WATCH: ESPN’s Heather Dinich on House Settlement ramifications
ESPN college football insider Heather Dinich joins On Second Thought to discuss how the newly passed House Settlement will affect college athletics.
This decision follows an unpredictable season where Arizona State, projected last, won the championship.Several national publications continue to release their own preseason rankings, with varying projections for ASU’s performance.
Football coaches in the Big 12 now have a little less motivational material at their disposal.
The conference decided to eliminate its preseason team rankings, but plans to move forward in selecting individual players for a preseason team that will be released in conjunction with Big 12 Media Days to be held July 8-9 at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the practice headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys.
It is not unprecedented to skip the preseason rankings. The Big Ten doesn’t do one either.
ASU finished 11-3 overall, going 7-2 in conference play, with one of those losses coming with starting quarterback Sam Leavitt sidelined with a rib injury.
Arizona State’s unprecedented run to a championship last season weakened the system. The Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the 16-team field and by a significant margin, yet emerged as the last team standing. Head coach Kenny Dillingham reminded everybody about the low expectations of others. No doubt it was a motivational tool, but it also took some pressure off his team.
Of course, no one can be faulted for slotting ASU last. It was coming off back-to-back 3-9 seasons, and there was no indication Leavitt would be as phenomenal as he was in his first season as a college football starter. Dillingham had faith in his quarterback, but he has said he would have picked his team last, too.
The ASU projection was not the only place where the poll was in…
Source link : https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2025/06/30/arizona-state-football-sun-devils-finish-hurt-big-12-perception-ended-preseason-poll/84418154007/
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Publish date : 2025-06-30 19:13:00
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