Football takes on Kansas in London

LONDON — Sun Devil Football opens Big 12 play against Kansas in the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 9 a.m. AZT/noon ET/6 p.m. local on FS1.

The Jayhawks

• Arizona State and Kansas meet for the second time. The Sun Devils won the first matchup, 35-31, in Tempe on Oct. 5, 2024, scoring the deciding points with 16 seconds remaining on a Jordyn Tyson touchdown reception.
• Kansas enters London at 1-1 after a 51-6 win over LIU and a 38-21 loss to Missouri. The Jayhawks are averaging 36.0 points and 434.0 yards per game through Week 2.
• Quarterback Isaiah Marshall leads Kansas with 414 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Wide receiver Nik McMillan has 182 receiving yards, while running back Yasin Willis leads the Jayhawks with 90 rushing yards. 
• Kansas enters Saturday with a 9–21 all-time record in Big 12 openers and a 10–20 mark in Big 12 home openers. The Jayhawks are 3–2 in both categories under Lance Leipold and have won three of their last four, including a program-record 31-point conference-opening victory over West Virginia in 2025.

Conference Openers

• ASU will continue looking to turn a new leaf in conference openers in its third year in the Big 12 after the program finished its time in the Pac-12 with just an 18-26-2 record in conference openers with a 18-27-1 record in Pac-12 road openers. The Sun Devils are 1-1 in the Big 12, losing at Texas Tech in 2024 but taking care of Baylor in Waco last season, 27-24, on Jesus Gomez’s last-second field goal.
• The Sun Devils will start league play on the road for the third consecutive season for the first time since 1999-2001 (at Cal, at UCLA, at Stanford - losing all three).
• Road conference openers were something the program rarely experienced in the Pac-12, doing so in only four previous seasons dating back to 2006 - 2020 (due to unique circumstances of COVID-19), 2018, 2014, 2013.
• The Sun Devils will be looking to win its conference road opener in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2014-15 (at Colorado and at UCLA).
• They are also looking to win their conference opener (regardless of location) in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2016-17 (vs. Cal, vs. Oregon).
• The Sun Devils have not won consecutive conference openers when it was both the first conference game of the season AND the first conference road game of the season since it was part of the Border Conference, defeating West Texas State in back-to-back seasons in Canyon, Texas back in 1960-61.
• ASU has historically struggled when its first conference game of the season has been played on the road, going just 6-13-1 in such games since it joined the Pac-12 in 1978. 
• This will mark the sixth time since the 2000 season that ASU has opened conference play prior to its fourth game of the year and first time in a non-COVID year since 2014.

The Union Jack Classic

• The contest will be the first FBS game played on British soil. It is ASU’s first game outside the continental United States since the 2006 Hawai’i Bowl and its second game outside the United States and Canada, joining the 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo.
• Although the game is being played in London, it is a Kansas home game and counts in the Big 12 standings.
• The game will be played at the historic Wembley Stadium, with the Venue of Legends able to seat over 80,000 just a week removed from the Sun Devils playing in front over 107,000 in College Station.
• Arizona State is the first FBS team to play a true road game one week followed by an international game seven days later since Navy in 1996 when it played an Oct. 26 game at Wake Forest followed by a contest in Ireland against Notre Dame on Nov. 2.
• Coincidentally, one of the other very rare times it has happened throughout history when ASU played a road game at Arizona on Nov. 24, 1990 before heading to Toyko, Japan to take on Houston in the Coca-Cola Classic a week and a day later on Dec. 2.

Over the air

• Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on FOX, with kickoff at 9 a.m. AZT/12 p.m. ET/6 p.m. locally in London. Connor Onion and Robert Griffin III will provide the action from the press box while Alexa Landestoy will add commentary from the sidelines.
• The Sun Devil Radio Network broadcast will air on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
• Long-time voice of the Sun Devils Tim Healey will provide the action alongside Rose Bowl-winning quarterback-now-analyst Jeff van Raaphorst, with Kevin Turner providing insights from the sidelines. Turner joins Jeff Munn and recently graduated Sun Devil lineman Ben Coleman on the pre-game show, with Munn and Coleman hosting the halftime and postgame shows as well.

An ASU victory would …

• Give ASU a win in its conference opener in consecutive seasons for the first
  time since 2016-17 (vs. Cal, vs. Oregon)
• Give ASU wins in conference road openers in consecutive seasons for the
  first time since 2014 (at Colorado, at UCLA).
• Be the first time ASU has had consecutive seasons winning its conference
  opener when it is both the first conference game of the season and the first ROAD conference game of the season since the 1960-61 seasons when ASU defeated West Texas State on the road in back-to-back seasons to opener Border Conference action.
• Improve ASU to 20-28-2 in conference openers since joining the Pac-10
  in 1978.

Schedule odds and ends (mostly odds)

• Arizona State’s road schedule features two teams that took part in the College Football Playoff this past season (Texas A&M and Texas Tech) and one that was one of the first two teams left out of the CFP (BYU).
• With two road games and a bye following the Morgan State tilt, 2026 marks the first time since the 1991 season that ASU will play just a single home game before the month of October (ignoring the unique circumstances of the COVID-altered 2020 season in which ASU didn’t have a home opener until December). The 1982 season was the last time it occurred prior to that, before it was a more commonplace practice, pre-1975, when the season typically did not start until the second or third week of September.
• ASU will leave the continental United States to play a football game for the first time since taking part in the 2006 Hawai’i Bowl when it heads across the Atlantic to historic Wembley Stadium to take part in the first-of-its-kind FBS contest in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Sept. 19 in London. It will be just the second time ASU has traveled internationally for a game outside of the 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo against Houston.
• Despite taking place overseas, the Union Jack Classic will be a Kansas home game and count toward the Big 12 Conference schedule. As such, it will be ASU’s first time taking part in a conference game before Sept. 20 of a season since squaring off with Colorado in Boulder in Week Three of the 2014 season (Sept. 13). It will be just the fifth time since 2000 that the Sun Devils will be playing a conference game within their first three games of the season.
• All told, Sun Devil Football will post over 17,000 round-trip miles over the course of the coming season. For perspective, ASU logged approximately only 9,000 air miles during the 2025 campaign. 
• In fact, ASU will be making two of its longest road trips of all time this season alone. The approximate 5,200 miles between Phoenix and London represents the second-longest trip in history, behind only that 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo. The Sun Devils have played seven games all told in Honolulu, Hawai’i (four regular season games at Hawai’i and three appearances in the Aloha/Hawai’i Bowls - ~2,900 miles). Arizona State took on Miami (FL) in a road tilt in 1997 (~1970 miles), and then ASU’s contest at UCF this season (~1,850 miles) is next on the list.
• ASU will be playing games in Orlando and College Station for the first time in program history. ASU previously played Texas A&M in a neutral-site game in Houston in 2015, and both contests in program history against UCF have taken place in Tempe. 
• The Sun Devils will play games in nine consecutive weekends following its Bye Weekend on Sept. 26. That will be the most since ASU closed with 11-straight weekends in the 2009 season. The 2003 season started with 11 consecutive weekends of action prior to a bye week ahead of the Territorial Cup. There were also nine-game stretches in the middle of the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

By the numbers

17K
All told, Sun Devil Football will post over 17,000 round-trip miles over the course of the coming season. For perspective, ASU logged approximately only 9,000 air miles during the 2025 campaign. In fact, ASU will be making two of its longest road trips of all time this season alone. The approximate 5,200 miles between Phoenix and London represents the second-longest trip in history, behind only the 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo. The Sun Devils have played seven games all told in Honolulu, Hawai’i (four regular season games at Hawai’i and three appearances in the Aloha/Hawai’i Bowls - ~2,900 miles). Arizona State took on Miami (FL) in a road tilt in 1997 (~1970 miles), and then ASU’s contest at UCF this season (~1,850 miles) is next on the list. ASU will leave the continental United States to play a football game for the first time since taking part in the 2006 Hawai’i Bowl when it heads across the Atlantic to historic Wembley Stadium to take part in the first-of-its-kind FBS contest in the inaugural Union Jack Classic on Sept. 19 in London. It will be just the second time ASU has traveled internationally for a game outside of the 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo against Houston.

35
Removing garbage time, ASU has 35 scoring drives in the final five minutes of either the first or second half over the last two-plus seasons- good for 11th in the country. For perspective, in the previous three seasons from 2021-23, ASU managed just 28 TOTAL scoring drives in the final five minutes of a half (28-97) - a 28.9 percent score percentage that was 102nd in the FBS.The Sun Devils have a 31.6 percent (18-of-55) offensive touchdown drive rate in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to the start of 2024, the 21st-best percentage in the nation (does not include pick six against UCF in 2024, which makes it 19 total touchdowns). The 18 offensive touchdowns are eighth-most in the FBS in that time. For perspective, in the previous five seasons (2019-23), ASU scored just 17 TOTAL touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half - at a 17.7 rate (17-of-96) that was 112th in the FBS. Conversely, ASU has allowed just five touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 and held opponents to a 5-for-50 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (10.0 percent) that is tied for seventh-lowest in the nation (drives that end at any point in the final five minutes of the half).

11
Arizona State has one of the top honors colleges in the nation; Barrett, the Honors College, is consistently ranked high in several areas. The 11 football players in Barrett this year include Kyson Brown, Cory Butler, Cam Dyer, Jake Fette, Martell Hughes, Isaiah Iosefa, Davis Kinney, Cardae Mack, Mason Marden, Landen Miree and Uriah Neloms.

Additionally, 11 different Sun Devils have already earned their undergraduate degrees from Arizona State University and will compete as graduates this season with two others who earned their degrees prior to arriving at Arizona State:

• Kyson Brown (BA in interdisciplinary studies, 2026)
• Derek Eusebio (BA in business (sports business, 2026)
• Zyrus Fiaseu (BA in liberal studies, 2025)
• C.J. Fite (BS in business entrepreneurship, 2025)
• My’Keil Gardner (BS in family and human development, 2026)
• Jaren Hamilton (BA in liberal studies, 2026)
• Roman Pitre (BA in interdisciplinary studies, 2025)
• Clayton Smith (BA in liberal studies, 2025)
• Zac Swanson (BA in liberal studies, 2026)
• Tyler Wigglesworth (BA in mass communication and media studies, 2026)
• Blazen Lono Wong (BS in communication, 2025)
• Mikey Keene (BS in business administration, 2024 (Fresno State))
• Lyrik Rawls (BS in business administration, 2024 (Oklahoma State)).

10
The Sun Devils are 10-2 over the last two seasons in games decided by seven or fewer points - the second-most such victories in the FBS. ASU’s 10 such victories in a two-year span from 2024-25 were tied for the most over a two- season span in Big 12 history and tied for the eighth-most for any FBS team since the 1996 season. The Sun Devils have won seven games in the past two seasons in which they were trailing or tied at some point in the fourth quarter- including four last year (Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia). Last season, the Sun Devils scored 51 points while trailing in non-garbage time in the fourth quarter of games - 15th-most in the FBS - and scored on 9-of-19 fourth quarter drives when trailing, a 47.4 conversion rate that was 35th-best in the FBS. Those nine scoring drives were tied for eighth-most in the FBS. Since the start of 2024, ASU has scored on 16-of-31 fourth quarter drives while trailing in non-garbage time - a 51.6 rate that is 14th nationally. When trailing in the fourth quarter of regular-season games over the last two seasons, ASU has turned the ball over just three times in its comeback attempts - on the final drive at Mississippi State and then twice in last year’s season finale against Arizona - which is tied for the 22nd-lowest total in the FBS.

3
Arizona State has allowed just three plays this season of over 20 yards, tied for the 11th-lowest total in the country. ASU has allowed just 16 total plays of 50 or more yards to opponent offenses in the Dillingham/Ward era, tied for 30th-lowest since 2023. ASU has allowed just 28 plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 96 games - tied for third-fewest in the FBS (Washington 22, Wisconsin 23). The FBS average in that span is 52.15 such plays. ASU ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 50+ yards played allowed each year from 2014-17, giving up a nation-leading 55 such play- 13 more than any other school in the FBS. ASU has allowed just 18 catches for 50 or more yards since 2018, tied for sixth- lowest in the FBS. The team has allowed just 11 in the Dillingham/Ward era.ASU’s has allowed just 65 total plays of 30 or more yards in three-plus seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Ward, tied for the 25th-lowest total in the FBS. Since 2018, ASU has allowed just 151 plays OVER 30 yards (1.6 per game/96 games). That is tied for the fifth-lowest tally in the FBS in that time. (Kennesaw State excluded as they joined the FBS after 2018). For perspective, from 2014-17, ASU gave up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays each SEASON, respectively ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.

1
The Sun Devils are leading the nation with 288 yards after contact this season.Sun Devil receivers have recorded 503 total yards after the catch this season (includes yardage on catches behind the line of scrimmage) the third-highest total in the nation. The team is averaging 10.7 yards after catch per reception, also good for third. Omarion Miller’s 77 yards after contact are tied for seventh in the country. His four missed tackles forced on receiving plays are tied for 15th in the country. Reed Harris has eight receptions over 20 yards this season - two more than any other player in the FBS. His 21.73 yards per reception are third in the country among players with double-digit catches this season. His 13 receptions for a first down/touchdown are tied for fourth in the country, as are his 146 yards after the catch are fourth in the country.Harris’ 326 receiving yards and four touchdowns are the most through the first two games of an Arizona State season ever, surpassing Derek Hagan’s 273 yards and three
touchdowns to open 2004.

The Sun Devils are expected to play in front of their largest true road crowd in program history on Saturday.

10 things

1. Since joining the Pac-12 in 1978, ASU is 19-27-2 in conference openers while the Jayhawks are 9-21 in Big 12 conference openers.
2. Arizona State’s defense has not allowed 450 total yards in a regular-season game since the start of 2024, one of three teams in the nation with such a claim (Indiana and Toledo).
3. Cutter Boley leads the Big 12 with 12 passes over 20 yards this season - four more than any other player - ranking third in the FBS in the category.
4. Arizona State has 35 scoring drives in the final five minutes of a half in non-garbage time since the start of 2024, good for 11th in the FBS..
5. Arizona State is 17-7 under Kenny Dillingham when winning time of possession and 7-11 when it does not.
6. The Sun Devils have 20 offensive plays of at least 20 yards through two games, tops in the Big 12 and tied for third in the country.
7. Arizona State leads the nation with 288 receiving yards after contact this season and are third with 503 yards after the catch (includes yards on passes caught behind the line of scrimmage.
8. The Sun Devils have forced 35 missed tackles this season, tied for the 22nd-most in the FBS this season with a 32.1 percent forced-missed-tackle rate ranks 15th.
9. Arizona State is 10-2 over the last two seasons in games decided by seven points or fewer, the second-most such victories in the FBS.
10. Arizona State holds a 161-77 scoring advantage in the middle eight minutes of games since the start of 2024

Opening statement

• Arizona State enters Week 3 at 1-1 following a 48-20 loss at No. 10 Texas A&M. The Sun Devils outgained the Aggies 369-255 and held Texas A&M to 14 first downs, but four turnovers leading to 24 points swung the result. 
• Wide receiver Reed Harris delivered a career-best nine receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Harris has opened 2026 with consecutive 100-yard, two-touchdown games and ranks fourth nationally with 326 receiving yards.
• Quarterback Cutter Boley completed 21-of-34 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns at Texas A&M. Through two games, Boley leads the Big 12 with 641 passing yards and has thrown eight touchdowns.
• The Sun Devil defense surrendered just 255 total yards and 4.3 yards per play at Kyle Field. ASU has limited opponents to 443 total yards through two games, an average of 221.5 per contest.
• The 255 total yards were the third-lowest put up by Texas A&M since the start of the 2024 season.
• The Sun Devils were on the wrong side of history in this one, as Texas A&M became just the third team since 1996 to score 48 or more points while having less than 260 yards of total offense: LSU defeated ULM, 51-0, in 2010 with 251 yards. Notre Dame defeated USC, 48-20, in 2023 - also with just 251 yards.
• The game was ASU’s highest-attended game in program history, with Texas A&M’s 107,523 surpassing the previous record of 103,168 set at the 1987 Rose Bowl against Michigan. It also easily surpassed Georgia’s 2009 mark of 92,746 for the largest crowd in a true road game in program history.
• Harris’ impressive touchdown reception with under a minute remaining in the first quarter was the first time Arizona State scored a touchdown in the first quarter in a regular season game against an FBS opponent since the Arizona game in 2024.
• ASU had a receiver reach 100 receiving yards by halftime for the third-straight game dating back to last season behind Harris’ 108 on Saturday. Harris and Omarion Miller both had over 100 yards against Morgan State while Jalen Moss eclipsed the century mark in the Sun Bowl against Duke last season.
• The last time an ASU receiver accomplished the feat against an FBS opponent in the regular season was the Arizona game in the 2024 regular season finale when Jordyn Tyson had 137 yards at halftime).

Reed all about him

• Reed Harris’ 326 receiving yards and four touchdowns are the most through the first two games of an Arizona State season ever, surpassing Derek Hagan’s 273 yards and three touchdowns to open 2004.
• It is the 10th-best two-game stretch in program history, regardless of when it occured in the season.
• Harris is just the third player in Big 12 history to record at least 325 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns through his team’s first two games of a season. He joins Baylor’s Corey Coleman (2015) and Texas Tech’s Darrin Moore (2011).
• Harris has eight receptions over 20 yards this season - two more than any other player in the FBS. His 21.73 yards per reception are third in the country among players with double-digit catches this season.
• Harris’ 90.8 receiving grade this season is second in the nation behind only
  Miami’s Malachi Toney.
• His 13 receptions for a first down/touchdown are tied for fourth in the country, as are his 146 yards after the catch are fourth in the country.

Holy Boley

• Cutter Boley is ninth in the nation in averaging 320.5 passing yards per
  game this season and his 193.84 QB efficiency rating is 13th nationally. He is
  tied for third with eight touchdown passes.
• Boley is averaging 10.5 passing yards per attempt on the season, good for
  ninth in the country (min. 50 dropbacks).
• He leads the Big 12 with 12 passes over 20 yards this season - four more than any other quarterback - and sits third in the country in the category.
• Boley is seventh in the nation with a passing grade of 90.6 from PFF.
• According to PFF, Boley’s 76.0 percent accuracy percentage (ball location accurate, frame, away from coverage) is eighth in the country (min. 50 dropbacks). Only 4.0 percent of his attempted accuracy throws have been regarded as uncatchable - the second-lowest total in the country.
• Among QBs with 50+ dropbacks, his 68.8 completion percentage is 27th nationally and his 80.7 adjusted completion percentage (accounting for blocks, batting passed, hit while thrown, throwaways and spikes) is 19th nationally.
• Boley’s big-time throw percentage from PFF (excellent ball location and
  timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window) of
  8.2 percent is ninth in country

A cut above the rest

• Kenny Dillingham announced Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley as the team’s starting quarterback ahead of the team’s opening against Morgan State.
• Boley was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for Week One after completing 21-of-27 (77.8%) of his passes in the opener and ended up as one of just four quarterbacks nationally with a perfect NFL QBR for the week (158.3).
• He became the first Sun Devil quarterback to throw for six touchdown passes since Andrew Walter in 2004 - tied for the second-most with Danny White and Walter and one off the school record of seven set by Mike Pagel (1981).
• His 22.2 touchdown percentage (six touchdowns on 27 passes) was the seventh-highest in the FBS since the 2020 season. Since 2020, Boley is now one of just 30 FBS quarterbacks to throw for six or more touchdowns with no interceptions.
• Boley threw for 387 yards in his first game in the Maroon and Gold, the most by an Arizona State quarterback in a debut performance in program history 
• It was the most passing yards in a game for an ASU quarterback since Trenton Bourguet’s 435 against Colorado on Oct. 29, 2022, and just the second time since 2015 an ASU quarterback has thrown for over 380 yards.
• Boley completed 65.8 percent of his passes last season as a redshirt freshman (198-of-301), breaking the UK freshman record for completion percentage in a season previous held by Jared Lorenzen in 2000
• In 2025, Boley the school freshman record for touchdown passes in a season in SEC games with 12 and set the UK freshman record for touchdown passes in a game with five vs. Tennessee.
• He became the first UK quarterback with a completion percentage of at least 74 percent in four games (min. 20 attempts) in one season since Tim Couch in 1998 (vs. Texas, Tennessee, Florida and Tennessee Tech) and became the first UK freshman quarterback with a touchdown pass in five straight games since Jared Lorenzen had six in the 2000 season (vs. Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt).
• He was the first UK quarterback to complete at least 74.3 percent of his passes (min. 30 attempts) in consecutive games since Dusty Bonner in 1999 and the first UK quarterback with at least 26 completions in consecutive games since 2015 (Patrick Towles) and consecutive conference games since 2010 (Mike Hartline)
• In eight SEC games, Boley ranked 3rd in pass completion percentage (66.52), behind UGA’s Gunner Stockton (71.1) and Vandy’s Diego Pavia (70.1), 6th in pass completions (155), 7th in passing TDs (12) and 8th in total offense TDs (13). In his last six SEC games, completed 144-211-8 for 1,422 yards and 12 touchdowns. His pass completion percentage in those six games was 68.2 percent.
• Much ado has been made over his career interception numbers, but as
  always, context is important. Of his 18 career interceptions - all but two
  came while Boley was trailing in a game and attempting to come back.
  Additionally, of those 18, all but five came the final five minutes of the first
  or second halves and/or came on 3rd-and-10 or longer.

In 2025, Cutter Boley set the school freshman record for touchdown passes in a season in SEC games with 12 and set the UK freshman record for touchdown passes in a game with five vs. Tennessee.

Who's this guy?

• There are no shortage of new faces on the Sun Devil roster in 2026, featuring 30 collegiate transfers from all levels and 18 incoming freshman - with the 48 combined newcomers making up 44.9 percent of the team’s current 107-man roster.
• All those new faces put ASU in a vastly different position than it found itself in at the beginning of last season, when the Sun Devils entered the year with 16 players that had started at least six games during the 2024 College Football Playoff run - a total that was tied for the most in the nation.
• The 2026 roster, however, features just three such players—DL C.J. Fite (13), DB Boogie Wilson (10) and OL Wade Helton (7). And of that trio, only Fite started on Opening Day last season, with Wilson and Helton filling in later in the year to replace injured starters.
• The longest active starting streak in ASU games for the Sun Devils is Fite, followed by a steep drop-off to Helton with five, Maki Stewart with three and then a slew of players who only have one consecutive start—in the Sun Bowl against Duke last season.
• Another example of the fresh look for the 2026 edition of the Sun Devils comes along the offensive line. Last year, the ASU group at that position recorded 134 combined starts. The 2026 version will feature just 33 - 14 of which coming by way of Luke Baklenko, who did not start a game at Oklahoma last season.
• In fact, the entire Sun Devils roster features just 118 combined starts—a smidge over one start per player on the team. 

Hold on to your butts

• The Sun Devils are 10-2 over the last two seasons in games decided by seven or fewer points — the most such victories in the FBS.
• ASU’s 10 such victories in a two-year span are tied for the most over a two-season span in Big 12 history and tied for the eighth-most for any FBS team since the 1996 season.
• The Sun Devils have won seven games in the past two seasons in which they were trailing or tied at some point in the fourth quarter - including four last year (Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, West Virginia).
• Last season, the Sun Devils scored 51 points while trailing in non-garbage time in the fourth quarter of games - 15th-most in the FBS - and scored on 9-of-19 fourth quarter drives when trailing, a 47.4 conversion rate that was 35th-best in the FBS. Those nine scoring drives were tied for eighth-most in the FBS.
• Since the start of the 2024, ASU has scored on 16-of-35 fourth quarter drives while trailing in non-garbage time - a 45.7 rate that is 26th nationally.
• The team’s 12 third-or fourth-down conversions in the fourth quarter of one-score games in the last two years are 31st in the FBS.
• The Sun Devil defense deserves credit as well for allowing the comebacks,
  posting a -.105 EPA when trailing in the fourth quarter of non-garbage
  time of games over the last two-plus seasons that is 28th-best nationally.
• Opponents are averaging just 4.1 yards per play when ASU is trailing in the
  fourth quarter in non-garbage time over the last two seasons - the 13th- lowest tally in the FBS.
• Over the last two seasons with ASU trailing in the fourth quarter of non-garbage time, opponents have picked up a first down just 27 times on 123 opportunites - a 21.9 conversion rate that is 18th-lowest in the FBS.
• Only three times over the last two-plus seasons has a team added to its lead when the Sun Devils were within eight points in the fourth quarter at Texas Tech in 2024, at Arizona last season and at Texas A&M this year.
• The 13 total points allowed in such a scenario over the last two-plus seasons (excluding lead-extending extra-point tries) is tied for the 22nd- lowest total in the country.
• Since Kenny Dillingham took the reins in 2023, 14 of the 23 Sun Devil victories in that time have been by 10 points or less.
• The Big 12 had 30 conference games decided by eight points or fewer last season. ASU was in six of them, and went 5-1. Thirteen games were decided by three points or fewer, and ASU was 3-0 with wins over Baylor and TCU (both 27-24) and West Virginia.

Finish them

• Arizona State is 18-4 when leading at halftime under Dillingham.
• Removing garbage time, ASU has 35 scoring drives in the final five minutes of a half over the last two-plus seasons — good for ninth in the country. For perspective, in the previous three seasons from 2021-23, ASU managed just 28 total scoring drives in the final five minutes of a half (28-97) — a 28.9 percent score percentage that was 102nd in the FBS.
• ASU had 18 scoring drives that ended in the final five minutes of either the
  first or second half in non-garbage time in 2025, tied for the ninth-most in
  the FBS.
• The Sun Devils have a 32.7 percent (18-of-55) offensive touchdown drive
  rate in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to the start of 2024,
  the 14th-best percentage in the nation (does not include the pick-six against UCF in 2024, which makes it 19 total touchdowns). The 18 offensive touchdowns are the sixth-most in the FBS in that time.
  • For perspective, in the previous five seasons (2019-23), ASU scored just 17 total touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half — at a 17.7 rate (17-of-96) that was 112th in the FBS.
• Conversely, ASU has allowed just five touchdown drives in the final five
  minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 and held opponents to a 5-for-
  49 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (10.2 percent) that is tied for eighth-lowest in the nation (drives that end at any point in the final five minutes of the half). 
• Opponents have managed just a 27.4 first-down conversion rate in non-
  garbage time in the fourth quarter of games over the last two seasons (122-of-446), a total that is 32nd-lowest in the FBS.
• ASU has a 161-74 advantage since the start of 2024 in points scored in the
  “middle eight” of games (points scored in the last four minutes of the first half,
  first four minutes of second half).
• When it comes to drives that actually start in the final four minutes of
  the first half or first four of the second, Arizona State’s 18 offensive touchdowns that take place within that middle eight of games in the last two-plus seasons is tied for 22nd-most in the country (doesn’t include the team’s pick-six against UCF in 2024).

Keep them in front of you

• Arizona State has allowed just three plays this season of over 20 yards, tied
  for the 11th-lowest total in the country
• ASU has allowed just 16 total plays of 50 or more yards to opponent offenses in the Dillingham/Ward era, tied for 30th-lowest since 2023.
• ASU has allowed just 28 plays over 50 yards to opponents since the 2018 season over 96 games - tied for third-fewest in the FBS (Washington 22, Wisconsin 23). The FBS average in that span is 52.15 such plays. ASU ranked in the bottom 10 nationally in 50+ yards played allowed each year from 2014-17, giving up a nation-leading 55 such plays in that span - 13 more than any other school in the FBS.
• ASU has allowed just 18 catches for 50 or more yards since 2018, tied for sixth-lowest in the FBS in that time. The team has allowed just 11 in the Dillingham/Ward era.
• ASU’s has allowed just 65 total plays of 30 or more yards in three-plus
  seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Ward, tied for the 25th-lowest total in the FBS.
• Since 2018, ASU has allowed just 151 plays OVER 30 yards (1.6 per game/96 games). That is tied for the fifth-lowest tally in the FBS in that time. (Kennesaw State excluded as they joined the FBS after 2018). For perspective, from 2014-17, ASU gave up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays each SEASON, respectively ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.

Rule of thirds (or fourths)

• The Sun Devils are tied for 22nd nationally in allowing opponents to convert just 25.0 percent of their third down attempts this season. Overall, opponents managed just a 36.5 percent conversion rate on third downs against the ASU defense last season, tied for 37th nationally. ASU was 97th in the category in 2024 (43.0).
• Since Kenny Dillingham took over in 2023, the Sun Devils have gone for it on fourth down 117 times - tied for the fifth-most in the nation in that stretch (though third in the Big 12 behind Baylor’s nation-leading 142 fourth down attempts and West Virginia in fourth with 118.).
• ASU has gone for it on fourth seven times already this season - tied for ninth-most in the country - converting five of those. The 71.4 conversion rate is 10th-best in the nation among teams with at least five fourth down conversion attempts.
• Last season, ASU struggled mightily to move the ball on third- and fourth-and short situations, managing a paltry 56.0 conversion percentage on 3rd and 4th and 1-2 yard scenarios — the seventh-worst total in the nation. The team is 5-for-7 on those this year (71.4 percent).
• ASU is a perfect 4-for-4 on such scenarios when it attempts the conversion with its offense this season (failed on a fake punt in the Texas A&M game). 
• Last season, the Sun Devils held Iowa State to 2-of-14 (14.3%) on third down, their lowest conversion percentage of the season. It was the best third down defense by ASU since the season opener when they held NAU to 2-of-15 on third down. Since 2010, the 14.3% was tied for Iowa State’s third-worst conversion rate in a single game.
• Last season marked the first time ASU had held two opponents (vs. NAU, at Iowa State) for two or fewer third down conversions on ten or more attempts since the 2010 season (vs. NAU and Oregon).
• On offense in 2025, the Sun Devils had six fourth down conversions in the fourth quarter of one-score games - tied for the 10th-most in the FBS. The team’s 13 third OR fourth down conversions in the fourth quarter of one-score games were 13th in the FBS.

No fly zone

• The Sun Devils have allowed just two passing plays over 20 yards this season, tied for the 10th-lowest total in the country. 
• Arizona State has allowed just 124.5 passing yards per game this season, the 14th-lowest total in the nation while opponents’ 53.1 completion percentage is 23rd-lowest.
• With the departures of NFL Draft selection Keith Abney and transfer Javan Robinson — a duo that had started 26 consecutive games together at corner for ASU up until the Sun Bowl to conclude last year — this could have been the most wide-open competition of camp. Instead, Rodney Bimage and Ashton Stamps have looked the part of guys who aren’t going anywhere, not just with their play on the field but with the confidence they exude off of it.
• Bimage was perhaps the hottest player in the Sun Devil lineup prior to his season-ending concussion sustained in the West Virginia victory last season. Among FBS corners with at least 100 snaps played in coverage, his 4.4 yards allowed per reception were third-lowest in the country. Only 35.7 percent of opponents passes in Bimage’s direction resulted in a reception (on 107 snaps) - the 13th-lowest tally nationally. He allowed just .21 yards per coverage snap last season, the third-lowest total among FBS corners with at least 100 coverage snaps, while tying for second with his 1.6 yards allowed per coverage target. His 7.1 1D/TD percentage when targeted was tied for the lowest allowed in the FBS.
• While Stamps saw limited game action last season, he was a lockdown corner when it mattered most in 2024 while at LSU and did not allow a single touchdown while in man coverage on the season and posting a 72.0 grade in man defense - where ASU loves to stick its corners - that was 25th-best among the 150+ corners with at least 100 man coverage snaps for the
  season.
• Boogie Wilson is the only returning Sun Devil defender outside C.J. Fite to start at least 10 games last season, where he was fourth among all Big 12 secondary with just 10 receptions allowed (min. 250 coverage snaps) in the regular season. Opponents threw Wilson’s way just 18 times, the third-lowest total among Big 12 secondary players in the regular season.
• Lyrik Rawls was not credited with a touchdown allowed in coverage last season - one of just nine Big 12 safeties with 250+ coverage snaps with such a claim. His 13.3 forced incompletion rate while targeted was seventh among Big 12 safeties while he was credited with 10 defensive stops in coverage, good for 10th among league safeties.
• Jessiah McGrew was the nation’s 27th-highest graded safety in coverage (83.6) at FIU last year and his 19.4 forced incompletion percentage when targeted was 22nd among FBS safeties while his 12.9 percent interception
  rate was 18th.
• ASU ranked 13th in the FBS with 74 passes defending last year (66 PBUs, 9 INT). The Sun Devils were 16th in the nation with 69 passes defended in 2024 and 14th with 16 interceptions.
• ASU’s exceptional work in harrying opposing quarterbacks was due in large part to ASU’s coverage down the field. The Sun Devils had an average time to force a pressure of 2.70 seconds, which was the second-LONGEST time in the FBS to pressure an opposing QB - a credit to ASU’s secondary given Arizona State’s gaudy sack and pressure numbers.

Hold the line

• The Sun Devils have forced a “quick” QB pressure (2.5 seconds or less) on 26.7 percent of its defensive snaps this season, a tally that is 32nd quickest in the country. The team forced a QB pressure of any type on 38.3 percent of its defensive snaps, the 30th-highest percentage in the country.
• ASU has done so while blitzing just 13 total times, tied for the 10th-fewest
  in the nation this season. 
• The Sun Devils are allowing just 4.06 yards per play this season - the 29th-lowest total in the country. ASU allowed an average of just 5.13 yards per play last season, good for 36th in the country. Opponents averaged just 5.23 yards per play in 2024 - 40th-lowest in the country after being 93rd at 5.95 in 2023. Only 22.2 percent of opponent plays gained 7 or more yards, the 23rd-lowest tally in the country after ranking 105th in 2023 at 35.1 percent.
• The Sun Devils were 23rd in the FBS with 34 sacks last season and 19th with 86 tackles for loss. The sack total was especially notable as the team had just 24 TOTAL sacks during the 2024 season.
• Last year’s results in the categories were marked change in trend from the previous couple seasons, where ASU finished in the lower half of the country in both categories (73rd and 70th in sacks in 2024 and 2023, 83rd and 96th in TFLs).
• ASU had that success despite blitzing just 20.4 percent of the time, the third-LOWEST total in the country. The team brought four or fewer pass rushers 446 times this year - the seventh-MOST in the country.
• Arizona State 28 sacks with four or fewer pass rushers were the ninth-most in the FBS in 2025. 
• ASU forced 139 plays for loss or for no gain last year - 32nd-most in the FBS.

C.J. Fite's 72.6 grade on run defense in 2025 was 15th among defensive interior players with at least 250 run-defense snaps that season.

In the trenches

• The Sun Devils will look toward veteran and Pat Tillman Leadership Council
  member C.J. Fite to anchor the defensive front this season. Fite has played
  in 41 games in his Sun Devil career and started in 34 of those (29 in a row)
  and has racked up 79 tackles (40 solo)
• Last season, his 72.6 grade on run defense was 15th among defensive interior players with at least 250 run defense snaps on the season 
• His 1,521 career snaps are the fourth-most among active interior linemen in  the FBS over the last three-plus seasons. Ironically, that’s also fourth in the Big 12 as he is ranked behind Texas Tech’s A.J. Holmes Jr. (1,759), Baylor’s Hosea Wheeler (1,558) and BYU’s Keanu Tanuvasa (1,536) 
• Among active interior linemen with at least 500 run defensive snaps, his 74.7 run defense grade is sixth in the FBS. His 18 tackles for loss or no gain on run plays are third-most among FBS interior defenders among active interior linemen, as is his 1.13 average depth of tackle is the third closest to the line of scrimmage.
• Jalen Thompson, a veteran from Michigan State, brings over 1,000 defensive snaps with him this season. His 19 plays last year where he was credited with beating his defender but denied an opportunity at a QB pressure last season were tied for the eighth-most in the Big Ten.
• Emar’rion Winston recorded eight tackles for loss or not gain as an edge defender on run plays last season at Baylor, tied for the sixth-most among edge defenders in the Big 12

Middle of the lineup

• The Sun Devils also find themselves in a position where they will have to replace nearly 23 percent of their tackles after the departures of linebackers Jordan Crook (101) and Keyshaun Elliott (98).
• Elliott was a fifth-round selection by the Bears this offseason, while Crook joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL, where he has 42 tackles this season. The duo started every regular-season game at linebacker last year and 20 games between them in 2024, leaving a massive hole to fill in ASU’s base nickel formation that only ever features two linebackers on the field at a given time.
• Poised to replace one of the spots is Colorado State transfer Owen Long. Long was the FBS leader in tackles per game and total tackles in 2025 at Colorado State (12.6 tackles per game/151 tackles). The next-closest player averaged 11.8 per game with 142 tackles.
• A Third-Team All-American by the AP, Long recorded 33 “stops” on run defense as a sophomore, good for 30th among FBS linebackers.
• Promising junior Martell Hughes saw spot duty behind Elliott and Crook the last two seasons, but will now get his chance to shine. Hughes had 39 tackles in 2025 (16 solo) and grabbed three interceptions. All three interceptions came against ranked teams: He sealed the TCU game, snatched one vs. Texas Tech, and finished the regular season with one vs. Arizona.
• The three interceptions were tied for fourth among FBS linebackers for the season

Where's the beef?

• For two consecutive seasons, the Sun Devil offensive line had been one of the most experienced in the nation entering the season—a note that will change as it enters the 2026 campaign with a combined 33 career starts among the position group—14 of which come from Luke Baklenko, who didn’t start a single game at Oklahoma last season.
• To put that into perspective, ASU entered the 2025 season with 134 starts to its collective credit across the FBS/FCS level, good for the 12th-highest total in the nation coming into the year. Last year, the group entered the 2024 season with a combined 156 career starts, the fifth-highest tally in the country.
• What the team may lack in experience, however, it more than makes up for in size, as the 2026 version of the road grades might be the most robust in program history. Taking all the offensive linemen into consideration, the group has an average height of just a tick under 6-5 with an average weight of 317 pounds. For perspective, ASU’s 2024 roster had an average height of just under 6-4 and an average weight of 309 pounds. The 2014 roster was just under 6-4 and 299 pounds, while 2013 was 6-3 and 295 pounds.
• Beef in the trenches is the cornerstone of any program hoping to be a contender. Just take a look at last year’s final Top-10 teams in the AP polls, which checked in with a combined OL height/weight average of 6-5 and 312 pounds.
• Hoping to lead that group this season will be Maki Stewart, fresh off one of the most promising freshman lineman campaigns in recent Sun Devil memory. Stewart made four starts on the interior line over the second half of the season and recorded the sixth-best run-blocking grade among Big 12 interior linemen with a score of 74.2 (min. 200 total snaps)
• That was the third-highest grade among ALL freshmen (true or redshirt) interior linemen in the FBS for the season (min. 200 snaps). His 72.0 overall offensive grade was fifth among freshmen interior lineman for the season.
• Wade Helton is the only returning offensive player for the Sun Devils to start at least six games a year ago as a redshirt freshman. Helton’s 422 snaps at center were the eighth-most among centers designated as true or redshirt freshman in the FBS last season and second among Power Four freshmen.
• ASU was one of just 19 schools in the FBS that had two freshmen linemen (true or redshirt) play 200 or more snaps last season.
• Overall in 2025, ASU had a team pass-blocking grade of 74.8, according to PFF, good for 27th in the FBS despite running out seven different starting combinations of that offensive line last season. ASU’s offensive linemen received an 82.0 pass-blocking grade from PFF as a group in 2024, the 23rd-best tally nationally.
• The Sun Devils allowed just two sacks in their last five contests last season, which was tied for the second-lowest total from Week 10 onward. The five total sack yards allowed for the month were second-lowest in the country. ASU had allowed 24 sacks in the first eight games of the season (3.0 per game) before allowing 0.40 per game over the final five games of the season.
• As a team, ASU ranked 40th in the country in allowing only 1.50 sacks per game in 2024, up from 2.50 per game in 2023.
• The team gave its quarterbacks 3.26 seconds to throw per play last year, 38th-most nationally. ASU’s quarterbacks had an average time to throw of 3.51 seconds in 2024, which was good for 14th-best in the FBS after ranking 128th in the country in 2023 at 2.48 seconds.

Getting defensive

• Arizona State is allowing just 221.5 yards per game to opponents early this season, the 17th-lowest tally in the nation. The Sun Devils gave up just 342.3 yards per game in the regular season last year, good for 42nd in the FBS. ASU allowed just 339.6 yards per game in 2024, good for 38th nationally after ranking 89th a in 2023 (396.8).
• ASU’s yardage tally last year was especially notable as the team faced five teams ranked in the FBS’s Top-25 in total offense yards per game (Texas Tech, Texas State, Utah, Baylor, TCU) in the regular season. 
• ASU avoided letting teams get going when pinned deep as opponents scored just .73 points per drive on drives starting inside their own 20-yard line against ASU, the 14th-lowest total nationally.
• ASU’s -0.105 defensive EPA per play in the regular season ranked 26th in the FBS. In 2024, ASU’s defense ranked 21st in overall defensive EPA at -0.070.
• Only 74.5 percent (38-of-51) of opponent non-garbage time drives that
  reached the ASU red zone season resulted in points for the opponent - the 11th-lowest tally in the FBS. Teams scored a touchdown or recorded a field goal attempt just 83.0 percent of the time when reaching ASU’s red zone in the season - the ninth-lowest total in the FBS.
• Opponents had a field goal attempt or scored a touchdown just 75.7 percent of the time time when reaching the ASU 40-yard line - the 21st- lowest total in the FBS.
• ASU allowed opponents to pick up just 45.6 percent of the yards available to them, good for 47th nationally. The team allowed offenses to pick up just 45.2 of their available yards in 2024, the 48th-lowest total nationally. ASU was 124th in the country in 2023 in allowing 56.3 percent of available yards.
• Opponents picked up just 65.4 percent of their available yards up to their own 40-yard line last season - the 42nd-lowest total in the country - and just 57.3 percent of the yards to the ASU 40, which was 36th. In 2024, ASU was much improved in keeping opponents from getting across the 50, allowing other teams to pick up just 67.6 percent of their available yards up to their own 40-yard line - the 62nd-lowest total in the FBS while also allowing only 58.5 percent of opponent yards up to the ASU 40 - 51st nationally. For perspective on this improvement the last two seasons, ASU ranked 121st and 126 in those categories in 2023. 
• Arizona State has held opponents to 400 or less yards of total offense 29 times in 41 games (70.7 percent) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward. Since 2018, ASU has done so on 58 occasions over 96 games (60.4 percent of the time). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013-2017. 
• ASU is one of just three FBS teams to not allow 450 or more yards in a single regular season game since the start of 2024 (Indiana and Toledo). 
• ASU has held opponents to 30 points or less 31 times in 41 games (75.6) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward. The 75.6 rate is tied for 28th among all FBS programs in the country in that time. ASU held opponents under the 30-point mark in in 65 of 96 games since 2018 (67.8 percent). This is notable as it DID allow 30+ in 32 of the 43 previous games (74.4 percent) in a span from 2013- 17. 
• ASU held 10 of its 11 FBS regular season opponents to fewer points than they were averaging per game coming into the contest (Miss St. 24/34.0, Texas State 15/47.5, Baylor 24/38.0, TCU 24/41.7, TTU 22/47.5, Houston 24/29.4, Iowa State (19/29.0, WVU 23/23.4, CU 17/22.0, ARIZ 23/33.5) ASU was 11 for 14 in holding opponents under their season scoring average in 2024., following the season opener: Mississippi State (23/56.0), Texas State (28/41.5), Texas Tech (30/44.7), Utah (19/28.3), Cincinnati (24/31.0), Oklahoma State (21/30.5), UCF (31/33.2) Kansas State (14/31.2), BYU (21/31.6), Arizona (7/23.1), Iowa State (19/31.2). 
• Last year, the Sun Devils faced four teams that entered the contest averaging over 500.0 yards of total offense per game and held those teams to an average of 301.25 yards per game (Texas State/Baylor/TCU/Texas Tech)

Grayson Rigdon and Reed Harris (pictured) had two touchdowns vs. Morgan State, and it was the first time two different Sun Devil receivers recorded two or more receiving touchdowns since Chris Coyle and Rashad Ross against Washington State (two each) in 2012.

Golden receivers

• Omarion Miller’s 77 yards after contact are tied for seventh in the country. His four missed tackles forced on receiving plays are tied for 15th in the country.
• Among FBS receivers with at least 40 snaps played, Reed Harris is one of just 11 that has a perfect NFL QBR rating when targeted at 158.3 
• The Sun Devils are leading the nation with 288 yards after contact this season. 
• Sun Devil receivers have recorded 503 total yards after the catch this season (includes yardage on catches behind the line of scrimmage) - the third-highest total in the nation. The team is averaging 10.7 yards after catch per reception, also good for third.
• Harris truly emphasized receivers coach Hines Ward’s “No block, no rock” mantra as he recorded a 79.3 run-blocking grade in Week One that was 14th-best in the nation among receivers and third-best in the Big 12.
• Arizona State had three 100-yard receivers in the opener: Harris (137), Grayson Rigdon (110) and Omarion Miller (102) - a feat that had not been achieved at Arizona State since at least 1996.
• Rigdon and Harris had two touchdowns and it was the first time two different Sun Devil receivers recorded two or more receiving touchdowns since Chris Coyle and Rashad Ross against Washington State (two each) in 2012. ASU was the only team in the country in Week One to have two players achieve that feat. For perspective, that only occured on 14 different occasions in all of the FBS last season.
• Arizona State’s transfer group featured the No. 2 (Harris) and No. 4 (Miller) wideout transfers in the nation, according to 247Sports. 
• Harris started all 12 games at wide receiver in 2025, totaling 39 catches for 673 yards and five touchdowns - career highs in each category. His 17.26 yards per reception on the year were 30th in the FBS and third in the ACC 
• Miller earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors in 2025 and played in 11 games during the 2025 season, starting in eight. He finished the season leading Colorado in all three receiving stats with 45 receptions forn 808 yards and eight touchdowns
• Miller had either 100 yards receiving or a receiving touchdown in each of the last four games of the season. His 17.9 yards per reception were tops in the Big 12 and 18th in the FBS and his 11 catches on contested targets were fourth in the Big 12 and 30th in the FBS.

Gold rush

• ASU ranked 27th in the country in averaging 193.62 rushing yards per game last season after ranking 20th in the FBS in averaging 199.9 rushing yards per game in 2024. The team is averaging 182.00 yards per game this season.
• ASU was the only team in the country that had two different players rush for over 200 yards in a game last year. Four different Sun Devils had a 100+ yard rushing game last season in Raleek Brown, Kanye Udoh, Jeff Sims and Jason Brown. It was the first time that had happened at ASU since the 1996 season.
• ASU was one of just 13 teams in the country to have four separate players reach the century mark for the year.
• The team has rushed for 200 or more yards 17 times under Kenny Dillingham, compiling a 13-4 record when it does. ASU has rushed for 100+ yards in 30 of the team’s 41 games under Kenny Dillingham.
• ASU has rushed for a first down or touchdown on 29.0 percent of its rushes since the 2023 season, good for 39th nationally. 
• Arizona State’s 3.35 yards after contact per rush since the 2023 season is tied for 35th in the country.
• The team’s 0.28 missed tackles forced per rush since 2023 are tied for second in the FBS.
• The Sun Devils forced 120 missed tackles on running plays last year, good for 22nd in the FBS. ASU forced 177 missed tackles on run plays in 2024, second-most in the FBS. The 2026 team has forced 14 missed tackles on run plays so far, ranked 20th in the country.
• ASU has received a team rushing grade of 96.4 from PFF since the start of
  2023, good for 15th-best nationally.
• The Sun Devils have produced a 1,000-yard rusher 11 times in the last 15 seasons - with one of the lone exceptions being the shortened 2020 season. For comparison, from 1976-2010, ASU had just eight 1000-yard rushers over 34 years.

But also no rush

• The Sun Devils are allowing just 97.0 rushing yards per game this year
• The Sun Devils held opponents to just 112.9 rushing yards per game in 2024 in the regular season, the 21st-best total in the country and tops in the Big 12. That came despite ASU playing four of the Top-15 teams in the nation last season in rushing offense (5. UCF/11. Kansas State/13. Kansas./15. Texas State). No other team in the Top-30 faced more than two such opponents in the regular season. ASU was 36th in the FBS in allowing just 133.5 rush yards per game to opponents in 2023. 
• ASU has held opponents to 140 or fewer rushing yards in 29 of 41 games (70.7 percent) in the Kenny Dillingham era.
• The team has rushed for over 200 yards on 17 occasions under Kenny
  Dillingham, going 13-4 in those games. 
• The Sun Devils have held opponents under 100 rushing yards 19 times in the 41 games in the Dillingham/Ward era. Between the 2018-22 seasons, it had happened just 13 total times in 55 games. 
• ASU has held nine of its last 18 opponents dating back to the 2024 season under 100 rushing yards.

Time and time again

• ASU has controlled the ball for over 32 minutes in 18 of 41 games (43.9 percent) under Kenny Dillingham. It had reached the 32-minute mark just 17 times in 55 games from 2018-22 (30.9 percent)
• The Sun Devils are 17-7 under Dillingham when leading in time of possession compared to 6-11 when they don’t.

Kenny the Giant Slayer

• Kenny Dillingham had won six straight games vs. ranked teams in the regular season, the best mark in the nation entering 2026. That streak ended at No. 10 Texas A&M in Week Two.
• The Sun Devils have won six-straight games over Big 12 teams ranked in the AP Top-25 (2-0 last season), which is tied for the sixth-longest streak in Big 12 history.

Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils

• Arizona State University and Sun Devil Athletics announced a multi-year naming rights partnership in 2023 with Mountain America Credit Union to form one of the most dynamic naming rights deals in college athletics.
• The 15-year partnership with Sun Devil Athletics, the most important deal in athletics department history, includes ASU’s football stadium, which will now be called Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils.
• Both Mountain America and ASU are committed to giving back to the community, and this partnership will provide support to the community and student-athletes in a variety of ways:
  • Football Field Goals: Mountain America will donate $250 to the Sun Devil Club for every field goal made to enhance ASU’s student-athlete experience. 
  • Shoe Donation Program: ASU and Mountain America will develop a donation program to provide brand-new shoes to community members in need. 
  • Scholarships: Each year, Mountain America will provide $20,000 to ASU student-athletes, with $10,000 for women’s sports and $10,000 for men’s sports.
  • Financial Education Programs: Mountain America will offer special student-athlete financial education programs, including personal coaching sessions.
  • Internship Program: Mountain America will also offer an internship program to help student-athletes develop the skills and experience needed for future endeavors.

Smart Devils

• Arizona State has one of the top honors colleges in the nation, as Barrett, The Honors College is consistently ranked high in several areas. Football players in Barrett this year include Kyson Brown, Cory Butler, Cam Dyer, Jake Fette, Martell Hughes, Isaiah Iosefa, Davis Kinney, Cardae Mack, Mason Marden, Landen Miree and Uriah Neloms.
• Additionally, 11 different Sun Devils have already earned their undergraduate degrees from Arizona State University and will compete as graduates this season with two others who earned their degrees prior to arriving at Arizona State:
• Kyson Brown: BA in interdisciplinary studies, 2026
• Derek Eusebio: BA in business (sports business), 2026
• Zyrus Fiaseu: BA in liberal studies, 2025
• C.J. Fite: BS in business entrepreneurship, 2025
• My’Keil Gardner: BS in family and human development, 2026
• Jaren Hamilton: BA in liberal studies, 2026
• Roman Pitre: BA in interdisciplinary studies, 2025
• Clayton Smith: BA in liberal studies, 2025
• Zac Swanson: BA in liberal studies, 2026
• Tyler Wigglesworth: BA in mass communication and media studies, 2026
• Blazen Lono Wong: BS in communication, 2025
• Mikey Keene: BS in business administration, 2024 (Fresno State)
• Lyrik Rawls: BS in business administration, 2024 (Oklahoma State)

Milestone Watch

• Running back David Avit eclipsed 300 career rushing attempts against Morgan State (currently at 302 rushing attempts). Avit is 378 rushing yards away from 2,000 career rushing yards (currently at 1,622 rushing yards). Avit is 2 rushing touchdowns away from 20 career rushing touchdowns (currently at 18 rushing touchdowns). 
• Running back Marquis Gillis reached 450 career rushing attempts against Texas A&M (currently at 450 rushing attempts). Gillis has surpassed 2,500 career rushing yards (currently at 2,534 rushing yards). Gillis is 2 games away from having played in 40 career games (currently at 38 games played).
• Wide receiver Jalen Moss is 449 receiving yards away from 2,000 career receiving yards (currently at 1,551 receiving yards). Moss has over 2,000 career all-purpose yards (currently at 2,016 all-purpose yards). Moss is 3 games away from having played in 40 career games (currently at 37 games played).
• Wide receiver Omarion Miller is 111 receiving yards away from 1,500 career receiving yards (currently at 1,389 receiving yards). 
• Quarterback Mikey Keene is 223 passing yards away from 8,500 career passing yards (currently at 8,277 passing yards). Keene is 5 passing touchdowns away from 70 career passing touchdowns (currently at 65 passing touchdowns). Keene played in his 40th career game in the win over Morgan State.
• Kicker Carson Smith is 18 points away from 200 career points (currently at 182 points). 
• Defensive back Lyrik Rawls is 6 tackles away from 150 career tackles (currently at 144 tackles). Rawls is 4 games away from having played in 45 career games (currently at 41 games played).
• Linebacker Owen Long reached 200 career tackles against Morgan State (currently at 207 tackles). 
• Defensive lineman Clayton Smith is 1 sack away from 15 career sacks (currently at 14 sacks). The 14 sacks are tied for the 10th-most among active players at the FBS level. Smith is 3 games away from having played in 50 career games (currently at 47 games played).
• Tight end Khamari Anderson is 3 games away from having played in 40 career games (currently at 37 games played).
• Defensive lineman C.J. Fite played in his 40th career game against Texas A&M (currently at 40 games played)
• Defensive lineman Blazen Lono-Wong is 2 games away from having played in 40 career games (currently at 38 games played).
• Defensive lineman Emar’rion Winston is 4 games away from having played in 45 career games (currently at 41 games played).