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✦ on paper By andrew owens Arizona State Running Game Vs. Notre Dame Run Defense Despite losing the seventh-leading rusher in program history (Cameron Marshall, 2,700 yards), Arizona State still boasts a strong ground attack thanks to senior Marion Grice and redshirt junior Deantre Lewis. The duo combined for 274 yards and six touchdowns in wins over Sacramento State and Wisconsin before Stanford's front seven limited the unit to 50 yards on 24 carries. The Sun Devils bounced back with 261 rushing yards last Saturday against USC, with four players tallying 50 yards or more in the 62-41 victory. Senior running back Marion Grice leads the nation in scoring (18.0 points per game) after tallying 12 touchdowns (eight rushing and four receiving) in ASU's first four contests, and is averaging a touchdown every 7.5 times he touches the ball in his 17 career games with the Sun Devils. photo courtesy arizona state The Sun Devils returned three starters on the offensive line after averaging 205.4 yards per game on the ground last season — the program's best output in 16 years — to finish 25th in the country and third in the Pac-12. The Irish have struggled in the red zone this season while allowing 10 touchdowns in their opponent's 19 trips compared to 13 in 38 attempts last season. Grice is Arizona State's finisher after recording eight of the team's 11 rushing touchdowns in its first four games. Notre Dame opened the first five games of the season by holding only Purdue to less than 100 yards on the ground (38). A year ago, only four teams hit the century mark against the Irish during the regular season. In addition to the duo of Grice and Lewis, redshirt junior quarterback Taylor Kelly is a scrambling threat and could frustrate defensive coordinator Bob Diaco's unit as was the case when Notre Dame faced Temple and Michigan's mobile quarterbacks. Had it not been for sacks, Kelly would've finished as the team's leading rusher a year ago. Advantage: Arizona State Arizona State Passing Game Vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense Kelly does not boast excellent arm strength, but he compensates with his accuracy and ability to scramble and improvise. A year ago, he set school records for completion percentage (.671) and consecutive completions (18). He is benefiting from another year in head coach Todd Graham's system and from the return of fifth-year senior tight end Chris Coyle. Last year's leading receiver, Coyle caught 57 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns, and has been a dependable red-zone threat again this season with a pair of touchdowns through the first month of the season. Out of the backfield, Grice is one of Kelly's best receiving options, having recorded 183 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the team's first three games. Notre Dame's pass defense has not elevated its game in 2013 after returning three of four starters, but the unit has gradually improved with a three-man rotation at safety between junior Matthias Farley, senior Austin Collinsworth and sophomore Elijah Shumate. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has emphasized the unit's need to limit the big plays. After allowing a combined seven touchdown passes against Michigan and Purdue (three-plus in consecutive ✦ Page 3 games for the first time under Kelly), the unit took a step forward against a weak Michigan State aerial attack, allowing a season-low 135 yards and just 16 completions on 36 pass attempts. Last week, a pass-happy Oklahoma offense recorded 238 passing yards and two touchdowns, figures that were inflated by the Sooners' big plays. Advantage: Arizona State Notre Dame Running Game Vs. Arizona State Run Defense When Notre Dame failed to reach 100 yards rushing against Michigan State, it marked the first time since 2008 that the Irish fell short of the century mark in three consecutive games. They bounced back in the 14-point loss to the Sooners with a season-high 220 yards, highlighted by junior running back George Atkinson III's 148-yard performance. Still, through five games, the Irish ranked 93rd in the nation with a meager 135.40 rushing yards per game. The Sun Devils' run defense has endured a disastrous start to the season. After finishing 80th nationally a year ago (182.85 yards allowed per game), it surrendered 200plus yards on the ground in three consecutive games to Wisconsin, Stanford and USC, and was allowing an average of 192.2 yards per contest. Six starters returned along the front seven of Arizona State's 3-4 scheme, which makes the performances against Wisconsin, Stanford and USC perplexing, even if those opponents annually rank among the nation's top rushing offenses. Senior defensive tackle Will Sutton, the reigning Pac‑12 Defensive Player of the Year, leads the charge after recording 13 sacks a year ago. Senior linebacker Chris Young finished third on the team in tackles a year ago and leads the Sun Devils in the category this season with 29. Advantage: Even Notre Dame Passing Game Vs. Arizona State Pass Defense While the Sun Devils' rush defense took time to jell during the season's opening month, the pass defense mostly performed admirably while breaking in a pair of new starters. In the first four games, Arizona State recorded more interceptions (six) than passing touchdowns allowed (five). The Sun Devils' pass rush started slowly but rebounded with four sacks against USC and should continue to improve after finishing third in the country with 53 quarterback takedowns a year ago.