Torain, Jones injured; ASU leading Pac-10

In a year when the largest and most luxurious college football programs have been unable to avoid striking the upset iceberg, Arizona State continues to steam along, heading toward waters it has rarely visited.

SLIDESHOW: View photos from the game.

ASU football notebook: Carpenter finds success against blitzes

Nance, Herring keep ASU running

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ASU’s 44-20 victory against Washington on Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium places it at 7-0 for the first time since 1996 and just the second time in the last three decades. Sun Devil fans are likely to clamor for a top-10 ranking, although that might be wishful thinking — for this week, at least.

No matter. With the win, 14th-ranked ASU is 4-0 in the Pac-10, in first place by itself, a half-game in front of UCLA. In a week that saw four more unbeatens lose, including top-ranked Louisiana State and No. 2 California, the Sun Devils are just one of six bowl subdivision programs in the nation without a loss.

“We’re having a lot of fun competing every week,” quarterback Rudy Carpenter said. “We’ve played a lot of good teams, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing. It feels good to be 7-0, and now we’ve got a bye week to help get our bodies back together again.”

Rest is desperately needed for ASU’s leading rusher and receiver.

Running back Ryan Torain left the game in the first half on crutches, with a sprained left foot that coach Dennis Erickson labeled “serious.” Torain, who has rushed for 553 yards this season and compiled more than 1,000 on the ground last year, is out indefinitely.

After making three first-quarter catches, Mike Jones suffered a concussion. He is expected to return before the Sun Devils host California on Oct. 27.

“I don’t know if Ryan will be back for Cal or not,” Erickson said.

Tight end Brent Miller underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee on Friday and will be out two to four weeks.

The departures of the Sun Devils’ key starters gave the backups a chance to shine on Saturday, and none did brighter than reserve tailbacks Keegan Herring and Dimitri Nance, who helped ASU, which trailed 17-13 at halftime, salt the game away with long touchdown runs in the second half.

Herring rushed for 119 yards on just 10 carries, and his 76-yard TD gave ASU a 34-17 lead in the third quarter. About five minutes earlier, Nance went 57 yards to the end zone.

Carpenter completed 20 of 31 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

Much of ASU’s pregame focus defensively was on containing athletic quarterback Jake Locker. The redshirt freshman ran and passed for a touchdown for the Huskies (2-4, 0-3 Pac-10) but was limited to 48 yards rushing.

“Our game plan revolved around him,” linebacker Mike Nixon said. “We had to take away what he does best, and that’s run. That worked out for us.”

Despite the win, the Sun Devils might not climb much higher in the rankings.

Only three teams ranked ahead of ASU in The Associated Press poll lost on Saturday, and two — LSU and Cal — are not likely to descend below the Sun Devils. Also, No. 17 Kentucky, which beat LSU in three overtimes, figures to get a bump.

“I don’t know how good we are, but I do know we’ve won seven games,” Erickson said. “We’ll take it right now. It will be an interesting next six games for us to see where we are at.”

Streaking Sun Devils

ASU’s seven-game win streak to start the 2007 season matches the school’s third-longest single-season win streak since joining the Pac-10 in 1978.

*11 - 1996 (Sept. 7 to Nov. 23)

9 - 1982 (Sept. 4 to Nov. 6)

7 - 2007 (Sept. 1 to present)

7 - 1986 (Oct. 4 to Nov. 15)

6 - 1985 (Oct. 12 to Nov. 16)

* - ASU won all 11 games of the 1996 season

Still flawless

ASU is one of six undefeated bowl subdivision teams left in the nation.

Team______________Record

No. 3 Ohio State _____7-0

No. 4 Boston College _7-0

No. 5 South Florida __6-0

No. 14 Arizona State__7-0

No. 16 Hawaii________7-0

No. 20 Kansas________6-0