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SB Nation's Arizona State site House of Sparky has been absolutely killing its coverage of the Oregon game this week and Wednesday was no different with their release of the five reasons ASU can beat the Ducks.
Oregon may be 9.5-point favorites but editor Brad Denny believes there is a chance for the upset thanks to the way that the Sun Devils match up against the Pac-12 North leaders. Among the positives, Denny listed their quick defensive line, Sun Devil Stadium's home field advantage, the surprising poise of Taylor Kelly and Arizona State's not-so-secret weapon, D.J. Foster.
But more than anything, Denny believes the Devils will have a chance because of their recently discovered discipline. As Denny points out, ASU lost to Oregon in 2010 by only 11 points despite coughing up seven turnovers and a free 90 yards of penalties. Through six games of the Todd Graham era though, the Devils have only allowed a respectable nine turnovers (four interceptions, five fumbles) and rank in the top-10 nationally for the fewest penalty yards per game (32.2).
Here's what Denny had to say on the subject:
"The way the Sun Devils play on the field is nearly unrecognizable from a year ago. This team plays hard, plays smart, and plays disciplined. Attention to detail and strong mental focus will be absolutely invaluable assets as ASU goes for the upset, and for the first time in years, they will have that on their side. They're no longer their own worst enemy, and can bring 100% of their energy on Speaking Victory."
So it's clear that the Devils don't usually beat themselves. But what remains to be seen is if Arizona State truly has enough fire power to beat the No. 3 team in the BCS rankings.