The program hasn't had a winning season since 2007. First-year coach Todd Graham was coming off a 6-6 campaign during his only year at Pittsburgh. And, quarterback Taylor Kelly -- who had four career passes to his name before 2012 -- needed an impressive showing during Fall Camp just to win the job.

Four games in and a 3-1 record later, ASU has certainly made a case that this season is not a transition into a new coaching regime.

"If you had told me that in the three games we've won of four, that we would have won in as dominating a shape as we did and Taylor Kelly would have come out of nowhere from Spring Training and played great, I would have been ecstatic," athletic director Steve Patterson said on Arizona Sports 620's Doug & Wolf. "I think all Sun Devil fans should be pleased with the job Todd Graham and his staff have done."

The Sun Devils will look to avenge a long road drought -- haven't won since 1997 -- against California this weekend. While ASU doesn't want to get too far ahead of themselves, road wins against the Golden Bears Saturday and potentially Colorado next weekend would go a long way towards securing a bowl berth.

Following their game against the Buffaloes on Oct. 6, Graham and Co. face three ranked foes -- No. 2 Oregon, No. 13 USC and No. 18 Oregon State -- and a much-improved UA squad during the second half of their season.

"[Our schedule] does get tougher," said Patterson. "When you start playing Oregon and UCLA, and then at Oregon State and USC, this weekend's game against California becomes a big game for us."