Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) is greeted by head coach Kenny Dillingham before playing against Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Jan 1, 2025, in Atlanta, Ga. Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Analyst: Arizona State is Top Big 12 Team

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The Arizona State Sun Devils are now under three months away from kicking off what could be the most anticipated season in the history of the program.

The Sun Devils are likely to be selected as the favorite to repeat as Big 12 champions at the conference media day in Frisco, Texas next month - that follows an 11-3 campaign which saw the program reach the College Football Playoff.

Many within the media world remain bullish on this version of Kenny Dillingham's program to repeat what was seen a year ago.

Longtime college football writer Phil Steele is part of that crew - although he is not as massive of a fan as some.

Steele's annual preseason rankings placed Arizona State at number 23 - which places them in the second tier of the Big 12 behind Baylor, Utah, and Iowa State.

Arizona State sits on the same level as Kansas State and Texas Tech according to Steele - this could serve as a shock to some, as the trio of teams in the second tier are widely considered to be the best in the conference going into the season.

Phil Steele’s preseason Top 40 teams for the Big 12:

13 - Baylor
18 - Utah
21 - Iowa State
23 - Arizona State
24 - Kansas State
29 - Texas Tech
36 - TCU
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) June 9, 2025

Baylor being ranked as the top team in the Big 12 going into the season is a curious choice, as the potent offense could be derailed by a defense that still faces many concerns despite head coach Dave Aranda's best effort to reshape the unit.

Utah enters the 2025 season with one of the best defenses in the conference, and Devon Dampier could raise the ceiling of the offense - but Dampier's raw nature as a passer could limit the Utes' ceiling as well.

Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Arizona State all boast valid arguments to be considered the most talented squad on paper in the Big 12 - it remains a serious question as to why those squads are ranked lower.

While Arizona State is likely to be favored to repeat as Big 12 champions by the consensus, Dillingham's program will have to take care of business against what could be a more challenging conference slate that features top three squads in Steele's rankings - all three on the road.

Read more about unheralded players on Arizona State's roster going into 2025 - the most important depth piece on offense here, and defense here.

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

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