Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Sun Devils are in a fascinating spot.
The Sun Devils are now 3-2 (1-1 Big 12) heading into week seven of the season against #10 Texas Tech.
Read more below on what Arizona State’s leader had to say about the impending matchup via a Monday press conference.
Dillingham Believes in Arizona State’s Ability to Win
Arizona State is heading into the Texas Tech contest as a two-touchdown underdog per the consensus. This doesn’t phase Dillingham, who seems confident in his team’s ability to pull an upset off (Chris Karpman).
“I expect to win every game. I expect to win games where we run the friggin swinging gate. There hasn’t been one game that we’ve played where I didn’t have the utmost confidence in our game plan and ability to win the game.”
This comes following several weeks of semi-panic surrounding the program. This includes two losses by 28+ points, a poor performance against Big 12 foe Kansas, and an uninspiring win over Hawaii. The strong statement from the 36-year-old head coach should also inspire confidence from within the fanbase.
Questions are present surrounding the Sun Devils’ defense, offensive line, and quarterback Cutter Boley.
Even through this, Texas Tech is experiencing their own struggles. The Red Raiders have quarterback concerns of their own, and are struggling to put opponents away like they were able to last season.
Through this, Arizona State also has found a formula to taking Texas Tech down, as apparent in 2025. The Sun Devils’ 26-22 win over Texas Tech in 2025 was largely due to the gameplan for QB Will Hammond, as well as generally masterful game management.
Even if ASU and Dillingham own a blueprint, they need to put everything together in the next few days to obtain a win.
This Matchup Will Likely Dictate ASU’s Path Rest of 2026
The direction of Arizona State’s season comes down to the matchup this Saturday. A loss to Texas Tech essentially completely removes Dillingham’s squad from the Big 12 title conversation. Beyond this, it creates a world where a losing streak can begin.
The Sun Devils are taking on Kansas State and BYU in the two games following. A 3-5 record heading into the final stretch of the regular season is absolutely the worst-case scenario for the 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, an Arizona State win would revive hopes of competing in a wide-open Big 12. It would reinforce that the Sun Devils are still pining to compete with the Red Raiders. Perhaps even more crucial is BYU missing star RB LJ Martin for the next several games, while Utah and Houston struggle to put the seal on victories.
Getting to this point is clearly an uphill climb, but efficient play from Boley and a strong defensive gameplan could result in an upset win.
Regardless of what lies ahead for ASU, Dillingham still has a vision that is easy to get behind. The test against Texas Tech is imminent, and will reveal much about 2026.
The two teams are squaring off at 12:30 P.M. MST on Saturday from Lubbock.
Kenny Dillingham Makes Bold Statement Ahead of Arizona State’s Texas Tech Showdown