As all (OK, few) of you know, I’m a gigantic ASU fan. It’s written on my info page if you want to check it out.

So the 2011 football season comes this year with more expectations and excitement than any season I can remember in the last decade. The Sun Devils returned 15 starters and are a team filled with veteran players who have experience in big games.

Last season, 4 of their 6 losses were by 4 points or less, and they took national runner-up Oregon to the brink before turning the ball over 3 times in the fourth quarter. They hope to use that momentum and experience in close games to get over the hump this year and win the inaugural Pacific 12 conference title.

I write this a week after their first game, as it’s usually a much better gauge of where a team is after they’ve actually seen the field. Following last season’s thrilling double-OT victory over UA, and then this season’s opening win against UC-Davis, things are looking good in Sun Devil country. Throw in a complete re-branding of the logo, new jerseys, and the nation’s most feared player in Vontaze Burfict, and this ASU fan is giddy with the prospects of this season. Let’s break down this schedule and make some predictions, which I fully plan on having thrown back in my face when I’m wrong.

• Sept. 1, UC-Davis: W 48-14. This game was controlled by the Sun Devils from the start. Brock Osweiler threw for 2 TDs and 262 yards, and the first team defense didn’t allow a point. So far so good.
• Sept. 9, Missouri: The measuring stick. The separator. Whatever word you want to assign this game, it’s big. ASU will unveil their black uniforms for the first time, the school is calling for a blackout from the fans, and the game is nationally televised on ESPN. It doesn’t get much bigger than this. Mizzou’s early struggle this season, winning 17-6 over Miami (OH), overshadows how good the team is, especially with James Franklin, their dual threat QB. The Devils’ D stuffs them, though, and my excitement finally spreads to the rest of the Valley. Prediction: 34-24 ASU
• Sept. 17, @ Illinois: This game has trap written all over it. ASU didn’t fare well in its trip to Big Ten country last year, losing 20-19 to Wisconsin. This year will be different, though, as ASU is in a different league from the Illini. Nathan Scheelhaase, another dual threat QB, will test the Devils, but Vontaze has a habit of running down quarterbacks… Prediction: 35-21 ASU
• Sept. 24, USC: The first Pac 12 game ever for ASU and it comes against a team they haven’t beaten since 1999. I’ll be realistic; I don’t like our chances here, even at home. I’d love to call the upset, but Matt Barkley is an NFL level QB and WR Robert Woods looked un-guardable against Minnesota. Prediction: 24-21 USC (And you thought I was biased)
• Oct. 1, Oregon St.: This game might be the easiest one ASU gets all year. OSU lost their best player in Jacquizz Rodgers to the NFL, and lost their first game to FCS Sacramento St. This looks like it’s going to be a blowout for the good guys. Prediction: 41-10 ASU
• Oct. 8, @ Utah: Utah may very well hold the key to ASU winning the Pac 12 south. With USC ineligible for postseason play, and the poo poo platter that is the rest of the Pac 12 south, this game goes a long way to making the first-ever Pac 12 championship game. Utah has a great history of playing with the big boys, but the week in and week out test of the Pac 12 will take its toll, and the Devils will roll.  Prediction: 24-10 ASU
• Oct. 15, @ Oregon: Let’s just say I don’t want to talk much about this game. Back-to-back road games, a top-10 team (just because they lost to LSU doesn’t mean they won’t be back in the top 10), and a raucous Autzen Stadium lead to a pretty bad loss. Prediction: 42-20 Oregon
• Oct. 29, Colorado: This team struggled in the Big 12, will struggle in the Pac 12, and probably would struggle in the WAC. Prediction: 28-7 ASU
• Nov. 5, @ UCLA: It’s always fun to go to the Rose Bowl, even more fun to win in it. UCLA’s 38-34 loss to Houston looked close, but it exposed a lot of weaknesses for the Bruins. ASU will take care of business. Prediction: 42-20 ASU
• Nov. 12, @Wash St.: This game could’ve caused problems looking at it in the beginning of the season, since it is the 2^nd of back-to-back road games, and those are never easy. But WSU lost QB Jeff Tuel, and they will have a fun season fighting with OSU and CU for last place. ASU has also shut them out two of the last three times they’ve played. Prediction: 31-0 ASU
• Nov. 19, Arizona: Rivalry game, throw the records out the window, we hate you and you hate us yada yada.  Tempers always flare with this game and it’s usually close. UA’s offense is good, but not that good, and their confidence will be eroded from starting the season 1-4 (another free prediction! Hey!). This game will probably come down to a crazy play or two, but ASU is too good to lose this one. Prediction: 23-20 ASU win
• Nov. 25, California: It’s really weird to see the last game of the year not be against UA, but that’s how it is, as ASU will play Cal over thanksgiving weekend.  The Bears look like a good team, but they have a tough schedule playing USC, Oregon, and then Stanford.  The beaten down team won’t stop the momentum. Prediction: 28-21 ASU win.

That leads to the Pac 12 Championship game!!! In which ASU will probably lose to Stanford (I’m calling them the Pac 12 north champs) and that’ll mean a trip to the Holiday Bowl again for ASU. It’ll be a good season, and hopefully a sign of great things to come. I’ll be at every home game this year, so feel free to email the show with some Devils love, Wildcats hate, or both! Here’s to a great season! GO DEVILS!