Arizona State Re-Enters Upper Tier of Big 12 in Week Off

The Sun Devils are still one of the best teams in the league despite posting three losses.

Nov 1, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham and Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell shake hands after the game at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils are battling through numerous roadblocks that have appeared in recent weeks in an uneven 2025 season - this has culminated in the team receiving the week off from head coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State sits at 6-3 at the three-quarter mark of the campaign, and have a realistic path back into the top two of the Big 12 standings - but need outside help to make that ambition a reality.

Despite being on the outside looking in at the minute, there is a sentiment that is returning that the Sun Devils have potential to be among the best in the conference - even with Jeff Sims at quarterback.

Pete Mundo of Heartland College Sports ranks the Sun Devils as the fifth best team in the league in week 11 after the win over Iowa State - making it a point to stress the gutsy showing the team displayed last Saturday.

"No Sam Leavitt? Well, no problem, for ASU. What a road win at Iowa State and what a performance by Jeff Sims, who led the Sun Devils to a dominant performance with nearly 300 rushing yards in Ames. They’re still likely on the outside looking in on the Big 12 race, but that was a great game for the Sun Devils last weekend."

Arizona State on SI covers key points and questions surrounding the ranking/justification below.

Who is Arizona State Behind?

The Sun Devils trail behind the Cincinnati Bearcats, Utah Utes, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and BYU Cougars in this exercise.

It can certainly be argued that Arizona State should be over Cincinnati after an ugly loss last week, although the latter still holds the advantage in the standings. The top three is difficult to argue, although Texas Tech or BYU has potential to slip a bit after their matchup this week.

What Does Rest of Season Look Like?

Arizona State is currently on their second 'bye' week of the season and will return to practice in a full capacity next week in anticipation of a homecoming game against the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 15. They then hit the road for the final road game of their season against the Colorado Buffaloes on November 22. They close the 12-game regular season on Friday, November 28 against their bitter rivals in the Arizona Wildcats.

When Will Jordyn Tyson Return?

Coach Dillingham stated on Monday that it is more likely that the dynamic star makes his return against Colorado rather than West Virginia.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and three major takeaways following a gutsy win over Iowa State here

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