TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State opened its football season with a dominant 48-7 win over Wyoming, but ASU can’t get comfortable as they prepare for a home game against an SEC opponent with history on the line. The Sun Devils couldn't have asked for a better start to the season, but the coaching staff continues to push for perfection.
“You have some success, and you think you’ve made it. You’ve got to come back and do it all over again and that’s hard for a lot of young kids,” ASU wide receivers coach Hines Ward said. “I want these guys to play as perfect as possible even though I know it’s hard to play a perfect game. But we can control that.”
Arizona State racked up only four penalties for 30 yards in the season opener against Wyoming. Quarterback Sam Leavitt looked in control of the offense in his first career start, throwing a pair of touchdowns without turning the ball over. A new standard has been set at ASU where the attention to detail is emphasized. The Sun Devil defense kept Wyoming out of the end zone until the final play of the game while allowing just 118 yards of total offense in week 1.
“I just thought as a defense we executed when we needed to, and I was just really proud of everybody. Even the last drive when they [Wyoming] scored,” ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward said. “There’s a couple calls I wish I could’ve had back and yeah we made a couple mistakes to allow those plays to happen… But the guys played really well.”
Arizona State football is 0-7 all-time against SEC opponents, most recently losing to Texas A&M in 2015. The Sun Devil defense will be tested by the Bulldogs' up-tempo pace and high-powered offense, which put up 56 points in their season opener. Second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham understands what a statement win over Mississippi State could do for his program moving forward.
“To say it wouldn’t be awesome is a lie. To say I haven’t talked about that is a lie. We’re not worried about that, like, it doesn’t change our process. Our process should be the exact same: being the very best we can be all the time,” Dillingham said. “But is there an added benefit to being the first team in history to win a game like that? Oh yeah.”
Coming off one of the highest-attended football games for ASU students, Dillingham continues to challenge fans to pack out Mountain America Stadium for the entirety of games. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Tempe.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.