, yes. I think it will be, even though there are big differences between the teams.
“I’m excited for this week,” ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said Wednesday after practice.
Dillingham is generally more optimistic than a guy who spends his last $20 on lottery tickets, but he’s taking a prove-it attitude with his team heading into Week 2.
“We better be prepared for them to give us their all,” Dillingham said of MSU. “I think it’s a big challenge for our guys.”
Dillingham doesn’t let anything resembling complacency or satisfaction enter his practice bubble.
He lashed out at his players for a sloppy workout Tuesday, saying they acted like they won the Super Bowl after the 48-7 victory over Wyoming.
And then on Wednesday, he talked about the Bulldogs like they had won the Super Bowl after beating Eastern Kentucky, 56-7.
“You’re facing a coach who’s a top-25 offensive player every year with a quarterback who’s a proven veteran who’s scored close to 60 points in a football game — in the rain,” Dillingham said of MSU coach Jeff Lebby and the Baylor transfer. Blake Shaped.
In mentioning the quarterback, Dillingham highlighted a big difference between Wyoming and Mississippi State. Shapen is in his third season as a starter. The Cowboys were playing with Evan Svoboda in just his second career start.
Dillingham’s message may sound like a coach’s speech, but to me he was speaking like a guy who had a 3-9 season and never wants to feel that way again.
He also speaks like a guy who knows a win over Mississippi State would mark the first time the Sun Devils football program has beaten an SEC school.
“That would be great,” Dillingham said. “That would be the case. … We don’t worry about it. It doesn’t change our process. Our process has to be exactly the same, the best it can be, all the time.”
“But is there an added benefit if you can be the first team in history to win a game like that? Is there an added benefit that Mississippi State circled that game and said, ‘We’re going to win,’ before the season started? … Oh, yeah.”
To listen to Dillingham, you would have no idea that ASU was favored to win by nearly a touchdown (6.5).
And for me, that’s exactly the right attitude.
Beating Wyoming was nice. And it’s probably ASU’s best win since the pandemic. But again, there are big differences between Wyoming and Mississippi State, like the gap between the Mountain West and the SEC.
There is some good football in the Mountain West, but that conference has never had a school in the College Football Playoff.
By comparison, SEC teams argue every year that every championship contender should come from their conference.
SEC players are bigger, stronger and faster than everyone else – and everyone knows it.
“They’re giants on the offensive line,” ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward said. “They’re very athletic at quarterback. If (Shapen) doesn’t see his first read, he’s going to move and try to create. Their running backs are physical, athletic and fast, and their receivers will outrun you.”
Preparing for this can’t be easy.
“We’re going to try to simulate that as best we can,” Ward said.
But he makes sure his guys stay focused on their work.
“It’s about us,” Ward said. “It’s not about them.”
Ward’s unit generated three turnovers against Wyoming, a serious improvement over last season, when ASU’s defense created just nine turnovers all year.
“We’re hoping to impact the quarterback and disrupt all the runs and make offenses win,” Ward said. “If we can disrupt offenses, stop the run and make them feel like they have to throw the ball … hopefully this weekend we’ll have another opportunity to create (returns).”
There should be some chance.
Mississippi State’s offense is expected to be fast. Lebby’s teams line up fast, turn the ball over fast and try to score fast.
It’s a lot different than what ASU faced against Wyoming, but if the Sun Devils stick to their basics and don’t get carried away with celebrating after every play, they could find themselves in position to pressure the quarterback into making some mistakes.
But for all the differences between Wyoming and Mississippi State, the most important difference is ASU.
The mood around Tempe this year is very different from the mood around Tempe the last two years.
If this were 2022 or 2023, I would predict the Sun Devils would get crushed. This year, I think ASU can give Mississippi State a serious challenge, which is not something I could imagine saying at the beginning of the season.
Contact Moore at [email protected] or at 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.
This article was originally published on the Arizona Republic: Arizona State can get first SEC win over Mississippi State
