What to know about the Arizona State Sun Devils ahead of the Buffaloes Week 11 matchup

3 hours ago7 min read5 comments

As the Colorado Buffaloes prepare for their final home stand against the Arizona State Sun Devils in a Week 11 clash that feels more like a crossroads than a conclusion, the narrative diverges sharply between two programs navigating vastly different realities. For Coach Deion Sanders' Buffaloes, the season's final chapter is about evaluating the foundation, with the primary focus locked onto five-star freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who, despite a 29-22 loss to West Virginia, flashed the kind of generational arm talent that can define a franchise—his 299 yards and two touchdowns offering a tantalizing glimpse into a future that must now be prioritized over the present.Conversely, the visiting Sun Devils, sitting at a respectable 7-3, are in the thick of a improbable chase for a Big 12 title game berth, a testament to the resilience forged through a season marred by devastating injuries, including the loss of preseason All-Big 12 quarterback Sam Leavitt to the transfer portal. In his stead, fifth-year quarterback Jeff Sims has emerged not merely as a replacement, but as an engine of survival under head coach Kenny Dillingham, a player whose dual-threat capabilities were on full display in the comeback win over West Virginia where he threw for three touchdowns and 207 yards while adding 81 on the ground, posing a nightmare scenario for a Colorado defense that has historically served as a launchpad for opposing quarterbacks' rushing career highs.The analytical lens, however, must widen beyond Sims' legs to appreciate the full scope of ASU's offensive identity; they boast a top-five rushing offense in the conference, spearheaded by the dynamic Raleek Brown, who has amassed 823 rushing yards on a robust 5. 4 yards per carry, a one-two punch that will test the very core of a Buffaloes defensive line that has struggled to find consistency and depth all season long.For Colorado, this game is a laboratory, a final audition before the long offseason, and the strategic imperative is clear: abandon conservative play-calling, install the third play-caller of the Sanders era with an aggressive, pass-heavy script, and let Lewis air it out against a Sun Devils secondary that ranks a vulnerable fifth in the Big 12 for passing yards allowed per game. This is more than a senior day send-off; it's a strategic pivot, an opportunity to showcase the Lewis-to-receiver chemistry that will be the cornerstone of next year's campaign, while simultaneously gathering invaluable tape against a legitimate conference contender.The implications for Arizona State are starkly different—a victory keeps their championship aspirations vividly alive, a remarkable feat for a team that has repeatedly been counted out, transforming this matchup from a mere regular-season finale into a high-stakes drama of legacy versus potential, of a team fighting for a title against a team fighting for an identity. From an analytical standpoint, the key battle will be in the trenches, where ASU's offensive line, which has paved the way for over 1,800 rushing yards this season, will clash with a Colorado front seven that must find a way to contain Brown and spy on Sims' scrambling tendencies to avoid being methodically dismantled. Historically, games like this, where one team is playing for pride and the other for postseason glory, often produce unexpected heroes and chaotic results, reminiscent of those classic late-season upsets that redefine a program's trajectory, making this not just a game to watch, but a case study in motivation, coaching adaptability, and the raw, unscripted drama of college football.

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#Colorado Buffaloes

#Arizona State Sun Devils

#college football

#Jeff Sims

#Julian Lewis

#Big 12

#rushing offense

#passing defense