Sun Devils look to follow narrow path to College Football Playoff

TEMPE — The 2024 college football season has been one of massive change. Conference realignment and the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams has changed the landscape of the sport. 

Arguably the largest change is the introduction of guaranteed spots in the playoffs, allowing teams to take charge of their destiny instead of leaving it up to a committee full of bias. The only way to do this? Win one of the four Power conferences.

At the beginning of the season, a College Football Playoff berth for Arizona State football seemed impossible. Now, nine games into the season, a golden path has emerged, one that is certainly not likely but definitely not impossible. 

“There are three games left, so we’re going to bring out anything that we can,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “Our guys have been so focused game by game, not on the bigger picture. And we stay focused game by game. But I think you definitely have to point out the fact that our guys have worked really, really hard.”

With an overall record of 7-2 and a Big 12 conference record of 4-2, the Sun Devils sit in a jumbled group of four teams that all hold the same record in conference play. One of those teams is No. 16 Kansas State, who the Sun Devils will travel to take on this weekend in a pivotal conference matchup.

However, based on various tiebreakers the Sun Devils currently sit at third place in the conference. Two teams sit ahead of them in undefeated No. 7 BYU and No. 17 Colorado who have just one conference loss. 

This is where ASU’s narrow path to the CFP comes into play. First, the Sun Devils must win out with the most difficult schedule remaining for any BIg 12 title contender. Following their road trip to Manhattan, the Sun Devils will host the Cougars in what could be a huge matchup. Finally, ASU would have to finish off the season with a win over rival Arizona, who has regressed from an impressive campaign last year.

Winning out wouldn’t guarantee a spot in the Big 12 Title game. ASU would still need one loss from Colorado or an additional loss for BYU. Both of those teams would be favored in all remaining of their games, but the Sun Devils would need them to lose, and crazier things happened. 

“​​They definitely feel it,” Dillingham said about his team being an underdog all season. “I’ve shown them everybody who says that we’re still not good; we haven’t played anybody. I’ve shown them that we’re one of the few two-loss teams that still aren’t ranked. It’s that time of year where it’s time to bring out all the external motivation.”

The Sun Devils have defied all expectations placed on them before the season already; in fact, they have blown by them. Now, because of that hard work that Dillingham has his players put in one day at a time, he has built up enough of a foundation to put ASU in a spot to compete for it all.

The Sun Devils are three wins and a little bit of help away from a berth in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. And with the weather finally moving into prime Arizona season, who wouldn’t want to play in Tempe?

“I don’t know if there’s a better place to be anywhere than in Tempe, Arizona, where we’re competing for something in 68-degree weather, where people move in the summer and flock in from all over the country to be in,” Dillingham said. “I mean, where else would you rather be?”

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