The Arizona State football team opens its season on Saturday against the University of Wyoming, hoping to avoid a third consecutive 3-9 season for the once-promising team.
Entering year two of the Kenny Dillingham era, the Sun Devils have plenty of questions: How will they perform? What will happen with the team’s new recruits? Can quarterback Sam Leavitt lead the Sun Devils to surprising success after finishing last in the Big 12 media poll?
What will be even more interesting is how ASU fare in its transition to the Big 12 Conference.
After the Pac-12 collapsed, the Sun Devils were relocated to the Big 12 along with Arizona, Colorado and Utah, meaning they will face unfamiliar opponents beyond the 2024 season.
That’s not all: A tough non-conference schedule leads to one of the toughest game schedules in the Big 12. Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports rated ASU’s conference schedule as the second-toughest out of 16 teams.
I have tried to separate games that look winnable on paper from those that don’t.
An easier opponent for the Sun Devils
Those matchups don’t seem to pose much of a threat to Dillingham’s team.
Saturday, August 31 vs. Wyoming — 7:30 p.m. (FS1): Wyoming finished 9-4 last season, and while they were surprising at times, they recorded nine wins for the first time since 1996. Now, former defensive coordinator Jay Sobel replaces the retiring Craig Ball and looks to continue Wyoming’s success. This will be the first time the Sun Devils and Cowboys meet since 1977, and Arizona State is 9-6 all-time against Wyoming. ASU is favored by 7.5 points in this game, according to odds from BetMGM Sportsbook.
Saturday, September 7 vs. Mississippi State — 7:30 PM (ESPN): Mississippi State finished 5-7 last season and added a number of players through the transfer portal. Sun Devil fans may be skeptical of their team’s performance this season, but the Week 2 matchup could go either way. Mississippi State is projected to finish second in the SEC behind Vanderbilt.
Saturday, Nov. 9 vs. UCF: UCF has the ability to compete in the Big 12, but it may take time. Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo was a big hit on the ground and UCF struggled in the run game last season. UCF was 2-7 when allowing 100-plus yards on the ground in 2023, while the Knights were 4-0 when allowing fewer yards.
Thursday, September 12 vs. Texas State — 4:30 p.m. (ESPN): Texas State struggled defensively last season, allowing 32.8 points per game and had no chance unless they scored 35 or more points. The Bobcats were 7-0 in games where they scored 35 or more points and 1-5 when they didn’t. Kenny Dillingham’s offense will need to score, score and score.
Saturday, Oct. 11 vs. Utah: While the Big 12’s introductory season will feature many new faces, the Sun Devils will face some familiar faces this season. These are the five Big 12 teams ranked 12th and 24th, Arizona. Utah was the favorite to win the conference in the preseason media poll. Arizona State will host Utah on Oct. 11, just six days after playing 22nd-ranked Kansas. Utah comes to Tempe well-rested, having played Arizona on Sept. 28 and then had a day off. The Sun Devils will have just six days off.
Saturday, Oct. 19 at Cincinnati: The Sun Devils defense will need to step up their run attack against Cincinnati as the Bearcats were one of the best in the country in 2023. However, the Bearcats passing attack is a different beast and the Sun Devils will need to take advantage of a team that turned the ball over quite a bit this season in 2023. Cincinnati finished 14th in the Big 12 preseason poll.
Saturday, Nov. 23 vs. BYU: BYU will be looking to bounce back from a mediocre 5-7 record last year in its first season in the Big 12. The Cougars didn’t have much going for them offensively and turnovers hurt them. The Sun Devils have the ability to pull off a win. BYU was picked to finish 13th in the preseason media poll.
Saturday, November 30 (Arizona): For Arizona, the Territorial Cup always provides a show for the fans. This is the first time since 2015 that Arizona, ranked 21st, has been ranked in the Associated Press preseason poll. Quarterback Noah Fifita and receiver Tetairoa McMillan are both back, shaping an explosive offense. Arizona’s defense has improved, and they have added depth under first-year coach Brent Brennan. As always, no one knows how the Sun Devils and Wildcats will play out on November 30, so we’re here to cover it.
ASU Football’s tough opponent
Saturday, September 21st vs. Texas Tech: Texas Tech has a potent offense with a ton of receivers and Taj Brooks at halfback. Brooks ran for over 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023 and will once again be the focal point of the offense behind a monster offensive line. Arizona State’s defense will need to step up in this game.
Saturday, Oct. 5 vs. Kansas: Kansas is ranked 22nd in the Associated Press preseason poll. After rocketing from 0-9 in 2020 to 9-4 in 2023, this Kansas team is healthy and could be a threat against other Big 12 teams. The offense is a threat and the defense is getting there. Fasten your seatbelts for a team that was ranked 4th in the Big 12 preseason poll.
Saturday, November 2 at Oklahoma State: No. 17 Oklahoma State is one of the favorites to win the Big 12 Conference. Arizona State lost to the Cowboys 27-15 in Tempe last season and will be looking to get revenge this season. Oklahoma State received 14 first-place votes to win the Big 12 Conference title.
Saturday, Nov. 16, at Kansas State: No. 18 Kansas State is the obvious favorite to win the Big 12 Conference, receiving 19 first-place votes to Utah State’s 20. Coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, the Wildcats have the advantage on both offense and defense and will be tough for Arizona State to keep up with.