Pac 10 Preview: UCLA @ Arizona St.

By ANDREW GARDA - PAC-10 INSIDER

Coming off a pair of wins against the Washington schools, the Sun Devils look to continue their winning streak, as they welcome the struggling UCLA Bruins to Tempe tonight.

ASU quarterback Rudy Carpenter has started playing to form again, topping 200 yards in each of the last three games, while tossing six touchdowns. He faces a Bruins’ defense that likely won’t put up much of a fight. Carpenter has much to play for at the end of the season, even if his team will be sitting home during bowl season. With a respectable showing at the finish, Carpenter is hoping to regain some of the NFL draft stock he had prior to the season. As always, the key is protection along the offensive line. If they can keep Carpenter upright, he will be able to easily deliver the ball against a shaky UCLA secondary. While they can be opportunistic, the Bruins rarely keep up enough pressure to make a quarterback the caliber of Carpenter flinch.

Coach Rick Neuheisel will have his work cut out for him, both containing Carpenter and getting his own offense moving in the right direction. The Bruins are also coming off a win over the doormat of the Pac-10, Washington. However, even against the winless Huskies, junior quarterback Kevin Craft could not protect the ball. The Bruins cannot afford to turn the ball over. If they do, the Sun Devils will make them regret it.