TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State football is heading out on its first road trip of the season against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
After a dominant 40-3 win over Northern Arizona last week at home, the Sun Devils face their biggest test of the early season; a ranked opponent in a rowdy environment.
"I know it's going to be a hostile environment. But honestly, those games are the most fun for me," Sun Devil QB Emory Jones said.
ASU introduced a lot of fresh faces in their season opener against NAU, 43 to be exact. That includes their new offensive weapons in Jones, transfer RB Xazavian Valladay and a new receiving core.
Valladay ran for 116 yards against the Lumberjacks and the receiving core combined for 152 yards on 13 receptions. Jones knows the key to continuing to develop as a team is giving their personnel opportunities.
"Just get the ball in my playmaker's hands. I know they are going to touch the ball a lot more," he says. "Being able to distribute the ball and letting our guys make plays."
While the environment is a factor, Oklahoma State is a nationally ranked team with a lot of firepower and explosiveness, head coach Herm Edwards said.
"They are very confident and aggressive, they have an identity of what they want to do offensively and how they play defensively," Edwards says. "They score points. It's interesting, you can score 40 points and you don't win."
In order to walk out of the weekend with an undefeated 2-0 record, the Sun Devils need to continue to find their identity and a win against a tough opponent like Oklahoma State can do just that.
"It would be great for us. A huge confidence builder. It could definitely show the world all the work that we've put in and that Arizona State is back on the map," Jones said.
ASU and Oklahoma State kick off on Sept. 10 at 4:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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