“I expect to win every freaking game.” That’s the mindset Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham is bringing into the toughest part of the 2026 season, and honestly, the Sun Devils are gonna need every ounce of that belief. After five games, ASU sits at 3-2, with absolutely zero room for error if they want to hit the big goals they’ve chased the last few years. This Saturday, it all kicks off with an unbeaten, No. 10 Texas Tech squad that’s 5-0 and 2-0 in conference play, on their home turf in Lubbock.
This Is a Different Kind of Season for the Sun Devils
It hasn’t been a smooth ride for the Sun Devils so far in 2026. They kicked things off with a blowout win against FCS opponent Morgan State, but then totally collapsed in the fourth quarter against Texas A&M, dropping a 48-20 loss on the road. A win in London against Kansas got them back on track, but then a brutal 55-19 blowout defeat to Baylor pushed them to one of their lowest points since joining the Big 12. Last weekend’s 30-12 win over Hawaii wasn’t perfect, but linebacker Martell Hughes said the team “responded well” and “focused on some little things at practice.” He stressed that playing with passion was the biggest missing piece the week before. Now, with quarterback Cutter Boley and running back Cardae Mack leading the offense, they face seven straight weeks of conference play. This stretch is a bigger beast than the one they faced when they won the conference title just two seasons ago.
The Big 12 Got Seriously Tough, and ASU Has to Answer
Look, ASU has been here before. In 2024, they were 5-2 after seven games and needed to run the table for CFP hopes. They didn’t lose again until a heartbreaking double-overtime CFP quarterfinal loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl, finishing as the No. 7 ranked Big 12 team and conference champs. Then in 2025, they were 4-2 after six games, again needing to finish undefeated for the CFP, but settled for the Sun Bowl. Texas Tech, their opponent this Saturday, finished 2025 ranked No. 4 and earned a CFP quarterfinal bye. The conference has clearly ramped up, big time. In 2024, three Big 12 teams finished ranked; this year, five are currently ranked, with BYU highest. Dillingham isn’t blind to it, but he’s also not letting it get to him. “You can’t worry about the noise,” he said when asked about the improved Big 12. “You can’t worry about, ‘We should have done this. We should have done that.’”
This Saturday’s matchup against the reigning conference champions is huge. After Texas Tech, ASU hosts Kansas State, a game that could easily be a trap, before heading out on the road again to face unbeaten, No. 8 BYU (also 5-0, 2-0). This is the gauntlet. This is where ASU proves what kind of team they truly are in 2026.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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