#21 Arizona State @ #22 California: Sept 23rd

[Dback Jon]

Battle of two ranked teams in their conference opener

 

[Future1984]

ASU 28
Cal 24

 

[Nasser22]

I'm really excited for this. I'm worried but it should still be a good game. Koetter is due for a win in Cali.

 

[Russ Smith]

I'm a lot less confident about this game than I was a few weeks ago. Cal has major injury problems on both sides of the ball this is a really tough matchup.

Cal has 2 starting OL's out although Cameron MIGHT play. Lynch apparently was sick last week but I read on a Cal board today that he's limping around campus implying he may be more than sick. They lost Tim Mixon to a season ending knee injury which is why that soph CB that got killed against UT has been playing, he's played better but ASU is a lot better than the last two opponents.

Longshore has improved markedly since the opener but again ASU is on a different level from Portland State, he was so nervous against UT it really scared me.

All that said I'll still pick Cal because it's a home game but I think ASU is going to really cause them a lot of problems because of their balance on offense. It's too bad Cal doesn't have a better QB because people are not realizing how good DeSean Jackson is because they can't get him the ball.

16 catches, 304 yards, 5 tds and I swear he could have had 4-5 more if Longshore and Ayoob had gotten the ball to him. Even in the UT loss he was WIDE open twice for TD's and got missed, will be really interested to see if Pac 10 teams are going to double him and if they do will Hawkins and Jordan step up?

Should be a fun game to watch, going to be a lot of offense I expect.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

definitely should be a fun one

with my canes killing me I'm fully on the ASU bandwagon for this season - fun to see the local boys play well

 

[devilfan02]

I'm a lot less confident about this game than I was a few weeks ago. Cal has major injury problems on both sides of the ball this is a really tough matchup.

Cal has 2 starting OL's out although Cameron MIGHT play. Lynch apparently was sick last week but I read on a Cal board today that he's limping around campus implying he may be more than sick. They lost Tim Mixon to a season ending knee injury which is why that soph CB that got killed against UT has been playing, he's played better but ASU is a lot better than the last two opponents.

Longshore has improved markedly since the opener but again ASU is on a different level from Portland State, he was so nervous against UT it really scared me.

All that said I'll still pick Cal because it's a home game but I think ASU is going to really cause them a lot of problems because of their balance on offense. It's too bad Cal doesn't have a better QB because people are not realizing how good DeSean Jackson is because they can't get him the ball.

16 catches, 304 yards, 5 tds and I swear he could have had 4-5 more if Longshore and Ayoob had gotten the ball to him. Even in the UT loss he was WIDE open twice for TD's and got missed, will be really interested to see if Pac 10 teams are going to double him and if they do will Hawkins and Jordan step up?

Should be a fun game to watch, going to be a lot of offense I expect.

I agree with your assesment. Cal is very injury riddled with their top DB's out and their OL banged up as well. Marshawn Lynch is the real deal but he has been slowed by a bad ankle. Who knows how bad his injury is but even at 50%, he should have a good day. Cal currently has the 109th ranked pass defense which doesn't fair well against a very balanced and effective ASU offense. ASU also leads the nation in sacks with 18 which is only four short of their total last season. Cal has bounced back well since Tenn but IMO ASU is the best offense they will see so far this season.

All this said, who has ASU played? No one. Nevada seems to be our toughest opponent so far and we played very well. Colorado has a good defense and we picked them apart pretty good but I have major questions about this team.... We have ZERO discipline, our offense looks extremely conservative (playcalling and/or us not being as explosive as in years past), Rudy Carpenter, our recieving corps, and our LB's in PAC-10 play. We have turned the ball over way too much, in large part due to Rudy Carpenter. He looks very shaky this year and the conservative play calling could be for this reason too. Koetter says he will call games differently this year to keep his defense off the field as much as possible. I have yet to see us throw down field like we have in years past. Hopefully Koetter was saving his plays for this part of the season. How many stupid penalties can this team make? It's like watching a damn Cardinals game. Our LB's have looked good but I hope they can perform against elite RB's and recievers in PAC-10 play. I still am usure of that unit.

I have to give the edge to Cal in this game as Tedford has complete ownership of Koetter and the game is in California. Until Koetter proves he can win in California and/or win a big PAC-10 game I will side with the opponent in these type of games. We can very easliy win this game and if we do, I wouldn't consider it an upset. Rather, it would be a step into the national spotlight. Of course I will be cheering for ASU but it's tough to pick us given our recent history in games like this. Hopefully Koetter can prove me wrong this Saturday

 

[FArting]

we must stop marshawn lynch

 

[Russ Smith]

we must stop marshawn lynch

I love Lynch, i started another thread with the youtube video of his TD run last week, just amazing.

Tedford was quoted in today's paper about a late hit call a Cal OL got last week saying while he agreed it was a good call he said it's really unfair when you consider Marshawn had the ball. Marshawn is so good that we teach our OL's to never give up when he has the ball because at any time he can just bust out of the pile and if you are still blocking it can turn into a TD(like the 71 yarder against Portland State). On the penalty play Lynch was in a pileup and the C kept blocking away from the pile and got a penalty.

But Tedford basically said when your RB is THAT good, you're willing to take some of those penalties because when he DOES bust the tackle you want your OL still blocking.

 

[AZBALLER]

Commom sense tells me that cal will win...but...

The team with the best qb almost always wins in the Pac Ten...Cal's qb sucks...need I say more?

It should be a great game IMO.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I feel good about today's game, I'm looking forward to watching it. Carpenter is going to need to look much sharper today than he did last week, and the offensive line needs to cut down on all of the silly mistakes. I don't know how many false starts and the like they have had so far this season, but it seems to be a lot higher than at this time last season.

 

[Mrh182]

this is pathetic.... haha

 

[Card Trader]

This must be what UofA fans feel like when they play a half-way decent team

 

[O]

This must be what UofA fans feel like when they play a half-way decent team

I guess we'll find out later today.

 

[Card Trader]

Rudy is sucking it up today

 

[azsouthendzone]

Rudy is sucking it up today

That is basically what you get with an unproven, young, QB who has never won a big game in his life, coupled with a horrible head coach who lets his senior QB transfer. I hate Dirk, and I'll toss Rudy right in there with him. Another wasted year.

 

[azsouthendzone]

OMG. I may have just witnessed the WORST INT of all time. Carpenter is far from a good QB. ISn't this the same clown who said, "I don't wanna play in the Insight Bowl. If I wanted to play there I would have gone to Fresno St." Well Rudy, you'll be lucky to play in any bowl no matter where you go, and I'm sure Fresno St. feels the same about you. 49-21. Wow.

 

[Renz]

OMG. I may have just witnessed the WORST INT of all time.

Very Josh McCown-esque.

 

[Dback Jon]

49-21 Final

 

[ajcardfan]

Koetter's teams have repeatedly stunk it up in big games. Particularly within the conference. I complained about his "preparation" for these types of games the last three seasons and really did not want to see him get an extension. There was a brief glimmer of hope that they actually had the drop on Cal early in the game, but this was just an ugly, ugly trainwreck after that.

I feel like we're stuck with a poor coach with a limited future.

 

[sly fly]

Koetter must go. A 2nd grade music teacher would have known to run the ball down Cal's throats.

I've seen enough of his act.

Carpenter. I'm having a hard time sticking up for some smug sophomore who forced his way into the starting lineup.

If his play was above-average, it would have been justified.

But, Carpenter is just a bad, bad college QB right now.

BTW, leave the ball alone after your guy runs an INT back for a TD against you. What the hell are you picking it up for, you scrub.

And, nice attempt to tackle after you throw your first INT.

Geez, he sure did pull the wool over Koetter's eyes.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Why did we sign Kotter to a extension again.... we always score 20 pts a game but when your defense gives up 40 pts a game to ranked teams and not cupcakes your going to lose. I'm going to hate to see what USC does to this defense I just hope we are able to give usc sometype of game and not get blown by 30 plus GO DEVILS

 

[O]

PATHETIC
is the only way to describe this performance.

Dirk should be fired immediately.
Jeez, how many times have we heard that.

 

[Mrh182]

hahaha

Every season this happens and I hope it never changes! These guys run up a 3-0 record against easy teams then get blown away when the PAC-10 season starts up. I can't wait for USC and Oregon to beat them down next, hahaha

Oh... and by the way... I saw the ASU basketball schedule too, I guess sugar coating your record before the competition starts is the way to go:

Northern Arizona, Cal State San Bernardino, Portland State, San Jose State, Northern Colorado, Colgate, North Carolina A&T, Davidson and Ohio

Awesome...

 

[mjb21aztd]

How many years did asu resing kotter to again 5 or 6 eaither way i'm not happy with this move

 

[NMCard]

I cannot belive ASU can be so noncompetitive in the divison.