Tempe, Arizona - Sun Devil Football returns home to celebrate its annual Homecoming Weekend with the game taking place Saturday, October 22 at Sun Devil Stadium. The contest is slated for a 7 p.m. start in Arizona and will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks with Roxy Bernstein on the call alongside Anthony Herron and Lewis Johnson.
THE COUGARS - The Sun Devils hold a 26-14-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Cougars and are winners of 10 of the lastr 12 games against WSU. ASU has not lost to Washington State at home since 2001.
The Cougars shook off a slow start to the year (0-2) to reel off four consecutive victories and find themselves in a tie for first place in the Pac-12 North with a 3-0 record in conference play. Those three victories have come against three of the top teams in the Pac-12 in recent memory (Oregon, Stanford and UCLA) by a combined margin of 120-70.
Washington State has found its usual success through the air this season, ranking seventh nationally in averaging 361.3 passing yards per game - though they earned the UCLA victory without throwing for a touchdown for the first time in 41 games. Defensively, WSU has been stout against the run, leading the Pac-12 in allowing just 104.5 yards per game (12th nationally)
An improved run game is averaging 140.2 yards per game, worth keeping an eye on this weekend as WSU has rushed for just 73 TOTAL yards in its last seven games against ASU.
HOMECOMING - The Sun Devils are 64-19-4 (.745) all-time on Homecoming Weekend with wins in five of the last six games - the lone blemish coming in a last second loss to UCLA in 2012. This season marks the 30-year anniversary of the 1986 Sun Devil team that went on the win the 1987 Rose Bowl with a 22-15 upset over perennial powerhouse Michigan. Arizona State will that team at the annual Legends Luncheon on the Arizona Grand Resort on Friday with over 50 members from the 1986 roster returning for the event as well as former head coach John Cooper.
AN ASU VICTORY WOULD...
- Improve ASU to 9-2 in regular season games since 2013 following a loss. ASU has lost consecutive regular seasons games just twice in the Todd Graham era (four straight in 2012 and threee straight last season).
- Move the Devils to 27-14-2 all-time against Washington State, including wins in 10 of the last 12 games against the Cougars. ASU has not lost a home contest against WSU since 2001.
- Improve ASU's home winning streak to seven games with the last loss coming in triple overtime against Oregon last season.
- Move the Devils to 26-6 at home in the Todd Graham era. Currently at 25-6, ASU has the third-best home record in the Pac-12 since 2012 behind only Stanford (26-4) and Oregon (26-6). The 25 wins are eighth most in the FBS in that time span.
- Mark the 40th victory for Todd Graham as head coach of the Sun Devils.