Big 12 Program Draws First-Round Clash With Ohio State in CFP Forecast

College football analyst Josh Pate has released his projected College Football Playoff field for 2025, and the Arizona State Sun Devils made the cut as the Big 12’s representative.

Pate slotted ASU as the No. 10 seed, setting up a first-round matchup against Ohio State.

In his projection, Arizona State ultimately fell to the Buckeyes in the opening game, but the inclusion alone signals just how far the program has come under head coach Kenny Dillingham. After just one year in the Big 12, the Sun Devils have been gaining national respect as a roster capable of competing in a league loaded with balance and physicality.

Quarterback Sam Leavitt headlines the offense, and his emergence has fueled optimism that Arizona State can take another step forward in 2025. Paired with explosive wideout Jordyn Tyson, the Sun Devils have playmakers that fit the profile of a team ready to compete at the highest level.

Even in a simulated defeat, the significance of being projected into the playoffs cannot be understated. For a program that only recently joined the Big 12, appearing on the playoff board alongside Ohio State, Georgia, and other bluebloods highlights the speed of ASU’s growth.

If the Sun Devils can live up to preseason expectations and earn a real playoff berth this fall, they would immediately cement themselves as one of the Big 12’s flagship programs in the expanded postseason era.