The tougher problem for the Sun Devils is the other side of the ball. Texas Tech put up 502 yards on them. J'Koby Williams ran for a career-high 165 yards with touchdown runs of 62 and 38, and Ben Roberts returned an interception for another score. That's the third time this season Arizona State has allowed 48 or more, after 48 to Texas A&M and 55 to Baylor. The team that beat Hawai'i 30-12 is real, but it hasn't shown up against good opponents.
Kansas State's win over Kansas wasn't clean. The Wildcats fell behind by 10 early and made plenty of mistakes before taking control. What carried them was Joe Jackson, who ran for 159 yards and a touchdown. That's the matchup to watch, because Arizona State just let one back run for 165. The Sun Devils are also without linebacker Z. Fiaseu, who is out for the season, and cornerback L. Rawls, out indefinitely. If Jackson gets going early, Johnson won't need to throw much and can scramble when it suits him.
The weather won't be a factor: 74 degrees, clear and almost no wind at Mountain America Stadium. K-State's tight ends are thin, with W. Anciaux out for the year and A. Morrell out with no timetable. Receiver M. Lovett is questionable with an arm injury. Both teams have now lost twice in conference play, so this is close to an elimination game for anyone hoping for a Big 12 title run. Arizona State has to play defense for 60 minutes. K-State has to stop making mistakes on the road, where it already lost a close one at Cincinnati.