2026 Arizona State Football Preview
Jake Wimberly
Abby Boyd Contributing-
What’s to like:
Arizona State has continued developing young players, and that development was a major reason for the program's recent turnaround. The Sun Devils have built a roster with plenty of athleticism, and the coaching staff has done a good job getting young players ready to contribute. That gives Arizona State a foundation to continue building on its recent success.
The running game should also be one of the team's biggest strengths. Arizona State has been able to establish the run and use it to control the pace of games, taking pressure off the passing game in the process. If the Sun Devils can continue running the ball effectively, they'll have a reliable way to move the chains against Big 12 defenses.
What’s not to like:
Arizona State will have to replace some important contributors, which could make maintaining last year's level of success difficult. Players who stepped into major roles during the program's rise are no longer around, and the younger players replacing them will have to adjust quickly.
The higher expectations are another challenge. Arizona State is no longer viewed as a team simply trying to improve. Opponents will be more prepared for the Sun Devils, and handling those expectations while trying to maintain their recent success will be different from what the program has experienced in the past.
What does the Hourglass say?
Arizona State- Big 12 (3-9)
Power ranking 36.82.
2026 Arizona State Analytics
National recruiting rating (three year metric): #48- outside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.
National Coaching Ranking:
Kenny Dillingham- 40th in Power 5 and 8th in the Big 12.
2026 coaching value= 18.7 (average 2026 Power 5 coaching value=21.93) Kenny Dillingham is ranked lower of the pack for coaches in the Power 5.
Quarterback Play: Cutter Boley- ranked 49th in the Power 4, 12th in the Big 12; 2026 QB value= 24.6 (Power 4 average- 26.43).
Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Arizona State has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of . This puts the Sun Devils at the lower tier for the Big 12 in this metric.
Final Thoughts:
Arizona State has quickly changed the expectations surrounding the program, and maintaining that progress will be the biggest challenge in 2026. The Sun Devils have plenty of young talent and a strong running game, but replacing key contributors could make it difficult to match last season's success. If the younger players develop quickly, Arizona State should remain competitive in the conference.
2026 Schedule analysis:
Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.
9/5/26 Morgan State- Win
9/12/26 At Texas A&M- Loss
9/19/26 At Kansas- Loss
10/3/26 Baylor- Loss
10/10/26 Hawaii- Win
10/17/26 At Texas Tech- Loss
10/24/26 Kansas State- Loss
10/31/26 At BYU- Win
11/7/26 Colorado- Loss
11/14/26 At UCF- Loss
11/21/26 Oklahoma State- Loss
11/28/26 At Arizona- Loss
