Arizona State Well Represented in Preseason Preview

ESPN created a primer for the Big 12 season that is to be in the second year of the league being in present format - here are spots where Arizona State was represented in.

When it comes to the CFP race:

Should be in: . "The Big 12 is perhaps the most unpredictable conference in the nation. Arizona State, picked to finish last at the beginning of the 2024 season, was the league's lone participant in the first 12-team Playoff. In 2025, the Sun Devils loom as the favorite, even though that's not official since the conference did away with the preseason poll. But the Sun Devils return 79 percent of their production from last season, good for 2nd best in the country. Sam Leavitt will enter the season as a Heisman candidate, especially with a healthy Jordyn Tyson on the outside, and despite the loss of RB Cam Skattebo, Army transfer Kanye Udoh should fill in nicely as a replacement."

The talent, speed, depth, and coaching surrounding this Arizona State team makes them a prime contender to reach the CFP yet again - perhaps as even an at-large selection.

The team is facing some significant losses, but Dillingham has done an incredible job of re-tooling in his own right.

Texas Tech at Arizona State (Oct. 18). "The defending champ against the offseason's buzziest team. The Red Raiders took down ASU in Lubbock, Texas, last season 30-22, but it was well before the Sun Devils found fifth gear. Which team will be in proper midseason form for this one?"

The duel between the Red Raiders and Sun Devils is one that could eventually be one that warrants a visit from ESPN's College Gameday to Tempe - the two best teams in the conference on paper going to battle when both could be posting strong records by the time mid-October rolls around.

The team was also ranked as the best team in the Big 12 per the current power rankings - logically, it makes sense as the defending champions of the league.

Read more on why Dillingham is one of the best coaches in college football at this point from our own Tanner Cappellini here, and on Arizona State men's basketball scheduling a series against UCLA here.