It’s weird to call a 1-6 team close, but for the Sun Devils, it doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!They have played up to every team they’ve faced this year. If you look at the USC game, they were one or two plays away from at that point, upsetting the #5 team in the country. Their offense kept them close, and their defense made huge stops in the middle portions of that game to put USC on upset alert. Unfortunately, the wheels came off in the fourth quarter, which feels like it’s happened a lot.
Then, it was the Colorado game. Everyone expected Colorado to destroy the Sun Devils, but they didn’t. In fact, Trenton Bourguet played the best game of his career. The defense stalled Shadeur Sanders as much as they needed to, and Arizona State came down and scored a Touchdown with only a minute left to tie the game. Then, the defense allowed a 45-yard pass and the game-winning field goal. Once again, ASU was so close to pulling off a huge win and could not do it.
Then was this past weekend versus #5 Washington. The defense put together one of the best performances in school history. They didn’t allow a touchdown to the #1 ranked offense in the country. They forced four turnovers and didn’t allow Heisman trophy candidate Michael Penix to get comfortable. The offense put up one touchdown. They got deep into Washington territory four times. Two ended in missed field goals. The other ended in a pick-six that gave Washington the win. ASU was so close to pulling off the biggest win in school history. Yet again, so close, yet so far.
Kenny Dillingham knows it.
“We can see how close we are, in year one, through all of this; all the banged up, the negative. We’re this close. We’re this close to not just being a solid team. We’re this close to beating the #5 team in the country. We’re this close to beating USC. We’re this close to beating good football teams. This close. We’re going in the right direction. Would I like it to happen faster? Yes. I’d like it to happen much faster, but you know what? You can’t control the time of when it’s going to flip, but when we learn how to win, we are going to be a really dangerous football team.”
Arizona State put together one of its best defensive performances in program history. The Sun Devils forced four turnovers and didn't allow Washington to score a single offensive touchdown.
At home.
Yet it still wasn't enough.
Kenny Dillingham knows ASU is on the cusp. pic.twitter.com/qXmDBAKyfj
— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) October 22, 2023
Arizona State might be 1-6, but they are very close to 4-3. They are very close to beating the best of the best. Kenny Dillingham has this team in the right direction. He just needs the execution late in games to boost up. He needs his players back and healthy. This season might be a lost one for the Sun Devils, but rest assured, they look like a bowl contender next year.
