Summer Schedule Preview: Arizona State Rebuilding While Stepping Up into Big 12

After a front half of the schedule against some of the teams predicted to be the class of the league, OSU will face a newcomer that is coming off arguably its worst two-year stretch in program history.

If the Cowboys can survive the first half of their schedule relatively unscathed, they should be in the mix for another Big 12 title game appearance. But as we approach the final third of the Pokes’ fall schedule, the question will be whether or not they can finish strong. That will start with a visit from the predicted last-place team, Arizona State.

Before we get into the Cowboys’ and Sun Devils’ our Summer Schedule Series: Noncon | Utah | K-State | West Virginia | BYU | Baylor

Week 10: Arizona State | Nov. 2 | Stillwater, Okla.

Series History: 3-2

Though they’re new to the Big 12 this season, the Sun Devils have been regulars on the Cowboys’ schedule the last couple of years as noncon opponents. OSU won these most recent two meetings as well as the schools’ first in 1984, with ASU winning contests in 1991 and 1993.

Last Meeting: OSU 27, ASU 15

The Cowboys escaped Tempe in Week 2 last year with a win, but they needed a second-half comeback. OSU was still splitting up QB reps and still resistant to handing the franchise to Ollie Gordon (No. 0 had two carries in the first half and OSU had 0 rushing yards). But the defense was able to slow down freshman QB Jaden Rashada (now at Georgia), and Gunnar Gundy and Garret Rangel each added second-half passing TDs to lift the Pokes to the win.

Arizona State in 2023: It was Year 1 of the Kyle Dillingham era and the rebuild was felt. ASU followed up the 3-9 year in which Herm Edwards was let go with another 3-9 season. Those nine losses each of the last two seasons represent the most ever in a season in program history, and the .222-win percentage is tied for the lowest since the Sun Devils’ 1-7 season in 2001.

The defense was so-so, but the offense was horrible. Arizona State’s 17.8 points per game was the lowest in the Pac-12 (124th nationally) and was the lowest since 1988. The Sun Devils only broke 30 once, a 38-27 win over Washington State.

Arizona State in 2024: The Sun Devils were picked to finished dead last in the Big 12 and their win total — an over/under of 4.5 — is tied for last in the league. But there is some reason for optimism, or at least hope for improvement. In addition to a new OC (more on that below), the Devils welcome former Michigan State quarterback Sean Leavitt. The former four-star prospect was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Oregon in 2022 and showed some pop in limited reps as a freshman last season, displaying his dual-threat skill set by completing 65% of his passes and adding 67 rushing yards in four appearances.

Arizona State’s offense got dinged by the portal, as well. Along with outgoing QB Jaden Rashada, the Sun Devils lost wide receiver Elijhah Badger and tight end Jalin Conyers, the Sun Devils’ top two receivers last year. They will also need to find a way to get better along an offensive line that got pushed around in the final year of the dwindling Pac-12.

On defense, ASU needs to find more consistency, especially in the back end, and the coaching staff hopes they will have remedied that through the portal. They added corners Javan Robinson (Washington State) and Laterrance Welch (LSU) as well as safety Cole Martin (Oregon). All three should be in line for starters’ reps and, if they can gel with the rest of the secondary, have a chance to change the face of the defense.

Of Note: Former OSU running backs coach, touted recruiter and perennial OC candidate for some Cowboy fans, Marcus Arroyo was brought in this offseason to help fix that woeful Sun Devils offense. Since his short stint in Stillwater, Arroyo has had stints as the OC and QBs coach at Oregon and as head coach at UNLV. Can he inject the type of energy and excitement to get the Sun Devils back to a respectable output? That’s the biggest question facing ASU this offseason.

The Final Stretch

By this point in the season, we will know a lot about the Big 12 in its new 16-team configuration, and we’ll know a lot more about where Oklahoma State stands in it. After starting off Big 12 play against favorites Utah and Kansas State, the Cowboys will enter November with the last four games against teams picked to finish in the bottom half of the conference, for what that’s worth. ASU is picked to finish last and then OSU finishes with TCU, Texas Tech and Colorado, picked to finish 10th, ninth and 11th, respectively.

Regardless of how accurate those preseason rankings end up being, OSU will be either in it with a chance to close things out and get back to Arlington for the third time in four seasons, or they will not have lived up to preseason expectations.