Each week, two alligatorSports columnists will debate the biggest looming matchup in college football. Today, Adam Lichtenstein and Adam Pincus preview No. 5 Stanford’s showdown against No. 23 Arizona State in Stanford, Calif., on Saturday at 7 p.m. on FOX.
Adam: As you may have noticed, both columnists this week have the same (read: best) first name. For simplicity and longevity’s sake, I, Adam Lichtenstein, will go by “Adam,” and Adam Pincus will go by “Pincus.”
Were you expecting a game with more orange? Although Tennessee-Florida may be a closer rivalry game, the fact of the matter is that it simply won’t be a very good game.
Tennessee was absolutely thrashed by Oregon last weekend, and although the Gators don’t have nearly as good of an offense as the Ducks, they will handle the Volunteers without much trouble.
Meanwhile, as triumphant Florida fans make their way out of the gates of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the sole top-25 matchup of the week will be brewing on the West Coast.
Arizona State comes into this week after one of the most bizarre endings to a game that I have ever seen. Up against then-No. 20 Wisconsin, ASU took a lead but allowed UW to march down the field at the end of the fourth quarter. With seconds to spare, Badgers quarterback Joel Stave tried to set up his kicker with an easy field goal, but Stave put the ball down while failing to actually make contact with the ground. The Sun Devils piled on top of the fumble, ending the game.
Arizona State got the break of a lifetime and scratched out a win last week, but it won’t be so lucky when it travels to Stanford this week. The Cardinal will win this game easily.
Pincus: Not so fast my friend (insert Lee Corso finger wag). How can you go against a school that leads the nation in blackouts on and off the field? Arizona State is a perennial party-school-list powerhouse.
This is a huge game for both schools. For Stanford, it’s a chance to recover from a less-than-impressive 34-20 win against Army and an opportunity to solidify its No. 5 ranking.
For Arizona State, it’s a chance to prove that last week was more than luck. The Sun Devils need this football game. A win would practically hand them the Pacific-12 South Division title, considering UCLA’s tougher schedule going forward.
If you want to get geeky, Arizona State tops Stanford in total offense and has a nearly identical mark in total defense with 304 yards per game compared to the Cardinal’s 292. After two-and-a-half seasons of watching Florida football, I’m all for a passing offense that throws for 358.5 yards per game. Yet, Stanford allows less than half of that per contest. Something has got to give, and judging by last week’s miraculous finish against the Badgers, who can go against the Sun Devils with the football gods on their sides?
Adam: It must be nice out in Phoenix now that ASU is getting its first taste of relevancy since Rod Tidwell told Jerry Maguire to show him the money.
Unfortunately for all those Sun Devils out there, it’s not going to last.
Yeah, Stanford did not look like a top-five team to open the season, but the Cardinal will finally shake off its preseason sleepiness when it enters Stanford Stadium against a worthy opponent.
Senior running back Tyler Gaffney is back in football form after sitting out the 2012 season to play minor league baseball.
Gaffney averaged more than six yards per carry as Stepfan Taylor’s backup in 2011, and Gaffney is right back at it after hitting .297 and stealing 11 bases in the New York-Penn League.
Through the first two games of the season, Gaffney is notching 5.9 yards per touch and is 19th in the nation with 118 yards per game.
Arizona State may have held punchless Sacramento State to 51 yards on the ground, but when the Sun Devils took on the Badgers — you know, a team with an actual rushing attack — they let Melvin Gordon beat them to the tune of 193 yards and a pair of scores.
When Gaffney lines up in the backfield, he will have the Sun Devils at hello.
Pincus: As an aside, I’m watching this game because Gus Johnson will be in the booth. He could make even a conversation with you sound exciting! What a legend.
Granted, it doesn’t look good for the Sun Devils, but picking them isn’t as stupid as quoting the cheesiest part of a great football movie. Your sensitivity is quite cute.
I’m going all in on Todd Graham’s squad from the desert.
Name to watch out for: wide receiver Jaelen Strong. The sophomore has 12 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown. He’s been quarterback Taylor Kelly’s go-to receiver through the first two weeks.
There isn’t much else to talk about for a Pac-12 game that few in Gainesville will watch.
Gators fans will be recovering from tailgating hangovers, run-heavy offenses and a Florida win against the boys from Rocky Top.
Follow Adam Lichtenstein on Twitter @ALichtenstein24. Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus.
Arizona State’s Jake Sheffield (91), Kody Koebensky (67) and Chris Coyle (87) celebrate a 32-30 victory against Wisconsin on Saturday in Phoenix. Arizona State faces Stanford this weekend.
