Who Are Arizona State's Biggest Rivals?

The Arizona State football program is now the hunted.

The team defied all expectations and logic in 2024 - going from being picked to finish last in their debut season in the Big 12 to securing the conference championship just months later.

The potential meteoric rise from laughing stock to powerhouse within the conference is sure to breed more rivalries that are an extension of the major one that is nationally renowned.

Who are the biggest 'rivals' to Arizona State currently in a competitive Big 12?

The three current picks - taking into account shared history, potential for future conflicts, and the ability to continue being relevant:

3. Iowa State

Iowa State places here simply due to virtue of being the Sun Devils' opponent in the Big 12 title game last December.

The two teams being potential power brokers in the future of the conference, Matt Campbell/Kenny Dillingham being among the best coaches in the country, and a rematch in Ames in November are other reasons that this pairing could eventually turn contentious.

For now, it isn't a rivalry per se, but it could develop into one with the conditions currently in place.

2. Utah

Utah has been a budding rivalrly since the Utes joined the Pac-12 in 2011.

Numerous tightly contested battles - such as Arizona State's 20-19 and 19-16 victories in the 2013/14 seasons, along with consistent palpable tension when the programs take the field have raised the profile of this matchup.

Utah fans have also continuously postured the Utes as a power broker in the old Pac-12 - many complained about joining the Big 12 and felt that the conference was beneath them. This has added to the overall intrigue of the budding rivarly - especially since the Sun Devils took the conference title last season.

The two teams are set to face off in Salt Lake City on October 11 - which could very well be another chapter in the back-and-forth nature of the potential powers of the Big 12.

1. Arizona

This one needs no explanation.

The Sun Devils and Wildcats have been rivals for over a century - the Territorial Cup dates back to 1899 - and Arizona narrowly leads the series between the in-state programs that have been in a power struggle in major conferences for decades.

'A' mountain in Tempe being dyed red and white. Contentious recruiting battles that transcend just football. A general refusal by some Sun Devil fans to step foot in Tucson. This rivalry expels pure disdain on both sides of the battle - and it makes for one of the most intense yearly rivalries across college football.

Read more on game-by-game predictions for the 2025 Sun Devils here, and if a national title is within reach for the team this season here.

Please let us know your thoughts on potential Big 12 programs that could develop into rivals for the Sun Devils when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.