5 Storylines To Watch: Oregon-ASU

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Oregon football team has the chance Saturday to do something it hasn't done since 2014, with the Ducks looking to ink an undefeated record in road games into the record book when they play at Arizona State at 4:30 p.m. PT.

No. 6 Oregon (9-1, 7-0 Pac-12) is looking to extend a nine-game winning streak and keep itself alive in the College Football Playoff discussion. The Sun Devils (5-5, 2-5) are trying to right the ship and end a four-game losing streak.

The game will be televised by ABC, with Chris Fowler on play by play, Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis in the booth and Maria Taylor reporting from the sidelines.

Some storylines to follow in the game …

1. A week after clinching the Pac-12 North, Oregon can't afford a letdown.

The Ducks didn't come into this season looking simply to qualify for the Pac-12 championship game. Now that they've done so with two games left in the regular season, they can't let themselves be satisfied, and slip up against a dangerous ASU team.

Oregon is two wins away from being the first Pac-10/12 team to go unbeaten in conference play since the 2010 Ducks, and the very first to do since since the league expanded to 12 teams. They also must keep winning to keep themselves in the CFP discussion.

This is no time for a letdown.

2. With three games left to do so, can Justin Herbert play himself into the Heisman Trophy discussion?

Oregon's senior quarterback is coming off his fourth game this season with at least four touchdown passes. He was 20-of-28 for 333 yards last week against Arizona, his third straight game completing 70 percent or more of his passes, and the seventh time this year he's done so.

Herbert is generally considered to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the handful of Heisman finalists likely to be invited to New York for the trophy presentation. But he surely opened some eyes with last week's fireworks, including a 73-yard TD pass to Johnny Johnson III on the second play of the game, and the dart to Juwan Johnson for a touchdown on a reverse flea flicker.

A few more fireworks like that, and Herbert could elbow his way deeper into the discussion.

3. It was just three years ago that Oregon was 1-5 on the road, and two years ago the Ducks were 1-4 in road games.

Those were different UO teams, with different UO stories. The 2019 team is writing its own story, and has the chance Saturday to finish a chapter about being perfect in road games.

The Ducks already have done something that had never happened in school history, by winning at Stanford, Washington and USC in the same season. Beat Arizona State, and Oregon will go a perfect 4-0 in true road games this season.

Mario Cristobal already has achieved his goal of giving Oregon a new, more physical identity. He wants the Ducks to be known for being able to take that identity into hostile territory, too, and Saturday brings another chance.

4. The Ducks last week showed how early big plays can ignite a home crowd and put the visitors on their heels. Oregon can't let ASU turn the tables and do the same today.

Arizona State certainly has the playmakers to do so. Receiver Frank Darby leads the Pac-12 with 19.67 yards per reception, and Brandon Aiyuk is third at 18.19 yards per catch. Aiyuk has eight receptions of 40 yards or more, and five of 50 yards or more; both totals lead the Pac-12.

Oregon's pass defense has done the best job in the conference of limiting big plays, so far. The Ducks have allowed just six pass plays of 30 yards or more, and two of 40 yards or more. No UO opponent has a completion of 50 yards or more this season.

The Sun Devils on Saturday will test that ability to limit big plays, big time.

5. In the era of freshman eligibility in college football — meaning since 1972 — the Oregon football team has only had three senior classes that could say the team improved in each of their last three seasons.

In 1996, the Ducks won six games. They improved by one win each of the next five years, and so the senior classes of 1999-2001 each could say the team improved every year after their freshman season.

With a win Saturday at Arizona State, Oregon's senior class of 2019 would be able to say the same. The Ducks won four games their freshman year, seven in 2017 and nine in 2018. Oregon's next win will be No. 10, three straight seasons of year-over-year improvement, and a testament to the impact of seniors like Herbert, Troy Dye, Jacob Breeland, La'Mar Winston Jr., Shane Lemieux, Drayton Carlberg and Calvin Throckmorton.