Kansas and Arizona State will kick off tonight and both coaches talked about the keys for their team to win the game.
Arizona State’s head coach Kenny Dillingham said he does not expect Kansas to play like a 1-4 team.
“We have to find a way to play good football for all four quarters,” Dillingham said. “This isn’t a team you run away from. They won nine games last year and they returned almost everybody. It’s not like this team forgot how to play football; this is a really good football team. Two plays a game are not going their way. Two plays flip the other direction, and they are the 12th ranked team in the country and undefeated and favorites to win the Big 12.”
The Jayhawks came into the season with high expectations while Arizona State was picked at the bottom on the Big 12 in the preseason projections. Over the last two years, the 34-year-old Dillingham has built his team with a lot of players from the transfer portal.
They are playing above their preseason predictions entering the game with a 3-1 record.
“They're very well coached,” Leipold said. “He (Dillingham) brings a lot of energy. You can see he's put his stamp on it with over 50 transfers in two years. He's implemented the type of style of play that he wants. They do a great job of mixing it up. Their quarterback has played extremely. They have of the more physical running backs in Skattebo that you'll see across the country that keeps drives alive.”
One of the biggest matchups in the game will feature the Jayhawks ground game against the rushing defense of Arizona State. KU enters the game ranked 16th in rushing offense while the Sun Devils are 13th in the country against the run.
“Obviously they've got two really good backs,” Dillingham said. “They're good up front. Schematically they shift, they motion, they line up in so many formations to try to create numbers and to try to get your guys to play slower. That's why the running game is so effective. It's the identity of their team, that's who they want to be.”
Dillingham said they will focus on stopping the run but must be aware of Jalon Daniels and the passing game.
“We have to be able to stop the run while not giving up big plays at the same time,” he said. “That's the fun part with playing a team that can run the ball is you got to be able to stop the run, but also not give up play action passes.”
Kansas will have to stay close in the turnover battle. Last week against TCU the Jayhawks won the edge in turnovers 3-1 but lost the game. They will have to do much of the same against Arizona State who is one of the best teams in the country at keeping the football.
The Sun Devils rank fifth in the nation only turning over the ball two times all season while Kansas ranks 127th in turnovers lost.
“They're really good in securing the football, and they've been winning that turnover battle in the plus minus and really flipped the script from what they were a year ago,” Leipold said. “And unfortunately, we're on the other side of that. Right now, we got to find a way to make that change.”
When the game kicks off at 5 p.m. local time in Tempe, the temperature is expected to be 104 degrees. On Friday afternoon, after the team landed Leipold said they can’t let the weather be an excuse.
“We talk a lot about hydration, taking care of ourselves and it's the same for both teams,” he said. “I'm sure there'll be an adjustment for us, But, if we let that bother us, it'll be uphill all day. So, we'll fight through it.”
