Kenny Dillingham Divulges Arizona State's Non-conference Scheduling Strategy
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TEMPE -- The 2026 Arizona State Sun Devils are on the brink of taking on yet another high-level power conference foe in non-conference play, as they are set to partake in the road leg of the home-and-home series with 2025 College Football Playoff representative Texas A&M on September 12.
The return game in 2027 may very well be the final time ASU takes on an SEC foe in non-conference play in the foreseeable future, as LSU and Texas canceled previously scheduled series - which opened the door for the Sun Devils to schedule Stanford, reviving a former Pac-12 rivalry.
This move might seem insignificant at the surface, but it compounds the program's footprint in a true pipeline state - as they also have San Diego State on the schedule.
Dillingham was quite candid when discussing the strategy after being asked by ASU on SI - read more on the justification below.
Why Scheduling in California is Vital
Dillingham started off by explaining that Arizona State's lack of presence in California due to the sudden conference realignment hindered the program in the short-term as a recruiting entity. The Sun Devils compensated for the move by being proactive and opting to attack Texas heavily. Dillingham and Bryan Carrington played an absolutely crucial role in bringing in some true difference-makers from the state, including returning DT C.J. Fite, among others.
"So we've started to try to do that. But that would be my ultimate goal, is to try to create those non-conf games in this the West Coast, because now we go, you know, to Texas multiple times a year... So now that we're playing already, you know, four games a year, you'll want to get the different regions. From a recruiting standpoint, you know, playing different regions, you're recruiting usually those regions."
Now, the goal is to re-establish the program's recruiting prowess and brand relevance in California, as the incentive to schedule games in Texas is now less due to the ongoing presence there. Scheduling San Diego State and Stanford serves as a springboard to potentially schedule even more opponents in the state down the line - perhaps even USC.
The Sun Devils have recently started to find more success in the state to show for the increased emphasis on recruiting there, which is most clearly evidenced by securing a commitment from prized four-star class of '27 wide receiver Nico Bland - which sets the stage for what will potentially be the best class that the program has put together in the Dillingham era.
Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.