ESPN’s May says ASU vs. Oregon will be a ‘beatdown’
Oct 16, 2012, 6:45 PM | Updated: 9:17 pm
The Arizona State Sun Devils face what is arguably their first real test of the 2012 season Thursday when the Oregon Ducks come to town.
ESPN NCAA football analyst Mark May thinks they’ll fail. Badly.
“It will be a beatdown,” May told Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Tuesday, predicting a 55-21 final score.
May said Oregon’s speed, especially with D’Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner, will prove to be too much for Todd Graham’s Sun Devils.
And why not, they’ve been too much for everyone they’ve faced thus far.
The Ducks are scoring a ridiculous 52.3 points per game while averaging 302.3 yards per contest on the ground. Barner has racked up 727 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, while Thomas has reached the end zone a combined nine times as a runner and receiver.
May thinks the Ducks will get out to an early lead and force Arizona State into making some mistakes.
“Once they start pulling away, Arizona State will start having to risk things offensively and they’ll start having to do things that they normally don’t do,” May said. “And that will cost them because they’ll turn the ball over once they’re behind.”
Arizona State has faced little adversity thus far in the season, though that could be because they are simply a good team. Or, maybe, it is just a sign that their schedule has been incredibly soft.
Either way, the Ducks come in ranked third in the BCS standings and second in the AP top 25, so anyone waiting to see the Sun Devils face some stiff competition will get their wish.
