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By Sam Good, ASUDevils.com Staff Writer 6 hours, 52 minutes ago
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For the Arizona State football team, this Saturday’s match up against Cal is thus far the most important game of the season.
If the Sun Devils win the game, they will improve to 3-2 overall, 2-0 in the Pac-10, and their misstep against UNLV back on Sept. 13 won’t seem like such a season killer.
<!--Start Paul Fanaika 0809 200w267 Image--><!-- End Paul Fanaika 0809 200w267 Image-->But if ASU loses, it will be below .500 for the first time in three years and will be in a big hole for the rest of the season.
Over the past two weeks, the Sun Devils have maintained high spirits and had very energized practices.
The players and coaches all know ASU still has a lot to play for and they all believe the team will be able to bounce back from consecutive losses.
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“This game is huge for us,” linebacker Mike Nixon said. “There’s a lot riding on it as far as our season goes.
“I know the character of this team and we won’t have any problem bouncing back from those last two games. We’re just going to go out there and play like we know we can.”
Coach Dennis Erickson said the bye-week was good for his team and that he can’t wait to see how it responds when it takes the field Saturday.
“This is a good group,” Erickson said. “They’re no different of a group than when we started the season. Unfortunately we lost a couple of games so now the resiliency of our players and our coaches is going to be tested.
“[The bye-week] was good preparation. Our players realize that. They realize what’s ahead of them. We [practiced] well this week and see what happens Saturday at Cal against one of the best football teams in our conference.”
Since their last game nearly two weeks ago, the Sun Devils have made several significant changes to their starting lineup.
Starting middle linebacker Gerald Munns left the team for personal reasons and Morris Wooten will take his place.
Tom Njunge has replaced Adam Tello at right tackle.
True freshman Lawrence Guy will start at defensive tackle opposite David Smith.
And although Erickson has not made this official, it appears another true freshman, Clint Floyd, will start at strong safety.
There are two big factors that could determine how the game goes for ASU: this is the team’s first road contest of the year and it could possibly rain in Berkeley on Saturday.
The fact that this is the first road game is so important is because for some of the Sun Devils who figure to see playing time this weekend, this will be their first ever collegiate game away from Sun Devil Stadium.
But those guys aren’t nervous. They’re excited at the opportunity to go into another team’s stadium and possibly leave with a win.
“Back in high school, me and my boys, we used to love away games,” linebacker Brandon Magee said. “So I’m excited to go away. We get to go on a plane, that’s nice. I can’t wait.”
And the veterans, the team leaders, they have given the young guys lots of advice on how to handle road trips.
Quarterback Rudy Carpenter told them to treat this weekend like a “business trip.”
Right guard Paul Fanaika told the young players that the key to winning road games is mental toughness.
“We’ve got to get our minds right,” Fanainka said. “I just told them that we’ve got to be sharp out there. We’ve got to stay mentally focused.”
And as far as the rain goes, the Sun Devils aren’t concerned.
“Let it rain. Let it pour,” Magee said. “It doesn’t matter. We’re just going to go out there and play how Arizona State football plays.”
