Arizona State top-ranked Big 12 team in early college football rankings
After an improbable run to the 2024 Big 12 football championship, Arizona State is not going to sneak up on anyone next season.
The Sun Devils were picked to finish last in their first season in the Big 12, but shocked the college football world by winning the conference and advancing to the quarterfinals of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Now Arizona State wants to run it back. And they have a ton of talent returning.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, defensive back Xavion Alford, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive lineman CJ Fite headline the top returners for the Sun Devils in 2025. All five players earned All-Big 12 honors and all five will be included on plenty of preseason watch lists heading into next season.
Arizona State On National Radar
Several media outlets have released their way-too-early college football rankings for the 2025 season, and Arizona State is featured in all of them.
CBS Sports' Brad Crawford has Arizona State as the top-ranked Big 12 team heading into 2025 with a No. 15 national ranking. The only other Big 12 teams ranked are No. 16 Kansas State and No. 24 Texas Tech.
.@BCrawford247 dropped his way-too-early top 25 for 2025 👀
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) January 13, 2025
Who would y'all have higher heading into next season? pic.twitter.com/Sj6dVb89VJ
Athlon Sports' Steven Lassan has Arizona State ranked even higher at No. 13. The other Big 12 teams in his rankings are No. 15 Kansas State, No. 16 BYU and No. 23 Iowa State.
Bleacher Report has Kansas State as the top-ranked Big 12 team at No. 10, with Arizona State coming in at No. 23.
We'll see what the rest of the offseason brings, but it's safe to say Arizona State is poised for another big season in 2025.
More Arizona State & Big 12 Analysis
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. One of his favorite memories was covering the 1999 Fiesta Bowl - the first BCS National Championship Game - at Sun Devil Stadium.