As the Hyundai Sun Bowl between Duke and No. 15 Arizona State approaches, the Blue Zone takes a look at how both team's offensive units have fared this season and what we should expect from them Saturday. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. Check back throughout the week for previews of defense and special teams.
X's and O's
Duke: Scottie Montgomery's unit has had its ups and downs all year, but was wildly inconsistent during the last month of the regular season. In late season losses to Virginia Tech and North Carolina, the Blue Devils only put up 18 points per game, but in nine wins averaged a whopping 38 points per game this season. The good news is that if Duke plays mistake-free and with a balanced attack it should see success against a struggling Arizona State defense that allows opponents to score 27.7 points per contest. Also look for the Blue Devils to rely heavily on a very experienced offensive line that has allowed the least tackles for loss in the nation and is only allowing one sack per game.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils have lit up the scoreboard this season, averaging 37 points per game this season, which is good for 18th in the FBS. Quarterback Taylor Kelly is expected to start even though he was benched in favor of Mike Bercovici in the season-finale against Arizona and the duo leads a potent Arizona State air attack that accounted for 32 touchdowns in 12 games. It will be interesting to see if running back D.J. Foster can establish a steady ground game for the Sun Devils, as he only combined for 115 yards in his team's three loses, but had 887 in nine wins. The Blue Devils will be one of the better defenses Arizona State has faced all season, so turnover margin and red zone efficiency will be crucial to a Sun Devil victory.
Rush
Duke: If the unit wants to pull off the upset, it will have to get its running game going. In the three losses this season, quarterback Anthony Boone had to throw 40 or more times because the running game was simply not there. But when the offensive line can create holes for one of Duke's three main backs, it can lead to a potent rushing attack like the one that was present when the Blue Devils knocked off then-No. 22 Georgia Tech 31-25 back in October and rushed for 242 yards.
Look for redshirt senior Josh Snead and junior Shaquille Powell to get the bulk of the carries, but true freshman Shaun Wilson leads the team with eight yards per carry and has the best chance to break off a big run. Boone and wildcat quarterback Thomas Sirk will also provide a change of pace running the ball out of the read option. Sirk has taken over Brandon Connette's red zone duties admirably and has accounted for 11 total touchdowns this season.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils have not done much damage on the ground this season and boast the nation's 58th-best rushing attack 170.2 yards per game. Kelly does have some speed to him and will run the popular read-option that has worked well at times for Arizona State this season. Kelly will look to hand the ball to Foster, who is a versatile all-purpose back that has rushed for 1,002 yards and nine touchdowns on 183 carries this season.
True freshman Demario Richard will spell Foster and has great speed, which makes him similar to Duke's true freshman back. The Palmdale, Calif., native is also a threat in the passing game out of the backfield or in the slot, as is Foster, who also had 646 receiving yards. The Blue Devils have one of the worst rush defenses in the country and give up 196.3 yards per game on the ground, so Foster is likely to have a big game if that trend continues. This will definitely be a stat to watch in Saturday's game because if Duke can stop the run, it will put pressure on a struggling passing game that failed to produce in two of Arizona State's final three games.
Pass
Duke: Boone struggled toward the end of the season, with four of his seven interceptions this season coming in the month of November. But he has been much more efficient this season compared to last season, throwing for four more touchdowns and six fewer interceptions. He has thrown for a career-high 2,507 yards this season and will be looking to finish off his five-year stint in Durham with a bowl victory.
Arizona State's pass defense has been one of the worst in country, giving up more than 260 yards per game through the air and compares to the Texas A&M defense that Boone shredded in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season when he threw for a career-high 427 yards and three touchdowns. Look for Boone to look Jamison Crowder's way early and often, as the NFL-bound receiver has caught 78 passes this season and needs just 68 yards to achieve his third-straight 1,000-yard season.
If Crowder is blanketed, chances are either Max McCaffrey, Issac Blakeney or Johnell Barnes will be open most of the day. The trio has done an admirable job most of the season season as Crowder's supporting cast, and each player has the potential to have a breakout game. All in all, this should be a game where Boone will have no shortage of open receivers, but if he tosses interceptions like he did late in the season, the Blue Devils could be in trouble.
Arizona State: Kelly is expected to get the start under center, even though he has split time with Bercovici all season because of injuries and inconsistent play. When he has been on the field, Kelly has completed 141-of-244 passes for 1,874 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. But Bercovici has put up similar numbers and it would not be surprising to see the junior split time with Kelly. Together, the pair has formed the 30th-best passing unit in the country that averaged 276.3 points per game in the regular season.
No matter who is under center, the main concern for the Duke secondary will be All-American receiver Jaelen Strong, who has caught 75 receptions for 1,062 yards this season. Strong will be leaving Tempe early for the NFL after the Sun Bowl and is poised for a big game, although he is dealing with a shoulder injury. Even with the injury to overcome, the redshirt junior still poses a huge threat against a Blue Devil defensive unit that has been susceptible to the deep pass all season.
Chances are Strong will have a 100-yard, multiple touchdown game, so it will be up to cornerbacks Byron Fields and Breon Borders to contain his productivity and get him flustered early, much like Ross Cockrell did against star wide receiver Mike Evans in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season.
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