For any college football program going into a new season, they are familiar with the opposition they face and the kind of threats that they are up against year in and year out. For ASU, they have a brand new journey awaiting them: competing in the Big 12 Conference.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12 with Utah, Colorado and arch-enemy Arizona last season, Arizona State is 3-0 to begin 2024 but faces tough challenges ahead in its new conference, starting with Texas Tech on Saturday.
The Big 12 has been recognized as one of the premier collegiate football conferences in the nation and has well-accredited teams from all over the United States. Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, UCF and Baylor are just some of the schools ASU will have to go up against in addition to some of its former Pac-12 counterparts.
With all of the implications of what it means to move from one conference to another, Sun Devil football head coach Kenny Dillingham understands the gravity of the game vs. Texas Tech and what it will mean for his program.
“Mindset, this is the first Big 12 game and this game will go down in literally history. There’s only one game where it is a first, and a very few times in sports you get to accomplish a first,” Dillingham said on Monday at a press conference. “Not like a first-time to have a 100-yard receiver and two sacks and all of the crazy firsts, this is a real first. It is the first one and it will be remembered forever as Arizona State’s first-ever Big 12 game. I am excited for it because it is a challenge, but it is what college football is supposed to be.
ASU is one of six teams in the conference to start a perfect 3-0, but the Sun Devils’ tight 31-28 win over Texas State was nothing close to perfect.
Between almost two fumbles to begin the game, Texas State having the majority of the momentum in the first half and Arizona State’s defense being heavily relied upon late, the Sun Devils were dealt with a heap of adversity from the first kick-off to the last second on the scoreboard.
Battling inconsistencies throughout the shortened week with a midweek game on Thursday, Dillingham said it provided lessons for the players, staff and him personally of what they need to improve on since there is better competition ahead of them.
“I think last week was humbling,” Dillingham said. “I thought we played absolutely horrible, specifically in the first half. Even though it was a short week, it’s not good for us as a staff, it’s not good for the players on the field, it’s not good for anybody and it starts with me… Both of our sides of the ball are more schemed-up schemes than we are just roll the ball out and we can go. That short week was probably harder on us than other teams just because of how we play offense and defense.”
From picking up the nail-biting victory against Texas State in San Marcos to heading to Lubbock for a clash with Texas Tech, Arizona State will have yet another tough bout in the “Lone Star State.”
Texas Tech is 2-1 but could easily be 1-2 since it took the Red Raiders overtime to beat FCS program Abilene Christian 52-51 in their season opener on Aug. 31. Washington State then crushed them 37-16 on Sept. 7 before they blew out North Texas 66-21 this past Saturday.
The Red Raiders were 5-4 in conference play and 7-6 overall last season, winning the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl over California, 34-14.
Stepping into a new hostile environment as the away team, Arizona State wants to remain undefeated amidst the energetic boos and jeers that the passionate Texas State fans will surely let out.
“Their fans are diehard fans, it’s a college town. It is going to be an unbelievable environment for our guys to play in and that’s the exciting part about joining the Big 12 is the environments we play in,” Dillingham said.
ASU receives massive injury boosts as first game in Big 12 nears vs. Texas Tech
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HEREÂ to unlock our premium content!*
Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
