Arizona State-Washington State: For Danny Sullivan, Just What the Doctor Ordered

With the quarterback controversy being the No. 1 topic around campus for the past two weeks, Danny Sullivan remains the starter.

After a disappointing loss at Georgia and a not-so-terrific outing against Oregon State, coach Dennis Erickson is still sticking with the three-year backup. Everyone on campus definitely wants a change at the position, but that’s not up for the student body to decide. 

Obviously, Erickson still sees something in practice, and in coach we trust. The defense is still playing very well with the linebacker crew being one of the best in the country. 

The Oregon State game was a chance for the Devils to jump out to an early Pac-10 lead, but the Beavers had other plans. The last time the Sun Devils lost to Oregon State at home was in 1969. With a couple of unfortunate events that put the Devils' defense in tough spots, the Beavers took little time to capitalize. Even though the final score was 28-17, the Devils D held the Beaver offense to 21 points until the final quarter. 

Washington State University is on Arizona State's mind this week. With the Cougars being the worst team in the Pac-10, the Devils look to jump-start their conference slate with a victory in Pullman.

This game won't even be televised due to the fact that no one wants to witness the two worst teams in the Pac-10. Therefore, this game could be just what Sullivan asked for—a conference game that doesn’t have big hype. 

During the Sun Devils' practice this week, you could feel the intensity and seriousness the coaches and players were showing. My prediction is the team goes up to Cougar country and pulls out a win, 35-13. Hopefully after the Devils pull out this Pac-10 victory, Sullivan can settle in and feel more comfortable in the offense.