Can Arizona State Football Repeat 2024's Success?

It was a magical year in Tempe, setting program firsts and breaking records. Now the major question is whether the Sun Devils can keep it up or not?

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham calls out to his players against Wyoming during a game at Sun Devil Stadium. | Patrick Breen/The Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For years, the Arizona State Sun Devils have epitomized college football mediocrity.

Sure, there were flashes — 2007, 2013, and 2014 stand out — but consistent relevance in Tempe has been hard to find since the mid-1970s.

That’s what makes the 2025 season so important — not just for ASU’s national perception, but for head coach Kenny Dillingham’s long-term vision.

It’s safe to say that 2024 was one of the greatest seasons in program history. In their first year as a Big 12 member, the Sun Devils didn’t just survive — they thrived, winning the conference title and earning their first-ever College Football Playoff berth.

In the Peach Bowl, ASU was getting steamrolled early. But then came a furious fourth-quarter comeback — 16 unanswered points to force overtime against Texas. The Longhorns pulled away in the extra frame, but the message was clear: Arizona State had arrived on the national stage.

All of this came just one year after Dillingham’s 3-9 debut.

So the question lingers: Was 2024 lightning in a bottle, or the start of something real?

We won’t know until the end of 2025 — but the discussion is valid.

Gone is Cam Skattebo, the workhorse who powered ASU’s offense en route to 1,700+ rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. In steps Kanye Udoh, a transfer from Army who quietly had a breakout sophomore season with 1,100 rushing yards in a run-heavy system.

Udoh isn’t Skattebo — he's not built the same, nor does he play the same — but he’s no stranger to high-volume touches, and this new-look offense may be more explosive than ever.

The real magic, though, might be under center. Dillingham has elevated quarterback Sam Leavitt from an afterthought at Michigan State to a projected NFL first-round pick. His development has been rapid — and now he has more weapons to play with.

Alongside returning star Jordyn Tyson, ASU’s receiving corps adds high-upside transfers like Jaren Hamilton, Jalen Moss, and Noble Thompson — giving Leavitt one of the most intriguing arsenals in the conference.

The skepticism is fair. So is the excitement.

Arizona State’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked 48th — modest, but reflective of momentum. More impressively, their 2026 class is currently ranked 28th and rising. Dillingham is building a pipeline. The question is: Can he sustain it?

He’s made it clear that he believes ASU can become a blue blood program — a bold claim for a school with decades of inconsistency.

Now it’s on him to prove it.