Pac-12 Football 

Stephen Vilardo’s 2021 Las Vegas Bowl Game Notes

, 5 min read
ASU has allowed just three scrimmage plays of 40+ yards this season, the fewest in the nation. | Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Posted on December 29, 2021


  By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Wisconsin and Arizona State will meet on the gridiron for the fifth time ever and the first time in a postseason game in the Las Vegas Bowl on Thursday.

Running will be the name of the game in this one. Both teams like to do it and both are able to stop opponents from moving it on the ground.

The Badgers lead the nation in run defense while the Sun Devils are one of just 24 teams this season to run for over 202 yards per game.

The Sun Devils are in their ninth bowl game since 2011 while the Badgers are playing in the postseason for the 20th year in a row.

Las Vegas Bowl

Wisconsin Badgers vs Arizona State Sun Devils

Allegiant Stadium | Las Vegas, Nevada
Thurs, Dec 30, 7:30 pm PT | ESPN: Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison & Dawn Davenport
Series Record: Arizona State leads 3-1

Wisconsin Badgers (8-4) Game Notes

Wisconsin Bowl Record:  17-15

• Wisconsin is 4-1 all-time in games played in Las Vegas.

• Wisconsin is 1-4 in their last five Bowl games against Pac-12 opponents.

• The Badgers have won 6 of their last 7 bowl games, equaling the most wins of any team nationally during that span.

• This is Wisconsin’s 20th-consecutive bowl appearance, the third-longest active streak in the nation.

• Wisconsin’s run of 20 consecutive bowl games is the 2nd-longest streak in Big Ten history. Michigan played in 33-straight bowl games from 1975 to 2007.

• The Badgers have a Big Ten conference win percentage of .746 since the start of 2014, the seventh-best conference win rate among FBS schools during that time.

• Wisconsin has held 23.3 percent of their last 60 opponents without an offensive touchdown. Since 2016, Wisconsin has intercepted 91 passes, the third-most of any team in the nation.

• Wisconsin leads the nation in run defense allowing just 65.2 yards per game, and total defense, yielding only 240.8 total yards per game.

• The Badgers have allowed opponents to score on just 19.7% of their possessions (28 of 142), the 3rd-best mark in the nation this season.

• Wisconsin averaged 2.7 sacks per game in their last eight games.

• The Badgers allowed an NCAA-leading 2.17 yards per carry this season.

• Wiskey’s 214.4 yards rushing per game is the sixth-most among Power 5 teams.

• Leo Chenal is second in the nation with 1.7 tackles for loss per game.

• Over the last 7 games, Leo Chenal has tallied 81 tackles, 15.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks.

• Braelon Allen is the fourth true freshman in Wisconsin history to run for 1,000 yards in a season, joining Ron Dayne, James White, and Johnathan Taylor.

• Braelon Allen is averaging 7.02 yards per carry.

• Braelon Allen has 8 runs of 30-plus yards on the season, fourth-most in the nation.

• Jake Ferguson has caught a pass in 46 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the nation. It is the longest streak ever by a Badger. He has at least one reception in every game he has played in his career.

Arizona State Sun Devils (8-4 Game Notes

Arizona State Bowl Record: 15-16-1

• The Sun Devils have averaged 33.4 points per game over their past seven bowl games, but only have a 3-4 record in those games.

• ASU is 3-1 in their last four bowl games vs Big Ten opponents (6-1 in their last seven if you count games against Rutgers prior to the Scarlet Knights joining the Big Ten).

• Arizona State has not allowed a play of 50+ yards this season, the only team in the nation that can claim that.

• ASU has allowed just three scrimmage plays of 40+ yards this season, the fewest in the nation.

• The Sun Devils have held opponents to less than 30 points in 29 of 42 games under Herm Edwards.

• Arizona State has rushed for 100 or more yards in 16-straight games—its longest streak since a 21-game span between 1995 and 1996

• ASU averages 202.3 yards rushing per game, 24th in the nation.

• Arizona State’s 33 rushing touchdowns this season are the most it has had since totaling 36 in 2013.

• The Sun Devils are 18th in the nation allowing just 328.7 yards of offense per game.

• Arizona State has forced 60 offensive turnovers overall since 2019, 15th among all FBS teams.

• ASU has had a drive earn zero or negative yards just 5.7 percent of the time, the sixth-lowest total in the nation.

• Arizona State is tied for 10th in the nation this season with 15 interceptions.

• The Sun Devils allowed a pressure on just 26.8 percent of quarterback drop backs this year as a team, the 21st-lowest total in the nation

• Jayden Daniels can become the third QB in Arizona State history to win two bowl games in his career as a starter.

• Jayden Daniels needs 134 passing yards to reach 6,000 in his career.

• Jayden Daniels needs 117 rushing yards to surpass Taylor Kelly’s school rushing record for a quarterback with 1,404 yards.

• Jayden Daniels has 666 yards after contact, good for fifth nationally among quarterbacks.

• D.J. Davison has 31 tackles on running plays this season, the second-most in the nation among defensive linemen.

• Chase Lucas is tied for 13th among active FBS players with 34 career passes defended.

• Curtis Hodges averaged 18.7 yards per catch, the second-highest in the nation among TEs and 20th overall.

Follow Stephen on Twitter @StephenVilardo and his organization @SERCenter.

Visit his website at sercstats.com.



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