Kenny Dillingham Reveals Key Player Plans for Sun Bowl

The Sun Devils are looking forward to closing out the season on a high note against the ACC champs.

ASU Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham walks off the field after a 24-16 loss to the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- Arizona State football is set to see its 2025 season come to an end on December 31 in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against the freshly minted ACC champions in the Duke Blue Devils.

This will be the second time that the teams square off in this game, with Arizona State coming out on top in the 2014 game by a score of 36-31.

This contest was one that current head coach Kenny Dillingham was coincidentally involved in as a graduate assistant with the Sun Devils - he echoed the excitement of reliving history in three weeks in an exchange with the media on Monday.

Dec 27, 2014; El Paso, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jaelen Strong (21) celebrates after defeating the Duke Blue Devils in the 2014 Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium. The Sun Devils defeated the Blue Devils 36-31. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images | Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images

"I'm excited. I mean, I've been in this bowl game one time before, and we played Duke, so I'm two for two, facing the Blue Devils in the bowl, and it's a great ball. I'm excited for it."

This played right into a question surrounding who will and will not participate in the game - a topic in which the 35-year old has no concrete information on yet.

"50/50, I would guess. I mean, maybe higher than that. I mean, you know, this is a new era college football, I think you know so for us is, I'm going to support whatever our players do, whatever that they deem is best, and I'm going to support that and get behind it. So, you know, we have a lot of seniors, a lot of guys that have been playing."

"I can say this, you know, these guys that need to get you know rest, or that need to get, you know, maybe a minor surgery postseason, in order to, you know, get ready for the NFL draft and progress. You know, I'm telling those guys like you need to do you need to do what you need to do to get your body right for your prep and your future. So it's probably too premature to give you a real number. So I say 50/50 because it's right in the middle."

Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seniors Chamon Metayer and Justin Wodtly already declared for the 2026 NFL draft, while Keyshaun Elliott accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl, so the status of each of that trio is already in question. Jordyn Tyson has potential to participate as well, but nothing is confirmed.

This contest has the feel of one that will be a combination of sending off key contributors to one of the most fruitful eras of Sun Devil football and ushering in the next era of talent - including linebacker Martell Hughes, among others.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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