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Pac 12 Football: Week One Power Rankings

By Michael Valverde

Sep 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of Pac-12 logo on the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the NCAA football game between the Stanford Cardinal and Southern California Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of Pac-12 logo on the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the NCAA football game between the Stanford Cardinal and Southern California Trojans. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 3, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Demario Richard (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Stephon McCray (77) during the second half against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils running back Demario Richard (4) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Stephon McCray (77) during the second half against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

It wasn’t the start that Arizona State wanted against a team that plays their conference games in the Big Sky (Northern Arizona). I would have loved to hear what the locker room sounded like at halftime when head coach Todd Graham met with the team leading only by seven points (10-3).

It must have gotten much uglier when Northern Arizona pulled in within four in the third quarter after a field goal was converted by kicker Griffin Roehler. The score would never get any closer, however, as the Sun Devils rattled off 17 straight points. Then another 17 straight after the Lumberjacks scored a touchdown to make it 26-13.

The total yards were very close (456-425) but fell in favor for Arizona State, the time of possession went to Northern Arizona (33:34-26:26), the Sun Devils also had a -2 turnover ratio, but led in first downs (27-16). The first down conversion rate is what separated the two teams, as the Lumberjacks struggled to convert on their opportunities, while the Sun Devils optimized their chances.

I enjoyed how both quarterbacks played. Manny Wilkins (ASU) beat Northern Arizona with both his feet (14-89-1) and his arm (20-27-180). Case Cookus had the better game passing for 369 yards and one touchdown.

Demario Richard did not have a very successful game on the ground for Arizona State as he only had 78 yards on 19 carries, but did score a touchdown. For the Sun Devils, it was just the opposite. They scored  with five different running backs.

Obviously, the defense struggled against Cookus. It would be interesting to see how Northern Arizona’s running game would have fared against this defense if they hadn’t gotten so far behind the scoreboard and abandoned the run.

Next: Number 5

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