ASU eying massive fan turnout vs. Mississippi State, creating ‘competitive advantage’

Throughout the program’s history, ASU football has never beaten a team from the SEC.

In five attempts, the Sun Devils are 0-5 against opponents from arguably one of the toughest collegiate conferences in the United States. Arizona State fell to Texas A&M 38-17 back on Sept. 5, 2015, but will look to make its mark in history when the Sun Devils host Mississippi State on Saturday.

Underrated by the mainstream media, the Bulldogs were predicted to finish second-to-last in the 2024 SEC Football Preseason Media Poll while ASU finished last in the Big 12’s poll.

With both teams coming into Tempe off the back of two blowout wins in each of their season openers, however, this matchup is shaping up to be a hard-fought battle with no clear-cut winner. The Sun Devils destroyed Wyoming 48-7 and Mississippi State crushed Eastern Kentucky 56-7 last Saturday.

In the 2024 season opener for Arizona State, 13,698 students represented their university and supported their football team at Mountain America Stadium. Setting the tone for what could be a norm from here on out, that turnout was the second-highest student attendance at a home game in program history. The game against UCLA on Sept. 24, 2014, where there were 14,084 Sun Devils is the only other game to draw more.

It remains to be seen until game time as to whether there will be a huge conglomerate of Bulldogs fans locally from Arizona or traveling from Mississippi to Tempe. The MSU faithful are known for creating an electric atmosphere of their own by carrying on the rich tradition of ringing cowbells to cast good luck on the team.

Regardless of whether Bulldogs fans show up and produce a ruckus or stay home and watch from elsewhere, there will be thousands of passionate ASU supporters who will fill the stadium to scream and yell.

Someone who embodies what it means to be a part of the Sun Devil community is head coach Kenny Dillingham. He is a graduate of ASU and has a burning passion for the college to succeed by any means necessary.

“When our guys run down the kick-off and we defer, we get to run down to that student section and they [the opponent] have to start on their 25-yard line, that student section is roaring,” Dillingham said at a press conference on Monday. “It’s an unbelievable feeling and that’s the challenge for our guys and for the students: you are a part of this. We want to break the record, I want to have more students than has ever been at a game. I want you guys to be a part of the first time Arizona State’s ever won an SEC game. Come be a part of history. Let’s pack it out, from the fans to the students, and make this the best environment in college football this week.”

Knowing how much every ounce of local support matters to both himself and the Arizona State community as a whole, he wants to create a hostile environment for Mississippi State, who have a new starting quarterback in Blake Shapen and a new head coach in Jeff Lebby.

“We need everybody to come out to the game,” Dillingham said after practice on Wednesday. “We need the fans to come out to the game, we need it sold out, we need it loud. We need the first third down, the first kick-off, we need them to feel the atmosphere here. Especially earlier in the season for their first away game with a new head coach, the fans are vital and they’re a competitive advantage.”

While history is not on their side by having a winless record against SEC competition, ASU will look to add to its momentum from its statement victory over Wyoming into Saturday night.

The Sun Devils take on the Bulldogs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT.