The Arizona State Sun Devils are limping into week six of the 2026 season.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham has roughly one week to figure out how to remedy issues that are plaguing the Sun Devils. This is before Arizona State takes on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a crucial Big 12 matchup on Oct. 17.
The stage is setting up for another high-stakes meeting between the two. Read more below on the official kickoff time announcement and recent history between the budding rivals.
Arizona State-Texas Tech Kickoff Time Official
The Sun Devils and Red Raiders are kicking off at 3;30 P.M. EST/12:30 MST on Saturday, Oct. 17 (Big 12).
The game is earning a widespread broadcast via Fox, giving Arizona State an opportunity to impress following a 55-19 loss to Baylor on Oct. 3.
Texas Tech – on the other hand – is seeking to repeat as Big 12 champions. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Red Raiders despite a 5-0 start to the year. While Texas Tech remains the conference favorites, uncertainty at QB and a less dominant defense are in fold for Joey McGuire this season.
Still, this matchup is sizing up to be one of the most crucial in the Big 12 this season.
Recent History Suggests ASU-Texas Tech Will be Crucial Game
The 2026 season marks the third straight time the budding rivals will play as conference foes.
Texas Tech won the 2024 meeting in Lubbock in what was a competitive 30-22 game. Arizona State went on to win the conference to close the season.
The opposite took place in 2025. The Sun Devils – playing an injured Sam Leavitt at quarterback – came through with a 26-22 win in Tempe on October 18 to recapture hope of repeating as conference champs.
Texas Tech winning the conference in 2025 is ultimately recalibrating the debate around the conference having a dominant member. It still very much seems as if Arizona State and Texas Tech are wrestling for standing at the top, but the latter has several built-in advantages.
The Red Raiders are the beneficiary of substantial financial support via Cody Campbell. The Sun Devils, on the other hand, are still working to catch-up from previous leadership ignoring the NIL era.
Texas Tech certainly has competitive advantages that make them a clearer candidate to take over as the “top dog” in the conference. However, Arizona State’s leadership under Kenny Dillingham should still instill confidence.
The manner in which the Sun Devils compete with the Red Raiders should do the same. It seems as if the two programs will be in a back-and-forth arrangement for many years to come.
The game in less than two weeks is a perfect opportunity for the Sun Devils to make another loud statement. Defensive coordinator Brian Ward already cracked the Will Hammond code in last season’s matchup. The receiving options at hand for Dillingham present the opportunity for ASU to stretch Texas Tech’s secondary thin.
Perhaps most crucial is the Sun Devils’ motivation to climb out of a disastrous three-week run.
Arizona State-Texas Tech Kickoff Time Announced for Crucial Big 12 Matchup