Arizona State was a punchline a year ago—folks penciled them into the Big 12’s basement after going 3-9 in 2023. Then Kenny Dillingham and his crew lit the desert on fire, ripping off 11 wins, bagging a Big 12 crown, and kicking down the College Football Playoff door, and went toe-to-toe against Steve Sarkisian‘s Texas. Now? They’re getting preseason love from every corner. But even as the flowers rain down, Dillingham just sent a message—loud, clear, and aimed straight at his star wideout, Jordyn Tyson — and history.

On August 18, Tyson—a Colorado transfer who cooked DBs for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024—was named to the AP Preseason All-American First Team. It’s a huge nod, especially for a guy who sat out 2023 rehabbing in Tempe. Sun Devil fans ate it up. National media took notice. And then, the very next day, Dillingham hit them with the cold water. “You know, it’s a lot better to be a postseason All-American than preseason All-American,” the HC said. “I don’t even know what really a preseason All-American means. It’s like people like you, but he deserves it. He’s earned it. He worked for that. But he didn’t work for the preseason—he worked for the postseason.” That’s classic Kenny—compliment with one hand, challenge with the other.

And make no mistake: Tyson got the message. The Sun Devils’ WR1 wasn’t just productive last year—he was surgical. The man ate defenses alive on money downs, dropping 18 catches for 300 yards on third downs alone. That’s 16.67 yards per bite, the kind of stat that makes coordinators rip up their game plans. And remember, he didn’t even play in the playoff game. If he had, ASU might’ve stolen Texas’ shine.

What makes the honor sweeter is how far Tyson’s come. Back in Boulder, he flashed promise with 470 yards in 2022, but nothing screamed “future WR1.” Then he touches down in Tempe, links up with Sam Leavitt, and boom—the desert turns into his personal stage. From sideline toe-taps to deep-ball snipes, Tyson became the Sun Devils’ cheat code. ESPN has him slotted No. 3 among returning wideouts this year. With Cam Skattebo off to the NFL, you can expect more receptions and historic numbers from Jordyn Tyson.

But Dillingham isn’t letting anyone sip the Kool-Aid too early. Because while Tyson’s flowers look pretty, the head coach’s eyes are locked on something bigger—breaking history in the Big 12. And trust, this isn’t some easy task. Only one program has ever pulled it off: Oklahoma, who ran 4 straight Big 12 titles from 2017 to 2020. That’s the mountain ASU is staring at.

Dillingham made sure his squad knew the stakes: “You[‘ve] got to be able to understand that it’s so temporary, right? What comes fast can go fast, just like that. We’ve talked a lot about teams that have not won. Only one team has won the Big 12 outright in back-to-back seasons in the history of the Big 12. Nobody’s done it. Our program has not succeeded in having two seasons back-to-back. So it’s just having them understand how challenging what they’re about to do is, and how, if you don’t focus on the right now, if you don’t put in the work, there’s a reason history repeats itself. It’s not an accident. We have a tough task, because we’re trying to break 50 years of history. I want to make sure they understand how difficult it is to make 50 years of history. It’s very challenging, and we got a tough task.” That’s him telling his boys straight up: the target’s on your back now. You’re not the underdog anymore.

Arizona State heads into 2025 rocking the No. 11 AP ranking—their highest since 1998—and carrying +550 odds to win the Big 12, tied with Kansas State. That’s not fluke respect. That’s Vegas saying: we see you now. ESPN’s Bill Connelly even dropped the nugget that 79% of ASU’s starters are back. Translation? This isn’t some one-hit wonder. The core that flipped the script in 2024 is running it back.

The real question is: Can they run it back? Let’s see.

Can Kenny Dillingham break the history and defend their Big 12 title tag?

The juice starts with Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson. Their chemistry was the Sun Devils’ lifeline last year, and it’s only getting scarier. Leavitt was tabbed Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Tyson’s got his All-American stripes, and the duo already looks locked in during fall camp. Add Kanye Udoh—Army’s thousand-yard rusher transfer—to the backfield, and suddenly that offense looks like it’s got nitrous in the tank. Losing Cam Skattebo stings, but Udoh’s fresh legs might actually keep defenses more honest.

But history isn’t just about offense—it’s about depth and balance. 9 starters return on defense, including that nasty front seven that made Big 12 QBs sweat bullets last year. That continuity matters when you’re trying to repeat, because the grind only gets tougher when the schedule has every opponent circling you in red ink. The Sun Devils aren’t sneaking up on anybody anymore.

And here’s the real twist: while ASU shocked everyone last year by climbing from the bottom rung to conference champs, the sequel’s always harder. Vegas slapped an 8.5 win total on them, which screams cautious optimism. Hit the over, and they’re back in the CFP convo. Slip under, and folks will call 2024 a flash in the pan. It’s razor-thin margins now, and Sam Leavitt knows it.

National analysts are split, but the respect is there. Athlon Sports, CBS, and NBC – all got ASU tagged as a top contender. NBC’s Eric Froton even pointed out how their growth in the trenches gives them the backbone needed to hang with anyone in the league. That’s a shift. A year ago, folks laughed at the idea of Arizona State even sniffing the Big 12 podium. Now, they’re debating if this squad can break Oklahoma’s ghost and go back-to-back.

So, can Dillingham and his Devils rewrite the script? Only December will tell!