The Arizona State Sun Devils are now under two weeks from entering the 2026 season.
The fourth season of the Kenny Dillingham era is coming with rather lofty expectations internally. Those expectations fall behind the backdrop of bringing in an exceptional transfer portal class, including two four-star receivers in Omarion Miller and Reed Harris.
Expectations aren’t uniform everywhere, however. The consensus appears to be that Arizona State is heading for a middle-tier finish within the Big 12.
The lukewarm expectations from the outside are creeping in from the media world as well unfortunately. Read more about the tempered outlook from a pair of experts below.
Arizona State’s Bowl Fate Up in Air
GettyArizona State is returning a fair amount of strong contributors this season.
The Sun Devils are seeking a return to the College Football Playoff after reaching the tournament in 2024. This feat will likely require winning the Big 12 again, which isn’t exactly a promising proposition at the moment.
Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach of ESPN are in unison in this opinion when it comes to preseason projections.
The pair are projecting Arizona State to participate in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on January 2 in Dallas Texas. The potential opponents in this scenario are James Madison and Minnesota, which points to the Sun Devils facing a mid-tier fate by the end of the regular season.
The good news? This is simply a projection. Arizona State’s future is far from a finished product. The 2026 team is banking on several high profile portal additions independent of Miller and Harris. This includes EDGE Jalen Thompson, linebacker Owen Long, and safety Lyrik Rawls as just a few of the high-impact incoming stars.
Dillingham’s upcoming roster is relatively fresh in Tempe, but it’s also experienced in compliment. From quarterback Mikey Keene, to fourth-year DT C.J. Fite, Arizona State is a veteran-laden team. This 105-man roster is preparing the way to be ready for a schedule that is more challenging on average in 2026.
Arizona State’s Future Hanging in Balance
There is much riding on the 2026 season for ASU. Dillingham is continuing to build a sustainable environment of competition, but he requires consistent financial support. He must also prove that the 2024 season wasn’t a blip on the radar.
The pressure is slowly but surely mounting in that department. Arizona State’s four most challenging games on the schedule (at the moment) appear to be road contests. The Sun Devils are traveling to Texas A&M on September 12, Texas Tech (October 17), Brigham Young (October 31), and Arizona (November 28).
Each of these games present unique challenges. Each game also grows in importance for the Sun Devils’ season. Texas A&M is a litmus test ahead of conference play. The other three battles are critical for Arizona State’s pursuit of another conference title.
As seen last season, the margin for error between participating in the Big 12 title game and ultimately bowing out in the Sun Bowl is extremely small. Arizona State is seeking to be on the right side of that margin in the upcoming season.
The Sun Devils are opening up the season at home against Morgan State on September 5.
Arizona State Handed Pessimistic Bowl Game Outlook Before Week One