After ASU football pulled off a massive 27-19 win over Utah on Friday, the program will have to wait at least another week to be ranked.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The AP Top 25 rankings for Week 8 dropped after this past slate of the college football schedule concluded and while Arizona State is 5-1 this season as well as beating the No. 17 Utes, the Sun Devils remain on the outside looking in. Barely missing the cut, ASU received 49 votes, which would see it land at No. 27 in the country. Oklahoma, who was ranked No. 16 going into this game week, garnered 81 votes and just fell out to No. 26.
With the dismal loss in Tempe, Utah was bumped out. Out of the other Big 12 schools that are on the list, Iowa St (6-0, 3-0 B12) is No. 9, BYU (6-0, 3-0) is No. 13 and Kansas St (5-1, 3-0) rounds out the conference teams at No. 17.
College Football Rankings
- Texas
- Oregon
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Miami
- Alabama
- LSU
- Iowa State
- Clemson
- Tennessee
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Texas A&M
- Boise State
- Indiana
- Kansas State
- Ole Miss
- Missouri
- Pittsburgh
- SMU
- Illinois
- Army
- Michigan
- Navy
Despite some Sun Devil fans feeling Arizona State deserved to be ranked, the fact that they are right on the cusp of securing a bowl game and this close to cracking the Top 25 is a giant step in the right direction. Following back-to-back 3-9 seasons, ASU was predicted to be the worst team in the Big 12 according to the conference’s preseason media poll that was unveiled in early July.
Arizona State’s only loss this season was a 30-22 road defeat to Texas Tech on Sept. 21. The Red Raiders are right above ASU in the conference standings in third as they have a perfect 3-0 in the Big 12.
A season ago, Utah trounced ASU 55-3 in the Pac-12 and for the Sun Devils to be where they are now a year later, running back Cam Skattebo credited his team’s collective effort in giving 100% for every teammate around them.
“Different football team. This guy [Caleb McCullough] didn’t have two picks last year. We had different guys on the field, we have guys that are playing together every snap, got guys that trust me, trust the defense, trust Sam [Leavitt], trust the o-line. We got our fire back since Texas Tech and guys are playing for each other,” Skattebo said. “It is a whole different football team than it was last year. The guys are playing together, I love it.”
ASU has another chance to be ranked when they travel to Cincinnati this Saturday before they head into their second bye week. The Bearcats (4-2, 2-1 B12) narrowly lost at Texas Tech 44-41 two weeks ago before bouncing back with a 19-13 win over UCF this week.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Mercury, Suns and ASU Athletics for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
