There was a time not long ago when Arizona State football was simply hoping to become relevant again.

Those days are over.

The Sun Devils enter the 2026 season carrying something they haven't felt in years: expectations.

After enduring consecutive 3-9 seasons just a few years ago, Kenny Dillingham has completely transformed the direction of the program. Arizona State has become one of the fastest-rising programs in the Big 12, restoring excitement throughout Tempe while changing the perception of what Sun Devil football can become. The rebuild is complete. Now comes the difficult part.

Can Arizona State sustain it?

That question will define the 2026 college football season.

The wins that surprised everyone over the past two years have raised the bar. National media are paying attention.

Recruits are paying attention. Opposing coaches are certainly paying attention. The Sun Devils are no longer sneaking up on anyone.

This season isn't about proving Arizona State belongs.

It's about proving Arizona State is here to stay.

Kenny Dillingham Has Changed Everything
When Arizona State hired one of its own in Kenny Dillingham, the vision was always bigger than wins and losses.

The goal was to restore the identity of Sun Devil football.

Through relentless recruiting, an aggressive transfer portal strategy, player development, and reconnecting the program with its fan base and the state of Arizona, Dillingham has done exactly that.

The culture has become one of the strongest selling points in college football.

Players want to play in Tempe.

Recruits want to stay home.

Fans have rediscovered their passion.

The administration has doubled down on supporting football.

For years, Arizona State often felt like a program searching for an identity. Today, that identity is obvious. Fast. Physical. Aggressive. Confident. Built around relationships and development.

Now comes the next challenge.

Winning consistently enough to compete for Big 12 championships every season.

Life After Sam Leavitt
No storyline will be bigger entering fall camp than replacing quarterback Sam Leavitt.

Leavitt became one of the faces of Arizona State's resurgence, helping elevate the offense while bringing leadership and confidence to the locker room. Replacing that production—and that presence—is never easy.

Enter Cutter Boley.

The Kentucky transfer arrives with tremendous arm talent, size, and upside. Arizona State believes his ceiling fits perfectly within Dillingham's offensive philosophy, but talent alone doesn't win football games.

Quarterbacks must command the huddle.

They must make split-second decisions.

They must earn the trust of teammates.

They must perform on third down.

They must protect the football.

The good news for Arizona State is that Boley won't have to do everything himself. Dillingham has surrounded him with a roster capable of making life considerably easier.

Transfer Portal Reload
College football no longer operates on four-year rebuilding plans.

Championship contenders rebuild every offseason through the transfer portal.

Arizona State embraced that reality.

The Sun Devils attacked the portal aggressively, adding experience, athleticism, and immediate contributors across multiple positions.

Among the biggest additions is wide receiver Omarion Miller, whose size and playmaking ability could make him an instant favorite target. Washington transfer Raiden Vines-Bright brings additional speed and experience to the receiving corps, while Villanova transfer David Avit adds depth and versatility to the running game.

Defensively, Arizona State added help in the secondary with Ashton Stamps while continuing to build quality depth throughout the roster.

The strategy is obvious.

Don't rebuild.

Reload.

The Big 12 Will Offer No Easy Saturdays
If Arizona State hopes to return to championship contention, nothing will come easily.

The 2026 schedule might be one of the most demanding in recent program history.

The season opens at Mountain America Stadium against Morgan State before an immediate road trip to face Texas A&M, one of the SEC's most talented rosters.

Then comes one of the most unique moments in school history.

Arizona State heads overseas to London to face Kansas at Wembley Stadium in the Union Jack Classic. It's not simply an international showcase—it also counts as a conference game, giving the Sun Devils one of the most unusual Big 12 openers college football has seen.

Following a much-needed bye week, Arizona State hosts Baylor before welcoming Hawai'i to Tempe.

That's when the true grind begins.

Trips to Texas Tech, BYU, UCF, and rival Arizona are mixed with home games against Kansas State, Colorado, and Oklahoma State.

There are very few weeks where Arizona State can afford an off day.

In the Big 12, one bad Saturday can dramatically change the conference standings.

Travel Could Become an X-Factor
One storyline that deserves far more attention is travel.

Arizona State will log more than 17,000 round-trip miles this season.

That number is staggering.

Between SEC country, London, multiple cross-country Big 12 road trips, and late-season travel, the Sun Devils will spend significant time away from Tempe.

Fatigue becomes real.

Recovery becomes critical.

Depth becomes essential.

The teams still playing meaningful football in November are often the healthiest teams.

Managing that workload could determine whether Arizona State wins eight games—or eleven.

The Defense Must Continue to Grow
While much of the offseason conversation revolves around the quarterback position, Arizona State's defense may ultimately decide how high this team climbs.

The Big 12 remains one of the nation's most explosive offensive conferences.

Every week presents another dangerous quarterback.

Another elite receiver.

Another creative offensive coordinator.

The Sun Devils don't necessarily need to become the nation's best defense.

They simply need to become more consistent.

Generate pressure.

Create turnovers.

Improve red-zone efficiency.

Force offenses into longer third downs.

If Arizona State can pair an improving defense with another explosive offense, this team becomes dangerous against anyone on the schedule.

Five Games That Could Define the Season
The road trip to Texas A&M will immediately show how Arizona State measures up against SEC competition.

The London matchup with Kansas could shape the Big 12 championship race before October even begins.

Hosting Kansas State may become one of the biggest home games of the year, with conference implications likely on the line.

The trip to BYU is rarely easy, especially in one of college football's toughest environments.

And then, as always, everything could come down to the Territorial Cup against Arizona.

No matter the records.

No matter the rankings.

That rivalry always matters.

Why Arizona State Can Surprise People Again
Nationally, many analysts are predicting a step backward because of the quarterback change.

That might underestimate what Dillingham has actually built.

Great programs don't rely on one player.

They develop systems.

They recruit relentlessly.

They build culture.

They replace talent instead of searching for it.

Arizona State appears much closer to becoming that kind of program.

The Sun Devils have recruited well.

They've embraced NIL.

They've attacked the transfer portal.

They've invested in facilities.

Most importantly, they've established belief.

Players now expect to win.

That mindset changes everything.

Final Prediction
Arizona State enters 2026 as one of the most intriguing teams in the Big 12.

The quarterback is new.

The schedule is brutal.

The travel is exhausting.

The expectations are higher than they've been in years.

Those challenges are exactly what successful programs eventually face.

For Kenny Dillingham, this season isn't about proving he can rebuild Arizona State.

He's already accomplished that.

The challenge now is building something that lasts.

If Cutter Boley settles into the offense quickly, the transfer portal additions produce immediately, and the defense continues its upward trajectory, the Sun Devils have every opportunity to remain firmly in the Big 12 championship conversation entering November.

Eight wins feels like the floor.

Ten wins is absolutely within reach.

And if everything clicks at the right time, don't be surprised if Arizona State once again finds itself playing meaningful football deep into December.

The rebuild is finished.

​Now begins the pursuit of something even bigger: becoming one of the Big 12's annual contenders.