LOS ANGELES — Danny Sullivan vs. Mitch Mustain? That might be the quarterback matchup Saturday when Arizona State faces Southern California at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Backups Sullivan and Mustain have thrown a combined total of 17 passes this season, but injuries to starters Rudy Carpenter and Mark Sanchez have put their status in doubt.
Carpenter sprained his left ankle during ASU’s 24-14 loss at California last weekend and left the field on crutches.
Sanchez suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the third quarter of USC’s 44-10 victory over Oregon.
Carpenter has started 36 consecutive games for ASU — the second- longest active starting streak by a quarterback in the country.
“He’s still in a boot,” Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson said Tuesday. “It’s a day-by-day thing with him.”
Sullivan, a junior, has completed 1-of-8 passes for minus-1 yard this season and has hit on 26-of-52 for 211 yards in his career.
Sanchez, in his first full season as USC’s starter, has been selected the Pac-10 offensive player of the week three times this year, having thrown for 1,069 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Sanchez was injured when sacked by former high school teammate Nick Reed.
“We’ll wait and see how he’s going to do,” Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. “We’re very fortunate, and he’s very fortunate in this injury, that he didn’t have any damage other than the bruise. But it’s still very sore.”
Mustain, a sophomore from Arkansas who was promoted from No. 4 to No. 2 on the depth chart last week, completed 5-of-8 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown and an interception against Oregon.
“I know he’s really pumped up about the opportunity,” Carroll said.
Florida’s Harvin misses practice
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida receiver Percy Harvin missed his second consecutive practice, but coach Urban Meyer expects the speedster to play Saturday against No. 4 LSU.
Harvin sprained his right ankle Saturday at Arkansas and was placed in a protective boot.
“We hope to get him back (today),” Meyer said.
Ball State WR Love improving
MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State receiver Dante Love, recovering from a career-ending spinal injury, might be released from a rehabilitation center this week.
Love took a head-on hit during the Cardinals’ 42-20 win over Indiana on Sept. 20 and underwent surgery a day after the game.
“I want everyone to know that Dante is improving daily,” coach Brady Hoke said. “He is really making great strides.”
Footnotes.
Tennessee offensive linemen Ramone Johnson and Darius Myers have been suspended for the Volunteers’ upcoming games against Georgia and Mississippi State for what coach Phillip Fulmer said was a lack of academic effort and violation of team rules.
• Although he was benched in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to Penn State, Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter remains the team’s starter.
• Colgate and Georgetown will not reschedule last Saturday’s football game, which was postponed because of a viral outbreak on the Georgetown campus.
The Associated Press
