The Peach Bowl trophy is displayed next to the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils helmets during the Joint Head Coaches Press Conference at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia on Dec. 31, 2024, ahead of the Peach Bowl College Football Quarterfinal Game on New Years Day. Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian joined Arizona Sun Devils Head Coach Kenny Dillingham at the press conference. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Analyst Makes Bold Arizona State Prediction

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Arizona State Sun Devils are less than two months away from kicking off a vital 2025 season that could go a long way towards dictating the future of the program in terms of potentially becoming a national powerhouse.

Kenny Dillingham is officially in year three of his stint in Tempe after graduating from the university in 2012, and found a near-instant formula to remedy the losing ways that the program had grown accustomed to over recent seasons.

The Sun Devils took college football by storm in 2024 - winning 11 games, the Big 12 conference, and securing a four seed in the College Football Playoff.

Now, the program enters the 2025 season as the favorites to win the conference once again, but not everyone agrees with that sentiment.

ON3 insider Brett McMurphy projected the 12-team bracket for the 2025 season - it featured a lone Big 12 school that isn't Arizona State.

Utah was selected as his lone representative for the conference as an 11 seed despite ASU, Texas Tech, Baylor, and others being considered legitimate contenders to sneak in - to the point that there could be multiple selections.

NEW: College Football Playoff Prediction via @Brett_McMurphy

Do you agree?

https://t.co/5IUoqiYgcm https://t.co/XWxc6mHiBK pic.twitter.com/7MUlw3yPOk
— On3 (@On3sports) July 1, 2025

The format of the playoff will still allow for an automatic qualifier from the Big 12, although the conference winner will no longer be guaranteed a first-round bye after the Sun Devils secured one last season and proved to be worthy after nearly defeating Texas.

Utah is an intriguing choice to reach the 12-team bracket, as Kyle Whittingham could be close to calling it a career as head coach - he returns a great coaching staff, a standout defense, and potentially upgraded an offense that had struggled the two years prior by adding Devon Dampier via the transfer portal.

Regardless, it could be seen as disrespectful to not gift the Sun Devils the benefit of the doubt - especially since the entire coaching staff and 17 starters return for the program.

Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson comprise one of the best duos in the country - the talent doesn't end there either, with potentially as many as 10 players that could be selected to All-Big 12 preseason teams next week.

Read more about AD Graham Rossini's comments about the growth of Sun Devil football here, and Tyson's standing as an NFL draft prospect here.

Please let us know your thoughts on Arizona State's chances to make a second consecutive CFP this season when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: