Offense
The offense did its job against Cal. They only turned it over once, and took advantage of field position they could. The running game looked better, and Jayden Daniels completed nearly 60 percent of his passes. The most important stat, however, they scored more points than the opposition.
Quarterback: B+
Daniels wasn’t super flashy in this one, but he was efficient and effective. What was most impressive in this game was his ability to be smart. California is one of the best defensive units in all of college football, and Jayden did what most quarterbacks are asked to do: take what the defense gives you. He misses a couple of wide open guys as times, but he didn’t throw it to the other team, and the Golden Bears have one of the better secondaries in all of college football. He did a good job of converting third downs with both his arm and his legs.
Running Back: B-
If you look at the stat line, you might think the grade should be worse than what it is. However, junior tailback Eno Benjamin eclipsed the 100-yard mark, and scored all of Arizona State’s touchdowns. He ran hard in this one, and whenever the offensive line got him a crease — which wasn’t often — he made something of it. Benjamin is so talented if the offensive line was a bit better, he’d probably have an A every week.
Offensive Line: D-
This is the trouble spot for the Sun Devils and it showed against California Friday night. They surrendered two sacks and seven tackles for loss. This is a group that does feature three seniors, but also features two true freshmen. Experience, however, isn’t a substitute for talent, and they’ve improved as a group as the season has progressed, but they struggled — as expected — against Cal’s talented front-seven.
Receivers/Tight Ends: C+
This is always a difficult group to evaluate because they need someone to get them the ball. Moreover, the quarterback needs to be well protected to get them the ball. A good running game helps pressure a defense and forces that defense to make decisions about coverage. All of which the Sun Devils struggle with. However, they weren’t bad against Cal, and they have talent. They get this grade because the best of the group senior Brandon Aiyuk has to find a way to get open for his young quarterback. Two catches for 31 yards won’t get it done when they take on better teams.