Arizona State College Football Preview 2024: Key Players, Game Schedule, Season Predictions

Arizona State College Football Preview 2024

Arizona State might be a player in the Big 12 faster than you think.

The Big 12 without Texas and Oklahoma is still good, but think of it this way. Would you rather face Washington, Oregon, and USC - like ASU did last year - or UCF, BYU, and Cincinnati?

But it’s more than that. Arizona State might not be Texas A&M or UCLA on the schools that do the least with the most list, but …

Massive school, fun resort-like feel, in a city but with a college atmosphere, close enough to California to recruit well, and, fine - it has been a very, very long time since Arizona State football was a big deal.

The 2013 team made it to the Pac-12 Championship - and got whacked by Stanford - and that’s about it since the program was one Rose Bowl stop away from winning the 1996 national title.

Now as a member of the Big 12, if Arizona State doesn’t become a player under Kenny Dillingham it won’t be for a lack of trying.

He was handed a rough situation in a true rebuilding year, and even though it went 3-9, it balled out despite being outmanned. It rose up and stunned UCLA on the road, lost a 15-7 heartbreaker to Washington, had Colorado beaten, was right there against Cal, and pushed USC.

And it got annihilated by Utah, Oregon, and Arizona in November.

Dillingham is a young, upbeat coach with a mindset to get the O going, but he got enough out of his D to be competitive.

Last year’s team might have stalled late, but with help from the transfer portal this should be a pesky bunch because there’s no way a Dillingham team struggles so much on …

NOTE: The previews were published early this summer. We tried to catch the changes, but if we missed anything, please let us know at @ColFootballNews and we'll fix it right away.

Arizona State Football Preview 2024: Offense

- Between Kenny Dillingham and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo there’s too much coaching talent to not do more after having so many problems with big plays, running the ball, and that whole scoring thing the kids are all into. Take out the shortened 2020 season and 2023 was the worst scoring season since 1966.

That’s going to change, but …

- The offensive line has to be far, far better. There wasn’t a push for the ground game, the pass protection wasn’t there, and it was a struggle to get any consistent production.

Leif Fautanu is a good, big center to start with, and Sean Na’a will move where needed with Hawaii transfer Josh Atkins likely working at one tackle spot. There are enough options to find a better five in fall camp.

The backs are there to produce if they get room. Cam Skattebo can do a little of everything, and DeCarlos Brooks averaged over five yards per carry. They need the ball more.

- Arizona State had Jayden Daniels at quarterback in 2021, and even after he left for LSU the combined production wasn’t bad in 2022. The struggles on the line were a part of it, but not being able to find an answer out of four different quarterbacks hurt.

Jaden Rashada left for Georgia, but Sam Leavitt is a good get from Michigan State - the O can build around him - and Jeff Sims is a dangerous backup if he can stop turning the ball over.

The receiving corps got hit by the transfer portal - Elijhah Badger left for Florida and TE Jalin Conyers is off to Texas Tech - but this could be an under-the-radar bunch loaded with seniors Troy Omeiere and Melquan Stovall with the potential to do far, far more.

Arizona State Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The defense had its moments. It got ripped to shreds late, and it wasn’t able to come up with a meaningful takeaway, but there were moments. It held Washington to 15 points, UCLA was stuffed, and considering the offense didn’t help a lick there were a few highlights. This is where the transfer portal kicks in.

- The linebacking corps isn’t all new, but it’s far stronger. Tate Romney and Caleb McCullough tied for fourth on the team with 52 tackles, and in comes tackling machine Keyshaun Elliott from New Mexico State for the middle and San Diego State tough hitter Zyrus Fiaseu.

Shamari Simmons is a playmaking safety, and he’s getting help with four key transfers - Javan Robinson (Washington State) and Laterrance Welch (LSU) will take over the corner jobs. The interceptions have to start flowing.

- It would be nice if the defensive front could come up with more pressure. Prince Dorbah and Clayton Smith are okay on the ends, and the transfer portal loaded up with lots and lots of tackles to have far more of a rotation around nose tackle CJ Fite. Again, like most of the positions, there are more options now.

Key To The Arizona State Football Season

The passing game has to improve immediately.
Again, it starts with an offensive line to give the quarterbacks time to work, but ASU only connected on 60% or more of its passes three times. The team was 1-6 when not throwing for more than 205 yards. That’s not going to work in the Big 12, so …

Arizona State Key Player

Sam Leavitt, QB RFr.
Leavitt got in a little bit of work as a freshman at Michigan State, but the new coaching staff and the arrival of Aidan Chiles from Oregon State meant he had to move. The mobility is there, the passing upside is great, and the former big recruit for the Spartans could make the program his. ASU needs him to star. He’s the top transfer, and 1A should be …

Arizona State Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Cole Martin, S Soph.
Will the former Oregon Duck work at corner or safety? It’s that versatility that should make him a strong playmaker for the Sun Devils, with the speed and hitting ability to find a home somewhere. He made 21 tackles with an interception as a freshman.

Top Transfer Out: BJ Green, DE Sr.
Jaden Rashada has the biggest upside and the most talent, but he didn’t do much for the Sun Devils. Green was a nice part of the pass rush over the last three seasons with 13.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss, but now he’s off to Colorado.

Arizona State Key Game

at Texas Tech
It’s the program’s first game as a Big 12 school, and it’s one of the conference road games it might be able to steal. Cincinnati is the other, but Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and down the road against Arizona is tough. Call this a strong test case - if ASU can beat a good Texas Tech team in Lubbock, it’s in for a good year.

10 Best Arizona State Football Players

1. Leif Fautanu, C Sr.
2. Cam Skattebo, RB Sr.
3. Shamari Simmons, S Sr.
4. Sam Leavitt, QB RFr.
5. Troy Omeire, WR Sr.
6. Prince Dorbah, DE Sr.
7. Sean Na’a, OG Soph.
8. Markeston Douglas, TE Jr.
9. Keyshaun Elliott, LB Jr.
10. Zyrus Fiaseu, LB Jr.

Arizona State 2023 Fun Stats

- Penalties: Opponents 87 for 722 yards, Arizona State 68 for 617 yards

- 2 Point Conversions: Arizona State 5-for-5, Opponents 1-for-2

- 4th Quarter Scoring: Opponents 112, Arizona State 57

Arizona State Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

This isn’t going from three wins to national title right away, but there will be a big overall improvement.

It starts with having more options. The coaching staff has more pieces to work with, there should be a better rotation at every spot, and while it might seem insane to suggest considering how historically bad the 2023 team was in certain ways, it wasn’t terribly far off from being 6-6.

In a new conference and with a slightly easier schedule, Arizona State will go bowling.

It’ll start with wins over Wyoming, Mississippi State, and at Texas State - or will at least go 2-1. There are enough winnable games to come up with three more, but there will be some painful whiffs, too.

If the Sun Devils can get one road win out of Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and - sorry - Arizona, they’ll be on their way.

They’ll have bowl eligibility wrapped up before they go to Tucson.

Set The Arizona State Win Total At … 5.5

Likely Wins: at Texas State, Wyoming

50/50 Games: at Arizona, BYU, at Cincinnati, Kansas, Mississippi State, UCF

Likely Losses: at Kansas State, at Oklahoma State, at Texas Tech, Utah

2024 Arizona State Football Schedule

Aug 31 Wyoming
Sept 7 Mississippi State
Sept 14 at Texas State
Sept 21 at Texas Tech
Sept 28 OPEN DATE
Oct 5 Kansas
Oct 11 Utah
Oct 19 at Cincinnati
Oct 26 OPEN DATE
Nov 2 at Oklahoma State
Nov 9 UCF
Nov 16 at Kansas State
Nov 23 BYU
Nov 30 at Arizona

Missing: Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia