Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State sits at 3-3 with a 2-4 mark against the spread, and the season has been defined by extremes. The Sun Devils opened with a 70-7 demolition of Morgan State in which Cutter Boley threw six touchdown passes and the offense piled up 688 yards. But against the first real test at Texas A&M, ASU outgained the Aggies 369-255 yet lost 48-20 after two fourth-quarter interceptions were returned for touchdowns. A neutral-site win over Kansas in London followed, but it was a 24-17 grind in which Boley threw for only 95 yards. Then came a 55-19 home loss to Baylor in which the defense allowed 564 yards, and a 30-12 win over Hawai'i that was more workmanlike than dominant. The only consistent thread is inconsistency.

The Sun Devils have turned the ball over in catastrophic spots in every game against quality competition. At Texas A&M, Boley threw two interceptions that were returned for scores, and a muffed punt set up an Aggies touchdown on the 8-yard line. Against Baylor, Boley threw another pick and the defense could not get off the field, allowing DJ Lagway to throw for 306 yards and four touchdowns. The secondary, flagged in the preseason as the biggest question, has been picked apart by Reed and Lagway. The front seven, led by C.J. Fite and Owen Long, has been stout at times (holding Morgan State to 188 yards and Kansas to 17 points), but when the pass rush does not get home, the back end is vulnerable. Until the turnovers and coverage tighten, ASU will struggle to beat good teams.

Boston College transfer Reed Harris has been uncoverable, with 137 yards and two scores in the opener, a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns at Texas A&M, and seven catches for 125 yards against Baylor. He had his Big 12-leading eighth touchdown catch against Texas Tech. Omarion Miller added 102 yards in the opener, but has been quieter since. The run game found a new weapon in freshman Cardae Mack, who ran for 154 yards and two scores against Hawai'i, including a 67-yard burst. Kyson Brown and Marquis Gillis remain in the mix, but Mack's emergence gives the offense a physical dimension it lacked. The concern is that Boley's decision-making against bracket coverage has led to interceptions, and the staff may be considering a quarterback change after Mikey Keene relieved Boley at Texas Tech and threw for 256 yards and two scores.

The return game has provided a spark, with Jaren Hamilton taking a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against Kansas and averaging over 22 yards per return against Hawai'i. Punter Nick McLarty was brought in to fix a net punting unit that was among the worst in the FBS last season, and he has been serviceable, but the coverage units have had breakdowns, including a blocked punt against Hawai'i that the defense bailed out. Kicker Carson Smith has been reliable, hitting four field goals against Baylor. The onside kick in the opener showed the staff's aggressiveness, but the muffed punt at Texas A&M was a costly mistake. In close games, these hidden yards will matter.

Arizona State has already logged over 6,700 travel miles, including a 5,271-mile trip to London and a 935-mile trek to College Station. The remaining schedule is more forgiving, with home games against Kansas State and others, but the Sun Devils must clean up the turnovers and secondary lapses to take advantage. The Big 12 is wide open, and ASU's talent, particularly at receiver and along the defensive front, is enough to compete. But the quarterback situation is unsettled, and the defense has yet to prove it can stop a competent passing attack. The rest of the season is about finding consistency and deciding whether Boley or Keene gives the team the best chance to win. A bowl game is still very much in reach, but the margin for error is slim.