Who Would Arizona State's Protected Big 12 Rivals Be?

The Big 12 has potential to restructure the conference schedule moving forward.

BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter (5) makes a catch against Arizona State defensive back Javan Robinson (12) during the second half at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 23, 2024. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona State Sun Devils are entering year two as members of the Big 12 conference with a nine-game conference slate.

At the moment the Arizona Wildcats are the only 'protected rival' - or team that the Sun Devils will play every season, but a recent shift in scheduling strategy from the SEC will open the door for other conferences to follow suit.

The SEC recently voted to expand the conference to nine games, which creates the possibility that the conference will add more protected rivals with an extra game.

Other conferences would likely follow suit in response - what would Arizona State's yearly slate look like under those circumstances?

The three choices for a yearly battle:

Arizona

Arizona is already a protected rival in the current conference schedule. That will absolutely not change in a potential three-game set of that arrangement.

The Sun Devils and Wildcats are soon set to play the 100th edition of the rivalry, and the vitriol tangibly shown between the fanbases is matched by very few other rivals.

Utah

Utah has quickly risen to a similar level as the team that will be mentioned last as a secondary rival.

CAM SKATTEBO CAN'T BE STOPPED 🔥

ARIZONA STATE LEADS NO. 16 UTAH BY 8 WITH LESS THAN 3 MINUTES LEFT! pic.twitter.com/lD3hqudvZb

— ESPN (@espn) October 12, 2024

Utah and Arizona have much shared history in the roughly decade-plus that the teams have played in the same conference - with tightly contested battles in 2013, 2014, and 2021 that have added fuel to a budding fire.

The two programs fighting to be the top program in the Big 12 long-term has likely put the final bow on top of a potential long-term rivalry.

The teams should be playing yearly.

Brigham Young

The Sun Devils and Cougars are budding rivals as well - if not for anything else, the overlap in fanbases.

The tension was palpable between the two sides in last November's game in Tempe, with the two programs also vying to be long-term powers in the conference.

The fairly close proximity between the two teams adds to the intrigue as well, as do the recruiting battles that will often overlap.

Read ASU on SI's exclusive interview with Jordyn Tyson here, and on where Sam Leavitt lands on the NIL merchandise sales leaderboard here.

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