Explaining Why Arizona State Football Remains in Big 12's Upper Tier

Arizona State football head coach Kenny Dillingham reacts during the first quarter against Iowa State in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The ambitions of Arizona State football have increased exponentially over the last three years under the leadership of Kenny Dillingham, as the program won the Big 12 title in 2024 in a season that defied all expectations.

Now, the 2026 Sun Devils are set to debut in September with a roster that looks quite a bit different compared to what has been seen over the two previous campaigns.

CBS Sports analyst Shehan Jeyarajah is of the belief that Arizona State will contend for another Big 12 title this season, as he places them at five in updated conference power rankings.

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham celebrates winning the Big 12 Championship game against the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Arizona State Set to Compete Despite Losses

Jeyarajah believes that the Sun Devils are set to continue recently accrued success, although he is skeptical around whether this specific squad is built to reach the highs that were found in 2024.

"The Sun Devils were painfully close to contention last season, but ultimately ended with a thud. Now, they'll have to do it again without Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson and Raleek Brown. The return of star defensive tackle C.J. Fite gives a significant building block on defense. The Sun Devils also brought in another solid transfer class, including Mikey Keene and Cutter Boley to compete at quarterback. Still, it's hard to see them reaching the highs this team has recently met."

The main counter-argument to the belief that Arizona State won't be able to replicate the success they experienced two seasons ago is predicated around the manner in which the roster is built.

The loss of Leavitt stings at the surface, but the amount of money that was saved in replacing the LSU-bound star with Boley is likely in the multi-million range. This allowed Arizona State to secure signings from a trio of four-star transfer players - wide receivers Reed Harris and Omarion Miller, as well as linebacker Owen Long.

The transfer portal class was ultimately balanced, represented by high-end talent, and filled needs at a multitude of positions - which has set the team up to compete in what will likely be a more tasking schedule faced in 2026.

Nov 29, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Boston College Eagles wide receiver Reed Harris (4) runs with the ball after a catch in front of Syracuse Orange defensive back Braheem Long Jr. (0) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Arizona State is ranked below reigning conference champion Texas Tech, reigning runner-up Brigham Young, Houston, and bitter rival Arizona at the moment. The Sun Devils take on Texas Tech in Lubbock on October 17 for the third time in as many years, BYU on October 31 in Provo in a rematch of the 2024 classic between the teams in Tempe, and Arizona in Tucson on November 28

Read more on the bold strategy that head coach Bobby Hurley employed with comments on 1/21 here, and on why Arizona State may have saved the season with the win over Cincinnati on Saturday here..

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