Football looks to rebound at home against Kansas State

TEMPE -- Sun Devil Football hosts Kansas State on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Mountain America Stadium as it gets underway with the second half of the season. Kickoff is 12:45 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN2. The Sun Devils are 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 after a 53-25 loss at No. 10 Texas Tech. Kansas State is 4-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play following a 35-24 victory over Kansas.

The Wildcats

• Arizona State leads the all-time series against Kansas State 6-1. The Sun Devils won 24-14 in Manhattan on Nov. 16, 2024. This is Kansas State’s first visit to Tempe since 1989.
• Kansas State enters at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 after defeating Kansas 35-24 on Oct. 17. The Wildcats’ 568 total offensive yards in the victory were the 12th most in school history and the fifth most by the Wildcats in a Big 12 game. Additionally, it was the ninth most total yards by a Power 4 team in a conference game this season. K-State’s 359 rushing yards was its fifth most ever in a Big 12 game and were the fourth most by a Power 4 team in a conference game this season.
• Avery Johnson has completed 118-of-187 passes (63.1 percent) for 1,301
  yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also leads Kansas State with
  462 rushing yards. Rodney Fields Jr. has 386 rushing yards and five rushing
  touchdowns; Jaron Tibbs leads the Wildcats with 25 catches for 268 yards
  and three touchdowns.
• Kansas State averages 35.5 points and 464.7 total yards per game, including
  239.8 rushing and 224.8 passing.
• Kansas State has allowed only 136.3 passing yards per game this season,
  ranking third in the nation and tops in the Big 12 by 35.0 yards per game. One of the main reasons the Wildcats are stout against the pass is they rank fifth in the Big 12 with 2.2 sacks per game and 12th nationally with 7.5 tackles for loss per game.K-State ranks fifth in the country in fewest sacks allowed (3) and first nationally in fewest lost yards from sacks (6). K-State ranks sixth nationally in
  rushing offense with 239.8 yards per game. The Wildcats rank 16th nationally in
  total offense this week, averaging 464.7 yards per game.

Over the air

• Saturday’s game against Kansas State airs nationally on ESPN2 at 12:45 p.m.
  Arizona time (3:45 p.m. Eastern). Jay Alter will be on the call alongside analyst
  Tom Luginbill while Lauren Sisler provides insight 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 former 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 …

• Improve ASU to 7-1 in its all-time series against Kansas State.
• Give the Sun Devils their second consecutive victory over Kansas State following the 24-14 win in 2024.
• Improve Arizona State to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play.
• Help the Sun Devils avoid losing consecutive regular season games for the first time since the final two games of the 2023 campaign.
• Keep the Sun Devils from dropping below .500 in the second half of the season for the first time since that same ‘23 season..

Sparky the Sun Devil gets the crowd excited for action ahead of Arizona State's season-opening game against Morgan State on Sept. 3, 2026. 

Schedule odds and ends (mostly odds)

• Arizona State’s road schedule features two teams that participated in the College Football Playoff this past season (Texas A&M and Texas Tech) and one that was among 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 before it became more commonplace, pre-1975, when the season typically did not start until the second or third week of September.
• ASU played the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium on Sept. 19, in the first college football game played on British soil and defeated Kansas 24-17.
• All told, Sun Devil Football will post over 17,000 round-trip miles over the course of the coming season. For perspective, ASU logged about 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 Bowl, ~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 on nine consecutive weekends following their Bye Weekend on Sept. 26. That will be the most since ASU closed out 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 2026 season. For perspective, ASU logged only about 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 Bowl, ~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 left the continental United States to play football for the first time since the 2006 Hawai‘i Bowl when it crossed 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 was just the second time ASU traveled internationally for a game outside of the 1990 Coca-Cola Classic in Tokyo against Houston. (As of Oct. 19)

39
Removing garbage time, ASU has 39 scoring drives in the final five minutes of either the first or second half over the last two-plus seasons - the ninth-most in the nation in that time. It has a 39.8 score percentage in those final five minutes, good for 38th 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 31.3 percent (20-of-64) offensive touchdown drive rate in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to the start of 2024 (does not include pick six against UCF in 2024, which makes it 21 total touchdowns) - good for 20th in the nation, percentage-wise. 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.

24
Jalen Thompson’s 24 quarterback pressures this season are tied for first in the Big 12 and 16th in the country. ASU’s team leader for the entire season last year had just 29. Thompson currently has the fourth-best pass rush score in the Big 12 at 83.5 (min. 100 pass rush snaps) - the 35th-best grade in the country. His overall defensive grade of 85.2 is 40th among ALL FBS defensive players and is 10th among edge defenders. Thompson has been credited by PFF with a “win” on his pass rush snaps 21.3 percent of the time - leading the Big 12 and sixth
in the FBS. Thompson, a veteran from Michigan State, brought 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.

24
First-half dominance has been a cornerstone of ASU’s success in Kenny Dillingham’s time at Arizona State, as the Sun Devils are 24-4 when leading at halftime (3-0 this season) in his tenure compared to a 1-16 mark when trailing. ASU has allowed just seven touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 and held opponents to an 11.7 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (7-for-60) (drives that end at any point in the final five minutes of the half) - the 14th-lowest total in the country. Through Oct. 19, ASU has a 185-100 advantage since the start of 2024 in points scored in the
“middle eight” of games (points scored in the last four minutes of first half, first four minutes of second half).

8
Reed Harris eight touchdown receptions through six games are tied for most in ASU history through six games along with Shaun McDonald’s 2001 and 2002 seasons. Harris has 653 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions through Arizona State’s first six games. His 41 catches lead the Sun Devils, and he has topped 100 receiving yards against Morgan State, Texas A&M and Baylor. His six-game start of 653 yards is ASU’s most since Jaelen Strong’s school-record 689 in 2014 and fourth-most in school history; Harris caught seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown at Texas Tech, his fifth game with a touchdown catch this season. His eight receiving touchdowns already exceed
his single-season career high of five at Boston College in 2025. In fact, he had just nine receiving touchdowns TOTAL over 29 games with the Eagles..

1
Jessiah McGrew has allowed just one first down in coverage this season, tied for the third-lowest total in the FBS. His three receptions allowed are tied for third-lowest among Big 12 safeties and sixth-lowest among ALL FBS safeties while his
21 yards allowed in coverage are lowest in the Big 12 and sixth-lowest in the nation. (min 150 coverage snaps). . His 33.3 forced incompletion percentage is seventh among all FBS safeties and second in the Big 12. Opponents have had just a 42.4 NFL QB rating when targeting McGrew (21sst-lowest in FBS) while
completing just 33.3 percent of their attempts (eighth-lowest in FBS). 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.

10 things

1. This weekend will feature two of the nation’s most aggressive secondaries at the point of contact with K-State ranking second nationally with a forced incompletion rate of 16.1 percent compared to ASU’s ninth-place mark of 13.2 percent
2. Jalen Thompson is tied for the Big 12 lead with 24 quarterback pressures this season - highly notable through six games as ASU’s team leader for the SEASON last year had just 29.
3. Opponents are scoring a touchdown just 50 percent of the time when reaching ASU’s red zone, good for the 33rd-lowest percentage in the country.
4. Arizona State has 39 scoring drives in the final five minutes of a half in non-garbage time since the start of 2024, which is the ninth-most in the FBS in that time.
5.  Despite blitzing just 46 times this season (second-fewest in FBS), the Sun Devils have a forced QB pressure on 32.2 percent of their pass rush stats, ranking in the top half of the nation after being 116th last year at 29.0 percent.
6. Jessiah McGrew has allowed just 21 yards in coverage for the Sun Devils this year, the sixth-lowest total among FBS safeties (min. 150 coverage snaps)
7. Arizona State receivers are 14th in the nation with 7.0 yards after the catch per reception and also third in the nation with 525 yards after contact
8.  The Sun Devils have attempted 127 fourth-down conversions under Kenny Dillingham since 2023 - including 17 through six games in 2026 - the sixth-most in the nation in that time.
9. Arizona State remains 11-2 (.846) since 2024 in games decided by seven or fewer point. Its 11 wins ranked tied for second nationally and its winning percentage fourth.
10. Arizona State holds a 185-100 scoring advantage in the middle eight minutes of games since 2024 after Texas Tech scored 10 points in the final four minutes of the first half.

Linebacker Owen Long recorded a season-high 14 tackles against Baylor. 

Opening statement

• Through six games, Arizona State stands at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12 after a 53-25 loss at then-No. 10 Texas Tech on Oct. 17. The Sun Devils produced 415 total yards, including 380 passing. ASU outscored the Red Raiders 15-10 in the second half and held Texas Tech to 98 yards after halftime after allowing 404 in the first half.
• Mikey Keene completed 25-of-34 passes (73.5 percent) for 256 yards and two touchdowns, all in the second half.
• Derek Eusebio set career highs with seven catches for 89 yards in his first
  receiving production of the season. Reed Harris added seven catches for 63 yards and a touchdown, bringing his six-game totals to 41 receptions, 653 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Jessiah McGrew recorded a career-high 14 tackles, including 12 solo stops, and forced a fumble recovered by Rodney Bimage Jr. on Texas Tech’s opening drive. Bimage added a career-high nine tackles and two pass breakups. Julian Hugo recorded ASU’s lone sack, his third of the season, and Zac Swanson blocked an extra point.
• Raiden Vines-Bright caught a 74-yard touchdown pass from Cutter Boley, and Cardae Mack scored his first receiving touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Keene.
• Through six games, ASU averages 31.3 points and 420.3 total yards per game, with 276.7 passing and 143.7 rushing. The defense allows 32.0 points and 373.2 total yards per game.
• Owen Long leads the team with 54 tackles, Martell Hughes has 40 and McGrew has 31.
• Carson Smith is 9-for-10 on field-goal attempts and 19-for-19 on extra
  points.

Reed Harris has 11 receptions for over 20 yards through ASU’s first four games - good for third in the FBS and first in the Big 12.

Reed all about him

• Reed Harris has 653 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions through Arizona State’s first six games. His 41 catches lead the Sun Devils, and he has topped 100 receiving yards against Morgan State, Texas A&M and Baylor. His six-game start of 653 yards is ASU’s most since Jaelen Strong’s school-record 689 in 2014 and fourth-most in school history; his eight touchdowns through six are tied for most in ASU history through six games behind Shaun McDonald’s 2001 and 2002 seasons.
• Harris caught seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown at Texas Tech,
  his fifth game with a touchdown catch this season. His eight receiving touchdowns already exceed his single-season career high of five at Boston
  College in 2025. In fact, he had just nine receiving touchdowns TOTAL over
  29 games with the Eagles.
• He is currently sixth in the nation with his 108.8 receiving yards per game
  and tied for fifth with the eight touchdown receptions. Among players with at least 30 receptions this year, his 15.93 yards per reception are 10th in the nation.
• His 11 catches of at least 20 yards are tied for eighth nationally and second
  in the Big 12. He is tied for sixth in the nation with 18 explosive plays (receptions over 15 yards). Harris’ 87.7 receiving grade is ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12 while he has an 86.4 overall offensive grade that leads the Big 12 wide receivers and is 12th among all FBS receivers and Top-50 among all FBS players, regardless of position.
• His 30 receptions for a first down/touchdown are eighth in the country, while his 233 yards after the catch are 27th in the country. His 131 yards after contact are 15th nationally. Harris became 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 joined Baylor’s Corey Coleman (2015) and Texas Tech’s Darrin Moore (2011).

Who's this guy?

• There is no shortage of new faces on the Sun Devil roster in 2026, featuring 30 collegiate transfers from all levels and 18 incoming freshmen - with the 48 combined newcomers making up 44.9% 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 who 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 streak of consecutive ASU starts belongs to C.J. Fite with 33, followed by Maki Stewart with nine and Jalen Klemm and Martell Hughes with seven each.
• Roman Pitre has started all six games in 2026. Reed Harris, Cutter Boley, Kyson Brown, Omarion Miller, Owen Long, Ashton Stamps, Montana Warren, Rodney Bimage Jr., Jalen Thompson and Adrian “Boogie” Wilson each have at least six consecutive ASU starts.
• 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 entered the season with 134 combined starts to its collective credit (12th most in the nation) while the 2024 team had 156 collective starts (fifth-most). The 2026 group entered with just 33 — 14 of them from Luke Baklenko, who did not start a game at Oklahoma last season.
• In fact, the entire Sun Devil roster featured just 118 combined starts coming
  into the season - a smidge over one start per player on the team.

Hold on to your butts

• The Sun Devils remain 11-2 (.846) since the start of 2024 in games decided
  by seven or fewer points. The 11 wins are tied for second-most nationally behind Arkansas State’s 12.
• ASU’s winning percentage in that span of .846 ranks fourth among FBS teams with at least five such close games played. 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. Since Kenny Dillingham took the reins in 2023, 15 of the 25 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. 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). Since the start of the 2024, ASU has scored on 17-of-37 fourth quarter drives while trailing in non-garbage time - a 46.6 rate that is 25th nationally.
• 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.
• The Sun Devil defense deserves credit as well for allowing a chance at comebacks, posting a -.083 EPA when trailing in the fourth quarter of non-garbage time of games over the last two-plus seasons that is 33rd-best nationally.
• Opponents are averaging just 4.2 yards per play when ASU is trailing in the fourth quarter in non-garbage time over the last two-plus seasons - the 12th-lowest tally in the FBS.
• Over the last two-plus seasons with ASU trailing in the fourth quarter of non-garbage time, opponents have picked up a first down just 30 times on 131 opportunities - a 22.9 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.

Setting the tone

• First-half leads remain a foundation of ASU’s success under Kenny Dillingham: the Sun Devils are 24-4 when leading or tied at halftime - including 3-0 this season - compared to a paltry 1-16 mark when trailing at the break. ASU is 0-3 when trailing at halftime in 2026 after trailing Texas Tech 43-10.
• Removing garbage time, ASU has 39 scoring drives in the final five minutes of either the first or second half over the last two-plus seasons - the ninth-most in the nation in that time. It has a 39.8 score percentage in those final five minutes, good for 38th 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 31.3 percent (20-of-64) offensive touchdown drive rate in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to the start of 2024 (does not include pick six against UCF in 2024, which makes it 21 total touchdowns) - good for 20th in the nation, percentage-wise. 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 seven touchdown drives in the final five minutes of the first half dating back to 2024 and held opponents to an 11.7 touchdown drive percentage in that stretch (7-for-60) (drives that end at any point in the final five minutes of the half) - the 14th-lowest total in the country. Through Oct. 19, ASU has a 185-100 advantage since the start of 2024 in points scored in the “middle eight” of games (points scored in the last four minutes of first half, first four minutes of second half).

Keep them in front of you

• ASU has allowed 19 plays of 50 or more yards to opposing offenses in the Dillingham/Ward era after J’Koby Williams’ 62-yard touchdown run at Texas Tech. That is the 37th-lowest tally in the country in that time.
• ASU has allowed 31 plays of 50 or more yards since 2018 after the 62-yard run at Texas Tech which is tied for sixth-lowest nationally. From 2014-17, ASU allowed a nation-leading 55 such plays, 13 more than any other FBS team.
• ASU still has allowed 18 catches of 50 or more yards since 2018 and 11 in the Dillingham/Ward era. The 18 catches rank sixth-lowest in the FBS.
• ASU has allowed 76 plays of 30 or more yards during the Dillingham/Ward era after Texas Tech added three: runs of 62 and 38 yards and a 45-yard completion. That total is ranked 30th in the nation over that span of time.
• Since 2018, ASU has allowed 162 plays over 30 yards in 101 games (1.59 per game), seventh-lowest in the country in that span (excluding Kennesaw State, which joined the FBS later). For perspective, from 2014- 17, ASU gave up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays each SEASON, respectively ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.

Rodney Bimage (pictured) and Ashton Stamps rank eighth and 12th among Big 12 corners with a completion percentage allowed when targeted of 44.4 and 47.4 percent, respectively.

No-fly zone

• Arizona State allows 216.3 passing yards per game through six games. Opponents have completed 115-of-203 passes (56.7 percent) for 1,298 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions against the Sun Devils.
• ASU’s 56.7 percent completion rate allowed through six games is tied for the 26th-lowest in the country this season. The Sun Devils are accomplishing the feat despite having four new starters in the secondary this season - including having to overcome 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.
• Montana Warren, Rodney Bimage, and Ashton Stamps rank fifth, 14th and 16th among Big 12 corners with a completion percentage allowed when targeted of 51.6, 58.3 and 60.0 percent , respectively (min. 150 coverage snaps).
• Bimage has been credited with 174 yards allowed in coverage this season, the 13th-lowest tally among Big 12 corners meeting the minimum 150 snaps in coverage while his 14 receptions allowed are 10th-lowest. Bimage’s 0.90 yards allowed per coverage snap is 15th-lowest in the league
• 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.
• Jessiah McGrew posted a career-high 14 tackles at Texas Tech, raising his season total to 31 and has established himself as a force in the backend of ASU’s secondary. McGrew has quietly put up quality numbers despite not starting a game until the fifth game of the season, leading ASU’s safeties with 176 coverage snaps. His three receptions allowed are tied for third-lowest among Big 12 safeties and sixth-lowest among ALL FBS safeties while his 21 yards allowed in coverage are lowest in the Big 12 and sixth-lowest in the nation. (min 150 coverage snaps).
• McGrew has allowed just one first down in coverage this season, tied for third-lowest total in the FBS. His 33.3 forced incompletion percentage is seventh among all FBS safeties and second in the Big 12.
• Opponents have had just a 42.4 NFL QB rating when targeting McGrew (21st-lowest in FBS) while completing just 33.3 percent of their attempts (eighth-lowest in FBS). 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.
• Boogie Wilson has been targeted just nine times this season - fifth-lowest in the conference among safeties as are his seven catches allowed. His 96 yards allowed in coverage on the year are seventh-lowest among Big 12 safeties. Wilson was 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.
• The Sun Devils have 31 passes defended through six games (28 pass breakups and three interceptions), ranking 38th nationally. The team has a 13.2 percent forced-incompletion rate that ranks ninth in the FBS (and is notable as it faces a K-State squad with a 16.1 rate that is second in the country).
• ASU ranked 13th in the FBS with 74 passes defended 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.

Bring the heat

• The Sun Devils have forced a QB pressure on 32.2 percent of its defensive snaps, rankings 60th in the FBS after finishing 116th in the nation in the category last year (29.0).
• ASU has done so while blitzing just 46 total times, tied for the second-fewest of any FBS team the nation this season. 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 a 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 in 2025 - the seventh-MOST in the country. 
• Arizona State’s 28 sacks with four or fewer pass rushers were the ninth-most in the FBS in 2025.

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

• C.J. Fite has played in 44 games in his Sun Devil career and started 38, including 33 in a row. He has 86 career tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Through six games this season he has 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
• 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 1,717 career snaps are the fourth-most among active interior linemen in the FBS over the last three-plus seasons. Ironically, that’s only third-most in the Big 12 as he is ranked behind Texas Tech’s A.J. Holmes Jr. (1,943) and Colorado’s Santana Hooper (1,755).
• Among active interior linemen with at least 500 run defensive snaps, his 76.0 run defense grade is 13th in the FBS. His 19 tackles for loss or no gain on run plays are fifth-most among active interior linemen, and his 1.16 average depth of tackle is the sixth-closest to the line of scrimmage.
• Jalen Thompson currently has the fourth-best pass rush score in the Big 12 at 83.5 (min. 100 pass rush snaps) - the 35th-best grade in the country. His overall defensive grade of 85.2 is 40th among ALL FBS defensive players and is 10th among edge defenders.
• Thompson’s 24 quarterback pressures this season are tied for first in the
  Big 12 and 16th in the country. ASU’s team leader for the entire season last year had just 29. Thompson has been credited by PFF with a “win” on his pass rush snaps 21.3 percent of the time - leading the Big 12 and sixth in the FBS.
• Thompson, a veteran from Michigan State, brought 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.

Middle of the lineup

• Owen Long leads the Sun Devils with 54 tackles through six games, 14 more than any other player on the roster. His streak of three consecutive double-digit tackle games ended with five stops at Texas Tech. 
• Long averages 9.0 tackles per game through six games, ranking 23rd nationally and second in the Big 12. His 7.8 percent run-stop rate ranked eighth among Big 12 linebackers with at least 130 run-defense snaps. 
• Among Big 12 linebackers with at least 15 pass rush snaps, Long’s 81.7 grade is fifth best in the league. Long was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and the Bronko Nagurski National Defender of the Week for his effort against Kansas, where he recorded 12 tackles, an interception, a fumble forced and a fumble recovered. He added a second Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honor following his effort against Hawai’i. 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.
• Martell Hughes is second on the team with 40 tackles through six games and leads ASU with 5.5 tackles for loss.
• Hughes’ 10.1 run stop percentage (14 “stops” on 139 run plays) is fourth among Big 12 linebackers this season (min. 130 run defense plays). The 14 stops are fifthin the league.
• Long and Hughes have combined for 94 of ASU’s 371 total tackles through six games (25.3 percent), despite ASU’s defensive scheme featuring only two linebackers at a time.
• Long is tied for seventh among all Big 12 linebackers with his 19 defensive stops on the season and the duo are tied for fourth in the league with their respective six tackles for loss or no gain on run plays.
• The Sun Devils found themselves in a position where they had to replace
  nearly 23 percent of their tackles from a season ago with the departure 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. (as of Oct. 3).

Where's the beef?

• Maki Stewart is fresh off one of the most promising freshman lineman campaigns in recent Sun Devil memory and hasn’t had any massive sophomore slump as he ranks 37th among ALL FBS linemen with his 84.5 pass blocking grade this year - 11th among all FBS guards and tops among Big 12 guards.
• Stewart has been credited with just two quarterback pressures allowed
  this season, tied for the seventh-lowest total among all FBS players.
• Stewart made four starts on the interior line over the second half of last season and recorded the sixth-best run-blocking grade among Big 12 interior lineman 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.
• 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 entered the 2026 campaign with a combined 33 career starts among the position group, 14 of which came 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 levels, 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 spread amongst them, 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 account, the group has an average height just a tick under 6-5 and an average weight of 317 pounds. For perspective, ASU’s 2024 Big 12 Champion roster had an average height of just under 6-4 and an average weight of 309 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.
• 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 onwards. 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.
• As a team, ASU was 40th in the country in allowing only 1.50 sacks per game in 2024 after ranking 96th in 2023 with 2.50 allowed per game.
• 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 allows 347.4 total yards per game through five games. The Sun Devils allowed 342.3 yards per game in the regular season last year, ranking 42nd, and 339.6 in 2024, ranking 38th.
• 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 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 have gained 7 or more yards, the 23rd-lowest tally in the country after ranking 105th in 2023 at 35.1 percent.
• ASU’s -0.105 defensive EPA per play in the regular season last year 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 last 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. Teams are managing a touchdown when reaching ASU’s red zone just 50.0 percent of the time, tied for 33rd lowest in the country with ASU’s allowing a score on red zone drives just 79.17 percent of the time (45th nationally). The Sun Devils ranked 15th in the FBS in that category a season ago with a 75.0 rate allowed, showing a vast improvement over the 84.62 rate in 2024 that was 81st in the country.
• Opponents are only managing a touchdown or field goal attempt 80.6 percent of the time when reaching ASU’s 40-yard line this season - the 45th-lowest mark in the country. Last year, opponents had a field goal attempt or scored a touchdown just 75.7 percent of the time when reaching the ASU 40-yard line - the 21st-lowest total in the FBS.
• Last season, 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 fewer yards of total offense 30 times in 46 games (66.7 percent) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward. Since 2018, ASU has done so on 59 occasions in 101 games (59.0 percent). For comparison, ASU accomplished the feat just 24 times in the 65 previous games (36.9 percent) from 2013-17. 
• Baylor’s 564 total yards on Oct. 3 ended ASU’s regular-season streak without allowing 450 yards that began at the start of 2024. Entering the contest, ASU was one of only three teams in the nation with such a claim
  (Indiana and Toledo).
• ASU has held opponents to 30 points or less 34 times in 46 games (75.6 percent) under Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward. ASU held opponents under the 30-point mark in 68 of 101 games since 2018 (68.0 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. 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 137 yards after contact are 12th in the FBS on receiving plays while Reed Harris’ 131 yards after contact are 15th. The Sun Devils are fourth in the nation with 444 yards after contact this season on receiving plays.
• ASU has recorded 933 yards after the catch through six games, good for 24th in the FBS, while the team’s 7.0 yards after catch per reception is 14th in the country.
• The Sun Devils have recorded 525 yards after contact this season on receiving plays, good for third in the Big 12.
• The Sun Devils had three 100-yard receivers in the opener: Reed 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 occurred 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 for 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 that season, starting 8. He finished the season leading Colorado in all three receiving stats with 45 receptions for 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 looking to get back to that pace this season, having averaged only 165.4 yards per game.
• The team has rushed for over 200 yards on 18 occasions under Kenny
  Dillingham, going 14-4 in those games.
• ASU has rushed for 100+ yards in 33 of the team’s 46 games under Kenny Dillingham. 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: 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 players reach the century mark in the same year.
• The team has rushed for 200 or more yards 17 times under Kenny Dillingham, compiling a 13-4 record in those games. ASU has rushed for 100+ yards in 32 of the team’s 44 games under Kenny Dillingham.
• ASU has rushed for a first down or touchdown on 28.3 percent of its rushes since the 2023 season, good for 39th nationally.
• Arizona State’s 3.33 yards after contact per rush since the 2023 season is tied for 35th in the country.
• The team’s 0.27 missed tackles forced per rush since 2023 are tied for sixth 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, the second-most in the FBS.
• ASU has received a team rushing grade of 96.3 from PFF since the start of 2023, good for 25th-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 allow 156.8 rushing yards per game through six games (941 yards on 196 attempts, 4.8 per carry).
• 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 30 of 46 games (65.2 percent) in the Kenny Dillingham era. The Sun Devils have held opponents under 100 rushing yards 19 times in those 46 games (42.2 percent). Between 2018 and 2022, it happened just 13 times in 55 games.
• ASU has held 10 of its last 23 opponents dating back to the 2024 season
  under 100 rushing yards.

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

• Owen Long reached 250 career tackles with five at Texas Tech.
• Cutter Boley has accounted for 33 career touchdowns (30 passing, three rushing).
• Clayton Smith remains one sack shy of 15, with 14, and has made 51 career appearances after reaching 50 against Hawai‘i.
• Marquis Gillis has 2,599 career rushing yards on 464 attempts, 20 rushing touchdowns and 42 appearances, having surpassed 2,500 rushing yards earlier this season.
• Jalen Moss has 1,614 receiving yards, leaving him 386 from 2,000, and 41 career games after making his 40th appearance against Hawai‘i. 
• Reed Harris has 1,814 receiving yards, leaving him 186 from 2,000, and 98 catches, two short of 100.
• Omarion Miller passed 100 career receptions at Texas Tech and now has 101 for 1,628 yards.
• Carson Smith has 212 career points.
• Ashton Stamps has 23 career passes defended.
• C.J. Fite has 44 career appearances and Blazen Lono-Wong has 42, all at ASU.
• David Avit has 303 career rushing attempts for 1,631 yards and 18 touchdowns, leaving him 369 yards from 2,000 and two touchdowns from 20.
• Mikey Keene passed 8,500 career passing yards at Texas Tech and now has 8,533; his 67 touchdown passes leave him three from 70. 
• Jessiah McGrew is one tackle from 100 for his career, with 99.

Six degrees of Sun Devil-ation

• Arizona State offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo was a running backs coach at Oklahoma State when Kansas State assistant head coach/forward scout for offense Joe Bob Clements was a defensive line coach there in 2015.
• ASU offensive lineman Jalen Klemm played for KSU in 2022.
• Kansas State running backs coach Cory Patterson was an assistant head coach/wide receivers coach at Purdue when Arizona State defensive lineman Roman Pitre played there in 2023.
• KSU assistant head coach/forward scout for offense Joe Bob Clements coached at Oklahoma State when Arizona State defensive back Lyrik Rawls played there from 2022-24.
• Arizona State defensive lineman Jeffrey Manns played at Hutchinson Community College with Kansas State cornerback Michael Graham Jr.
  in 2024.
• Kansas State wide receiver Brandon White and defensive tackle Austin Ramsey played at Kentucky with Arizona State tight end Khamari Anderson in 2023 and 2024. 
• Kansas State wide receiver Brandon White played at Kentucky with Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley in 2024.
• KSU running back Jay Harris played with Arizona State defensive linemen Emar’rion Winston and MyKeil Gardner at Oregon in 2024.
• ASU defensive lineman Roman Pitre played at Purdue with KSU wide receiver Jaron Tibbs in 2023.
• Kansas State safety Jet Dineen and Arizona State defensive lineman Hyrum Vaeno played together at Lawrence Free State High School. 
• Kansas State wide receiver Derrick Salley Jr. played with Arizona State defensive lineman Jeffrey Manns at Hutchinson Community College in 2024 and 2025.
• KSU wide receiver Adonis Moise played at IMG Academy with ASU wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright and offensive lineman Tana Alo-Tupuola.
• Arizona State defensive back Lyrik Rawls played with K-State running back Rodney Fields Jr. and linebacker Jacobi Oliphant Jr. at Oklahoma State in 2024.
• ASU defensive back Davis Kinney played at Fort Bend Travis High School with KSU cornerback Josiah Vilmael.
• KSU safety Dominic Mitchell played with Arizona State defensive lineman Zac Swanson at Brophy High School.
• Arizona State punter Nick McLarty played at Ohio State with Kansas State linebacker Gabe Powers and offensive lineman George Fitzpatrick in 2024.
• ASU wide receiver Harry Hassmann played with KSU linebacker Weston
  Polk at Coppell High School.
• Kansas State defensive tackle Miles Merchant played at Cerritos with Arizona State cornerback Nasir Stephens in 2025.
• Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley played at Kentucky with Kansas State defensive tackle Austin Ramsey in 2024 and 2025.
• KSU offensive lineman Tanner Morley played at Colorado State with Arizona State linebacker Owen Long in 2024 and 2025.
• Arizona State defensive lineman Jeffrey Manns played at Hutchinson Community College with K-State defensive tackle Eli Jackson in 2025.