Seattle Times: Pac-10 football matchups | ASU seeks end to Cali skid

By Bud Withers

Today marks the first relatively full schedule of Pac-10 football — a new day, a new beginning, a new spin. Or so Arizona State faithful hope.  The Sun Devils, ranked 18th by the coaches this week, are 3-0 going to California (2-1). ASU brings with it one of the more perplexing, ghastlier streaks in the conference.  Since he arrived at Arizona State for the 2001 season, coach Dirk Koetter has taken a team to the state of California for a Pac-10 game 10 times. The Sun Devils haven't yet had a happy plane ride home.   ASU has been outscored by an average of 41-22 in losing those 10 games. Only twice has it kept the opponent out of the 30s, and in one of those two, it lost to Cal, 27-0, in 2004.

Emblematic of ASU's struggles is its games against Stanford, nobody's idea of a juggernaut. The Cardinal has put up an average of 45 points in three home meetings with ASU during that span. Might it change? Much of ASU's hopes are pinned on the play of its defensive line, a deep unit that has helped the Sun Devils record 18 sacks, albeit against a schedule that the Sagarin computer ranks No. 114. It's about to get deeper, as Northwestern transfer end Loren Howard figures to get his first action after a series of nagging injuries. ASU has already been rotating nine linemen.  "If we can get Loren into the mix, we'd feel real good about that," said Koetter.

If ASU can't hold its own up front against Cal, it might never happen. The Bears (ranked 20th), already rebuilt on the offensive line, will be missing tackle Scott Smith (knee). The other tackle, Andrew Cameron, is iffy with an ankle sprain. Cal coach Jeff Tedford has pronounced running back Marshawn Lynch fit after he left early against Portland State with a tender ankle.  This marks another stern test for Cal quarterback Nate Longshore, whom Tedford said has played well. Wideout DeSean Jackson has five touchdown catches.   In the matchup of former Oregon assistants, Tedford hasn't had much trouble with Koetter in three meetings, winning by an average of 24 points.