It never feels good to lose, especially after earning a pay raise, but there is truly a new football energy in the desert.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A thriller in corn flakes: Arizona State falls to Duke in Sun Bowl
Arizona State gave a valiant effort in Wednesday’s Sun Bowl matchup against Duke.
Kenny Dillingham’s squad was in a high scoring offensive affair that saw quarterback Jeff Sims account for five touchdowns. The Sun Devils posted 244 yards rushing on over six yards per carry, but suffered a three-point loss (39-42) to the Blue Devils. ASU had three turnovers, including two lost fumbles that became the difference in the game.
Dillingham failed to claim his ninth victory of the 2025 season, yet he knows he has something special on the horizon. He has a front office backing him with resources, experienced players returning, talented freshmen coming in, and a fan base all in on him making the Sun Devils a force in college football.
Arizona State produced some impressive wins versus Texas Tech, TCU, and Iowa State.
Dillingham sees he has a squad that is more than capable of consistently making the College Football Playoff moving forward and positioning itself for a shot to win a national championship. The defeat will sting because of how close the team was to achieving nine wins; nevertheless, the hunger to be better and prove itself will be kicked into overdrive in the offseason.
Dillingham is building a product that Sun Devil fans can be proud of.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @CoachingMSmith.
