Tempe, Arizona - Sun Devil Football heads the Los Angeles this weekend for its Pac-12 road opener against the USC Trojans on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The contest is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. PT kickoff and will be broadcast live on FOX with Joe Davis, Brady Quinn and Jenny Taft on the call.
The Trojans lead the all-time series against ASU, 20-12, though the Sun Devils have come on strong of late in winning three of the last five games in the series after losing 11-straight from 2000-10. The Sun Devils have found some success against the USC defense since 2010, scoring 30 or more points four times in the last six games after clearing 30 just five times in HISTORY against the Trojans from 1978-2010.
The Sun Devils are looking to win two straight at the Coliseum for the first time since 1986 and 1991 - the only other time in history that has happened.
The Trojans come into the weekend looking for answers after a 1-3 start against arguably the toughest schedule in the country through four games (three ranked opponents with a combined 8-1 record to date). The Trojans will be looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2001.
Adoree Jackson continues to be a bright spot for USC and has been a difference in the return game, posting two punt returns for an average of 51.0 yards and touchdown while ranked fifth nationally in averaging 35.6 yards per kickoff return.
THE PAC-12 - The Sun Devils are 16-21-1 all-time in Pac-12 road openers but have won three of four with Todd Graham at the helm of the program. Since arriving, Todd Graham has won at least one Pac-12 game in California each season, with wins over #7 UCLA (2015), USC (#JaelMary in 2014), #14 UCLA (clinched Pac-12 South) and California (first Pac-12 road game in 2012). Prior to the California win on Sept. 29, 2012, ASU had lost seven straight Pac-12 games in California and was 3-23 from 1998-2011 prior to Coach Graham's arrival.
AN ASU VICTORY WOULD...
- Be the fourth victory in the last six games against Troy after an 11-game losing-streak from 2000-10.
- Improve ASU to 17-21-1 all-time in Pac-12 road openers and 4-1 under Todd Graham.
- Be ASU's third straight win in Pac-12 road opener.
- Move ASU to 25-13 in Pac-12 games since Todd Graham took over in 2012 and 20-9 in such games in the past three seasons - both marks leading the Pac-12 South in those respective time spans.
- Mark the first time since 2007 that the Sun Devils have started a season 5-0 and just the fifth time it has happened since 1976.
- Give ASU its first 2-0 start in Pac-12 action since 2012.
- Move the Sun Devils to 4-0 in their annual contests in Los Angeles in the past four seasons (currently with two wins at the Rose Bowl and one in the Coliseum).
- Improve ASU to 5-3 in the State of California under Todd Graham after going 3-23 from 1998-2011.