ASU looks to correct some issues against Oregon State

What’s the best way to get over a tough loss? Well, playing the worst team in your conference is a start.

Arizona State will travel to Oregon State this Saturday to play its final road game of the regular season.

The Sun Devils will get a second opportunity to become bowl eligible after a 44-37 loss to UCLA, a game that felt like ASU missed on every opportunity while the Bruins won merely on big plays.

The Beavers are coming off a 49-28 loss to Arizona — their eighth straight loss.

This is an opportunity for the Sun Devils to clean up all the errors they had last Saturday and a chance to stamp their bowl eligibility.

Essential Info

What: Arizona State (5-5, 4-3 Pac-12) @ Oregon State (1-9, 0-7 Pac-12)

When: 1:00 p.m.

TV: Pac-12 Networks

Radio: 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station

Storylines to follow

Finish what you started

The Sun Devils’ offense scored two touchdowns on their first three drives against UCLA, but only registered one touchdown on its final 12 drives. ASU also failed to register an offensive touchdown in the second half of the game.

Arizona State put together three field goals, two turnovers on downs, one blocked punt returned for a touchdown and a punt after intermission.

For the most part, it was not an issue of moving the ball down the field but actually finishing drives. The Sun Devils had two drives that were over 70 yards that resulted in field goals and even a 93-yard drive that ended with a kick.

Despite the poor touchdown efficiency, the Sun Devils are still second in the Pac-12 in red zone touchdown percentage.

On 37 trips, ASU has been able to finish with 26 touchdowns, which is 70 percent of the time. That’s a higher percentage than Washington (66) and USC (58).

The Beavers have allowed the highest red zone touchdown percentage, allowing 38 touchdowns on 53 trips, which is 72 percent of the time.

‘Giving up the big play’

You get a big play, you get a big play, you get a big play and you get a big play!

Coming into the game, UCLA struggled with their running attack by averaging only 122 yards per game and had only three running plays that covered 30 or more yards all season.

In last Saturday’s game, UCLA managed to get 192 yards on the ground. UCLA running back Bolu Olorunfunmi got a 30-yard run play, wide receiver Eldrige Massington got a 39-yard scamper and fellow receiver Christian Pabico burned the Sun Devils with a 30-yard rushing gain.

The big plays didn’t all come from the ground. The Sun Devils gave up a 56-yard reception to Olorunfunmi and a 59-yard passing play to wide receiver Jordan Lasley.

OSU has not had much success on the offensive end this season. They are last in the Pac-12 in total offense and points scored a game.

Despite the lack of firepower, the Beavers have logged 19 plays that have covered 25 or more yards this season, with 16 of those coming in the passing game.

*Opposing running back* show

It seems like the Sun Devils every other week let a running back emerge on the national college football stage.

It started with San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny, who scored in three different ways with over 300 all-purpose yards. Don’t forget Stanford running back Bryce Love getting over 300 rushing yards or USC running back Ronald Jones II getting 216 yards on the ground, either.

As stated above, the Beavers don’t have much explosiveness in their personnel, but running back Ryan Nall has shown flashes. The junior is eighth in the Pac-12 in rushing, averaging 80.8 yards per game and has scored seven touchdowns on the ground.

Nall has three 100-yard games to his credit this season, including a 172-yard outburst against Colorado.

Stats to know

40.6 – In the Sun Devils’ dominant defensive performances against Washington and Utah they only gave up 17 points between the two teams. Since then they have given 40.6 points a game.

11 – In the first five games of the season, ASU quarterback Manny Wilkins was sacked 22 times. In the previous five games, he has only been sacked 11 times. Six of those sacks came against USC.

6-foot-4 – The Beavers’ three leading receivers are all at least 6-foot-4 and will have a big height advantage.

0 – OSU has not won a single game against an FBS school this season and this will be their last chance to do it at home before they travel to play Oregon in the Civil War.

914 – The Beavers have the sixth-most kickoff return yards in college football with 914 yards.