Cal vs. Arizona State Football 2009
Golden Bears Head to Tempe in Search of 3rd Consecutive Pac-10 Win
Oct 28, 2009
The Golden Bears will aim for their third consecutive victory when they face Arizona State in a Pac-10 Conference football game Saturday, Oct. 31, at Tempe, Ariz.
California (5-2 overall, 2-2 Pac-10) looks to be on the comeback trail, being ranked No. 24 in this week's Bowl Championship Series standings. But the Golden Bears have not yet returned to the AP rankings after being rated as high as No. 6.
The Bears fell out of the polls after starting conference play with humiliating losses to Oregon and Southern Cal. They bounced back with a 45-26 win over UCLA on Oct. 17, then pummeled conference patsy Washington State 49-17 at home last weekend.
Such a blowout will be tough to duplicate Saturday. Arizona State (4-3, 2-2) might not be an offensive juggernaut, and the Sun Devils were roughed up 33-14 by Stanford last weekend. But Dennis Erickson's team still boasts one of the nation's best defenses.
The Sun Devils are yielding an average of 280 yards per game, ranking 11th in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense. And their run defense is sixth in the FBS, allowing only 83.43 yards per game.
On the other hand, Arizona State did get steamrolled for 473 total yards by Stanford, and the Sun Devils haven't exactly been powerhouses vs. Cal in recent years.
The Golden Bears are 5-1 vs. ASU since Jeff Tedford took over as head coach in 2002. Cal won last year's game 24-14 to force a 14-14 tie in the all-time series. But the Sun Devils took the last game at Tempe, 31-20, in 2007.
Saturday's game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. PST, and will be telecast regionally by ABC.
Cal Offense 10th in FBS Scoring
Cal's recent scoring surge has lifted its per-game average to 35.14 points, which is tied for 10th in the FBS. The Golden Bears are also averaging 430.1 yards per game, with the yardage almost perfectly split between the run (216) and pass (214.1).
Running back Jahvid Best has rekindled some Heisman Trophy talk with a pair of strong games. The junior has rushed for 775 yards and 11 TDs in 2009, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He's also caught 14 passes for 156 yards and three more touchdowns.
Another dual threat out of the backfield is Shane Vereen. The sophomore has rushed for 375 yards and six touchdowns on 5.4 yards per attempt, and he's made 12 receptions for 152 yards and two TDs.
Quarterback Kevin Riley has passed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's hitting on only 54.1 percent of his throws, but he's been intercepted just twice. The Bears have committed only six turnovers.
Marvin Jones (18 receptions, 308 yards, 4 TDs) is the leading receiver. Anthony Miller (14 catches, 189 yards) is second, followed by Best.
Golden Bears Getting After Opposing QBs
A strong point for the Cal defense has been its pass rush. The Golden Bears have recorded 23 sacks, and their 3.71 average is fourth in the FBS. Tyson Alualu leads the team with five, and fellow lineman Cameron Jordan has 4.5.
Cal is giving up 22.3 points and 384.1 yards per game. Linebacker Mike Mohamed paces the Bears with 62 tackles, and linebacker Mychal Kendricks is second with 49, although he hasn't started the past two games.
Alualu has posted 32 tackles, and safety Brett Johnson has added 31. Cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson has made 29 tackles and broken up five passes.
Sun Devils Inconsistent on Offense
Arizona State's offense showed spark in a 24-17 win over Washington, gaining 464 yards. But the Sun Devils managed just 290 vs. Stanford. On the year, they're averaging 359.9, along with 26.7 points.
ASU has worked hard on establishing the running game, with a moderate degree of success. Dmitri Nance has rushed for 471 yards and five TDs on 4.3 yards per attempt, and Ryan Bass and Cameron Marshall have also provided some nice runs.
The passing game's been less consistent. Danny Sullivan is hitting on 54.1 percent of his passes for 1,414 yards, with seven TDs against five interceptions.
Chris McGaha (36 catches, 419 yards, 3 TDs) and Kyle Williams (34 receptions, 397 yards, 2 TDs) head the receiving corps, and Nance has helped out with 20 catches for 167 yards.
Linebackers Spearhead ASU Defense
The Sun Devils defense never recovered from a slow start vs. Stanford, but the unit has played superbly for most of 2009.
ASU is giving up only 18.4 points per game, and opposing rushers are averaging only 2.7 yards per carry. The Sun Devils are also tied for third in the FBS with three interceptions.
Linebackers Mike Nixon and Vontaze Burfict lead the way. Nixon, who is a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy, has made a team-high 42 tackles and is one of three Sun Devils with three interceptions. Burfict, the highly touted freshman, has 36 tackles, including five for losses.
Defensive tackle Saia Falahola leads the Sun Devils with seven tackles for loss, including four sacks. Linebacker Brandon Magee has made six tackles for loss, and safeties Jarell Holman and Ryan McFoy have three interceptions apiece.
