TEMPE, Ariz. — In the days before the Arizona State played Oregon on Saturday,

coach Dennis Erickson proclaimed that his team was embarking on a new season.

If the Sun Devils' premiere is of any indication, that season will have the kind of success enjoyed by "South of Sunset" and "Cop Rock." Those dreadful, short-lived series are long forgotten, but at least they managed to get on television.

ASU's 54-20 loss against the Ducks was not broadcast in the Valley, so the stench was limited to the announced crowd of 64,406 at Sun Devil Stadium. However, the disturbing images should be burned in the minds of Erickson and his players, whose search for answers seems desperate after a fifth straight loss.

"It's very frustrating. It's embarrassing to go out there and get outscored as much as we did," wide receiver Michael Jones said. "It's been happening week in and week out, but we just don't know what to do. We have to come together and figure out what we need to do to get better."

The hardest part of dissecting how ASU (2-5 overall, 1-3 Pac-10) performed is determining where to begin. The Sun Devils bumbled, fumbled and stumbled on offense, missed tackles on defense and — most bewilderingly — did not play with the sense of urgency their situation demanded.

"I don't have an answer," coach Dennis Erickson said. "When you play at home like that, regardless of how good a team is, that's embarrassing. But it's on my shoulders. That's the bottom line. ...

"To perform like that for our fans and our students is unacceptable."

The Oregon point total was the highest allowed by the Sun Devils since a 55-38 loss against California in 2002. It was the Sun Devils' worst performance since the 48-13 loss against Oregon on Sept. 30, 2006, a game that marked the beginning of the end for former coach Dirk Koetter.

Erickson has no job-security concerns. But Jones suggested that the team has a leadership void among players.

"You can talk about leadership all you want, but somebody has to step up and do it," Erickson said. "Whether there is leadership or not, somebody has to step up and do the job when it needs to be done. Right now, we aren't doing that."

As was the case two years ago, Oregon (6-2, 4-1) overwhelmed the Sun Devils from the start. Jeremiah Masoli — chosen the starting quarterback after winning a practice battle with Justin Roper — needed just five plays and a minute, nine seconds to direct the Ducks to a touchdown on their opening drive.

Masoli, who led Oregon with 85 rushing yards and passed for 147, led a no-huddle offense with which the ASU defense could not keep pace.

The Ducks were given short fields in the first half.

A shanked punt by Trevor Hankins — the walk-on started in place of Thomas Weber — gave Oregon the ball at the ASU 40. A fourth-down failure by ASU, when quarterback Rudy Carpenter slipped while rolling out, enabled the Ducks to take possession at the 39. Both drives ended in touchdowns.

"We got behind early, and I wanted to try and do something to reverse that," Erickson said of the fourth-down attempt. "I'd do it again."

Carpenter, who was 17-of-33 for 146 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, did not appear at the postgame press conference. No reason was given for his absence.

The Sun Devils need to go 4-1 in their last five games to qualify for a bowl. And with road games remaining at Oregon State and Arizona, they have next to no margin for error.