First look

Time: 1 p.m. Saturday. TV: FSN

The records: WSU, 2-3, 0-2 in Pac-10; No. 18 Arizona State, 5-0, 2-0.

Last week: WSU lost to Arizona 48-20 in Tucson; Arizona State defeated Stanford 41-3 at Stanford.

Last time: Arizona State won 47-17 in Tempe last season.

The line: Arizona State by 8 1/2.

What it means for WSU: Redemption. The Cougars looked woeful in the second half against Arizona, making errors in all phases of the game. A win over a ranked team would salve those wounds and get them on track for postseason play.

What it means for Arizona State: Momentum. Though the Sun Devils have started hot, part is due to a back-loaded schedule. ASU needs to be 7-0 (Washington follows WSU) when the Devils begin a four-game stretch against the Pac-10’s best: Cal, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Key matchup: WSU cornerbacks Chima Nwachukwu and Devin Giles vs. ASU wide receivers Michael Jones and Rudy Burgess.

There will be no surprises here. Dennis Erickson’s teams have always run a vertically themed passing game that features the wideouts. In Jones (17.5 yards per catch, with a long of 64 yards) and Burgess (14.2, long of 62), the Sun Devils have two guys capable of executing it. Arizona attacked Giles last week and had success, but ASU and quarterback Rudy Carpenter (12 touchdowns, four interceptions) can target either side with equal efficiency. The Cougars’ cornerback pair must make ASU work to score and force at least two turnovers to have a shot.

Vince Grippi