Categories
NCAA Football

Arizona State Sun Devils 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Pac 12) – Sun Devils

The 2012 Arizona State Sun Devils laid a solid foundation for the program moving forward. In Todd Graham’s first year as head coach, he helped improve the team to 8-5. The season was called an “unquestioned success” by ESPN’s Ted Miller (Pac-12 blogger), and it’s tough to argue anything else.

2013 Preview: Arizona State Sun Devils (Team Link)
Coach: Todd Graham
2012 Record: 8-5 (5-4)
Arizona State Gambling Odds from : +2030

The 2012 season was a year full of both winning and losing streaks, but luckily for the team, the former outweighed the latter. The Sun Devils started off the year 5-1 before losing four straight to No. 3 Oregon, UCLA, No. 11 Oregon State and No. 19 USC. ASU finished strong, though, as it took down its last three opponents, including No. 24 Arizona and Navy in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Now, with the focus on 2013, Arizona State has a chance to be a sleeper. There’s a ton of optimism around what Graham has done, and if it can find success in the early part of the year, finishing strong could land them with another improved season.

Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s College Picks in 2013!

Tyler Kelly is set to make his return behind center, and we’ll likely see him improve; although his sophomore year was surprisingly good. He threw for 30 scores through the air in 2012, and while he did make mistakes, his 3,000-plus yards gives fans confidence that he has it in him to put together another good year.

As good as Kelly can be, the running game is where ASU can dominate. It has a shallow receiving core entering 2013, and it was 25th in rushing yards per game last season, which helped it reach 38.4 points per contest—14th in the nation.

Tailbacks Marion Grice and D.J. Foster can improve upon their strong finishes in 2012. They’re both players who can make a difference on the ground and in the receiving game, which means Kelly has two extra players he can defer to, or use in play-action sets.

Defensively, this team has a chance to build upon an impressive season. ASU isn’t thought of as a defensive powerhouse, but the team limited its opponents to just 167.9 passing yards per game—the third best number in the country. It also ranked in the top three of sacks and tackles for loss. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Of the front seven, six are returning for 2013. The star of the bunch is Will Sutton, who is an All-American defensive tackle. The question is going to be about replacing the back end, and if it can do that, you’re looking at a group that will surprise a lot of great offensive units.

The other question is going to be about stopping the run. It allowed better than 180 rushing yards per game in 2012, and while aggressive play paid off against the pass, too many chances didn’t pay off against the run.

When it comes to this team, the schedule is going to play a huge role in determining success, as a brutal start to the year will set the tone. Following a season-opening matchup against Sacramento State, the team takes on Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame in that order. Three of those four games will be at home or at a neutral location, but the level of competition is going to be enough to rattle any team’s cage early in the year.

If the team gets off to a hot start, the Sun Devils will be off to the races. It does have matchups against Washington and Oregon State in the second half of the year, but setting the tone early will give them an incredible sense of confidence against lesser competition late.

The only problem with that theory is that you have to account for what happens if the team struggles in its first five games. If ASU comes out and can’t hold its own, you have to wonder if it’ll be able to recover. This team is ready to take its game to the next level, and a fast start is going to be crucial if it hopes to contend for a Pac-12 title.

2013 Arizona State Schedule

Thur, Sept. 5 vs. Sacramento St.
Sat, Sept. 14 vs. Wisconsin
Sat, Sept. 21 @ Stanford
Sat, Sept. 28 vs. USC
Sat, Oct. 5 vs. Notre Dame*
Sat, Oct. 12 vs. Colorado
Sat, Oct. 19 vs. Washington
Thur, Oct. 31 @ Washington St.
Sat, Nov. 9 @ Utah
Sat, Nov. 16 vs. Oregon St.
Sat, Nov. 23 @ UCLA
Sat, Nov. 30 vs. Arizona

GRAB OUR BEST Expert CFB Picks for 2013 NCAA FOOTBALL Betting! —–>

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"