UCLA football 2017 schedule preview: Arizona State

Arizona State’s Kalen Ballage, right, runs with the ball as UCLA’s Adarius Pickett (6) moves in for the tackle during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona State at UCLA
Saturday, Nov. 11 | Rose Bowl

Arizona State answered its first major question for the 2017 season last week: Manny Wilkins is its starting quarterback. Now to address its defense, which gave up the most points per game over a full season in school history last year, the rest of its offense, which is led by its third coordinator in as many years, and the special teams unit that lost one of the best field goal kickers in FBS history.

Like UCLA, the Sun Devils (5-7, 2-7 Pac-12 last year) have struggled mightily in the past two years. Head coach Todd Graham didn’t get his usual one-year contract extension this year, seemingly leaving the head coach on the hot seat with new coordinators on both offense and defense heading into his sixth year in Tempe.

Game storylines

— Home field advantage?: Jim Mora has never beaten Arizona State at the Rose Bowl. ASU’s win in 2013 clinched the Pac-12 South title for the Sun Devils, and in 2015, the unranked Sun Devils upset then-No. 7 UCLA. Graham’s victory in Sun Devil Stadium last year was the first home win for either head coach in the head-to-head series since they both took over in 2012.

— Moving backwards: UCLA has consistently struggled against ASU’s defensive front that thrives on creating confusion withe exotic pressures. The Sun Devils racked up five sacks against UCLA last year, which led to UCLA’s season-low minus-1 rushing yard total. In the past two years, the Bruins have 61 combined rushing yards against ASU.

— Secondary struggles: Even a hobbled Josh Rosen threw for 400 yards against ASU last year. The Sun Devils went back-to-back seasons as the worst pass defense in the country and lost their top two returners from 2016: safety Armand Perry (medical retirement) and Kareem Orr (transfer). With new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett, the Sun Devils need revamping on the backend of their defense or a healthy Rosen will be in for another big day.

Players to watch

— RB Kalen Ballage: Ballage leads the way for the Sun Devils with his versatility. He scored 14 rushing touchdowns, caught one and even threw for one. The senior had 536 rushing yards on 126 carries last year and shares the backfield with Demario Richard.

— WR N’Keal Harry: The former five-star recruit led the team with 58 receptions, which was the high-mark for all NCAA freshmen last year, and five touchdowns. His 659 receiving yards were second on the team.

— LB Koron Crump: The ASU linebacker laid the season-ending hit on Rosen last year in Sun Devil Stadium, one of Crump’s team-leading nine sacks on the year. Crump, a senior playing his second year at ASU after transferring from junior college, was named second-team All-Pac-12.

Arizona State in a GIF

via GIPHY

UCLA 2017 schedule

Sun., Sept. 3: Texas A&M at UCLA, 4:30 p.m. PT, FOX/FOX Deportes
Sat., Sept. 9: Hawai’i at UCLA, 2 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Networks
Sat., Sept. 16: UCLA at Memphis, 9 a.m. PT, ABC/ESPN2 mirror
Sat., Sept. 23: UCLA at Stanford
Sat., Sept. 30: Colorado at UCLA
Sat., Oct. 7: BYE
Sat., Oct. 14: UCLA at Arizona
Sat., Oct. 21: Oregon at UCLA
Sat., Oct. 28: UCLA at Washington
Fri., Nov. 3: UCLA at Utah, 6:30 p.m. PT, FS1/FOX Deportes
Sat., Nov. 11: Arizona State at UCLA
Sat., Nov. 18: UCLA at USC
Fri. Nov. 24: California at UCLA, 7:30 p.m. FS1/FOX Deportes
Fri., Dec. 1 or Sat., Dec. 2: Pac-12 Football Championship Game