Forget everything you thought you knew about Arizona State football. Scrap it. Because what Kenny Dillingham just did in Tempe isn’t just a turnaround—it’s a football miracle with receipts. From 3-9 in 2023 to an 11-win squad that took Texas to double OT in the freaking Peach Bowl? Straight-up diabolical. And now, with just weeks till the 2025 season, the Sun Devils aren’t resting. They’re gearing up, going big, and flexing a fresh lineup for Big 12 Media Days. Because when you’re the reigning Big 12 champs, you show up heavy.
Arizona State is bringing the heat to Frisco, Texas. On July 8th, head coach Kenny Dillingham will roll into Big 12 Media Days flanked by six key players who helped rewrite the ASU story. The lineup: QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jordyn Tyson, OL Ben Coleman, DL C.J. Fite, DB Xavion Alford, and DL Clayton Smith. Each one of them is either already a household name in the Big 12 or is about to become one. And it’s not just about appearances. This is about staking their claim.
See y’all in Frisco #Big12FB | @Copilot pic.twitter.com/z3pSvxEbhN
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) June 30, 2025
Let’s start with Leavitt, the Heisman dark horse who might not be under the radar for much longer. Word is, Big 12 insiders already see him as the top QB in the conference. Threw for over 2800 yards, 24 tuddies, and just 6 picks. Jordyn Tyson, his go-to target, is coming off a monster season and looks like he could feast even more with Higgins out of Iowa State. Meanwhile, Xavion Alford? The DL’s got swagger and tape to match. He’s the vocal anchor of Brian Ward’s defense and carries that SEC-turned-Pac-12-now-Big-12 pedigree from Texas and USC.
Then there’s C.J. Fite. Quiet killer. He was Second Team All-Big 12 last year and has scouts drooling heading into 2025. His burst off the line is legit Sunday-level. Same goes for Clayton Smith—the vet who brings that grown-man power to the front seven. Ben Coleman rounds it all out as the experienced anchor on the O-line, keeping Leavitt upright and the Sun Devil machine moving. With this crew, ASU isn’t just showing up to talk at Media Days. They’re showing up to send a message: The crown is not up for grabs.
And the backdrop to all of this? The Big 12’s new tech wave. The conference is expected to announce an expanded deal with Microsoft, integrating Copilot AI across everything from game-day coaching to back-office workflows. Translation: more brainpower on the sideline, more real-time decisions, and probably fewer busted coverages. Copilot’s about to be the football nerd’s best friend, and ASU is walking in as the reigning champs ready to use every tool.
With the season opener on August 30 against Northern Arizona, the Sun Devils know all eyes are on them. They’ve got the target on their back. But judging by who they’re sending to Media Days, it’s pretty clear they’re not ducking any smoke.
The rise of Arizona State Sun Devils football
A decade ago, Arizona State football was mostly noise and nostalgia. Flashbacks to the Jake Plummer days, reruns of that 1996 title chase, and murmurs about how wild Frank Kush’s squads used to be. But in recent years? The program fell off a cliff. Herm Edwards came in preaching “discipline and accountability,” but all fans got was NCAA drama and a 3-9 disaster in 2022. Then the Sun Devils hit the reset button and handed the keys to Kenny Dillingham. Just 33 years old. A Tempe native. A guy with fire in his belly and a vision nobody else believed in.
And what happened? He didn’t just rebuild. He rebranded. Dillingham went from shaking hands to shaking up the Big 12. He started by energizing a disengaged fanbase—alums, students, even season ticket holders who’d long tapped out. Free Chick-Fil-A for students who stayed the whole game? Yeah, that was a real thing. But beyond gimmicks, there was guts. He loaded up on transfers, leaned into NIL, and got results fast. That 11-win 2024 campaign wasn’t some Cinderella run. It was a blueprint.
“There’s not a better place to be in the fall than Mountain America Stadium,” Dillingham said, and judging by the numbers, fans agree. According to AD Graham Rossini, ASU is on pace to sell more football season tickets than they have in over a decade. “7,000 new season tickets for football as of today,” Rossini announced last week. “We expect to exceed 7,500 by the start of the season.” That includes a sweltering opener against Northern Arizona and a brutal September 26th scorcher versus TCU. Heat or not, Tempe’s showing up.
And it’s not just about fans. It’s about infrastructure. Rossini also announced plans to renovate Desert Financial Arena for basketball, signaling a broader commitment to raising ASU’s athletic brand across the board. The football hype is contagious, spilling into other programs, other sports. Suddenly, being a Sun Devil means something again.
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