Arizona State running back Raleek Brown during the final football practice before leaving for Camp Tontozona at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., on Aug 5, 2025. Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State Among Headlines of 2025 CFB Season

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Arizona State Sun Devils have rebounded incredibly well in the two-plus years since Kenny Dillingham took over as head coach of the program.

The 2024 team won the Big 12 title in their debut season as members of the league in an incredibly unexpected fashion and is now looking to use the meteoric rise as a springboard to even new heights.

Chip Patterson of CBS Sports listed Arizona State as one of the major storylines of the 2025 college football season, particularly under the 'Encore for CFP Cinderellas' banner.

"Speaking of Arizona State, Kenny Dillingham's team will be in the spotlight as one of the teams that came from under the radar to crash the first-ever edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Both the Sun Devils and Indiana were 3-9 in 2024 (2023), had coaches who were in their first or second year on the job and proceeded to run off 11-win seasons that stand out as some of the most remarkable year-to-year turnarounds in the modern era.

"The Sun Devils did it, surviving the ups and downs of the Big 12, but Indiana got in with via an at-large bid after going 11-1 in the regular season with the only defeat coming to Ohio State in Columbus."

Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State being in the spotlight in 2025 is an understatement. The Sun Devils will have eyes on them from around the country that haven't been seen since 2014 - the process is already underway with the program being ranked 11th in the preseason poll according to coaches.

There is ultimately credence to the hype despite skepticism, as Dillingham returns his entire core coaching staff and 17 starting players, many of whom have the ability to eventually reach the NFL.

While it remains true that the Big 12 is an up-and-down league at this point, Dillingham's program has as strong a chance as anyone to reign supreme long term as the major power in the 16-team league.

Read more on the case for Sam Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.

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

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