Arizona State heads into a season-defining run after an uneven start, with Kenny Dillingham's Sun Devils opening a three-week gantlet at No. 10 Texas Tech on Saturday before Kansas State and a road trip to No. 8 BYU. The sequence comes as ASU sits 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12, according to Cronkite News reporting by Alex Swift.
The consequence is simple for ASU's ambitions. With five Big 12 teams currently ranked and seven straight conference games ahead, there is little margin for the Sun Devils to reach anything like their 2024 peak. Dillingham told reporters the goal is to get better every day, not ride the noise around rankings or point spreads, Cronkite News reported.
Texas Tech is unbeaten at 5-0 and ninth in strength of record in 2026, and Lubbock is no soft landing. "This place is going to be rocking," Dillingham said, calling the Red Raiders a top-10 opponent and "one of the best teams in the country." ASU did win last year's meeting 26-22 in Tempe, and since ASU joined the Big 12 the teams have faced each other every year, per Cronkite News.
Then comes what Dillingham called a potential trap in Tempe against Kansas State, followed by BYU in Provo. The Cougars are 5-0, tied atop the Big 12, and are the league's highest-ranked team at No. 8. Cronkite News noted BYU's only losses since the start of 2025 came against eventual conference champion Texas Tech, and the Cougars finished last season just outside the playoff field, stirring controversy.
ASU's recent form is a study in swings. A 30-12 win over Hawaii restored some confidence, but it followed a 55-19 blowout loss to Baylor, a fourth-quarter collapse in a 48-20 defeat at Texas A&M, and a London win over Kansas, according to Cronkite News. Linebacker Martell Hughes said the group refocused on details and "playing with passion" after the Baylor loss.
Dillingham has tried to narrow the signal. He told reporters he deleted social media apps, said he was unaware of being a 15.5-point underdog at Tech, and repeated that he expects to win every game with a plan he believes in, Cronkite News reported. "You can't worry about the noise," he said. "If you keep getting better, who knows where you'll be?"
Operationally, Dillingham responded to the Baylor debacle by giving playcalling back to offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, Cronkite News reported in an earlier dispatch. The offense produced 420 yards against Hawaii, sparked by freshman back Cardae Mack's 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yard burst. Dillingham praised Mack's maturity and said he will earn more touches as the formula settles.
Defensively, ASU held Hawaii to 12 points, its fewest allowed against an FBS opponent this season, per Cronkite News. Hughes said the defense played with energy and cleaned up the prior week's mistakes.
The wider league picture is less forgiving than when ASU won the Big 12 in 2024. Cronkite News noted five ranked Big 12 teams this fall, with Texas Tech entering as the reigning conference champion after finishing last regular season ranked No. 4 and earning a CFP quarterfinal bye.
