(Photo by Big XII Conference)
Good morning, everyone. It is now 6:42 am on Sunday, December 9, 2024, the day of reckoning. The NCAA committee will decide which teams will be in the new expanded playoff and where they will be seeded. One team decided to buck this trend and throw logic out the window.
At the end of 2022, ASU athletics was in dire straits. The football program was a laughingstock after Herm Edwards left while leaving a path of destruction behind him. A 3-9 finish left everyone associated with the Sun Devils embarrassed and wondering if this program will ever be respectable. Remember, this squad once had Jayden Daniels, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner at LSU and #2 pick by the Washington Commanders.
To replace Edwards, ASU made a noble hire who was the opposite of Herm. A man who was willing to go back to his alma mater and fix the problem head on. A man who wanted to restore the prestige and goodwill of Sun Devil football.
Kenny Dillingham is Arizona born and bred. A Chaparral High School product who went on to graduate from Arizona State in 2012....dang, he's a youngin' This was a perfect hire despite his young age of 33, however the university needed to hit a home run to get them out of their funk. Right off the bat, Dillingham showed he can handle the media as his press conferences and his emotion on the sidelines have become legendary. Even during another 3-9 season in 2023, his first season, Dillingham installed accountability and respect to players as the team showed they can play hard despite being down. Moving from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 was going to be a challenge since ASU wasn't setting the world on fire to begin with. The "experts" predicted that ASU would finish last in the 16-team conference of the Big 12.
I'm not really a superstitious person, but it was the K-State game that I decided to make a change. Since it was a big game, I went from finding it hard searching for the game to actually listening to it. If you are a Sun Devil fan and haven't experienced the brilliance of Tim Healey and Jeff Van Raaphorst, then you need to do that. Since then, the Sun Devils have reeled off convincing victory after convincing victory.
The Sun Devils' four game run has everyone talking. Sure, they only had two losses going into the Kansas State game, but no one thought they would run the table. Well, they went into Manhattan and took down the Wildcats, who were ranked. Then, came a buzzsaw named BYU, a ranked powerhouse ready to chop down ASU at Sun De......sorry, Mountain America Stadium. Instead, the Sun Devils and the Cougars had an absolute classic with ASU coming out on top, despite a twenty-minute delay due to fans running onto the field before the clock struck :00 and a near Hail Mary by BYU. The Devils then traveled 100 miles south to face their heated rivals, the Arizona Wildcats. Last year, U of A traveled up to Tempe and smacked around ASU 59-23. Apparently, the Devils had that in their minds. ASU took care of business and returned the favor with a 49-7 drubbing of the Wildcats. "Experts" were talking now! ASU was in the top 15 and looking to make more noise. After a slew of instances, the Sun Devils were going to the Big XII championship game. They once again had another tough challenge with Iowa State and many thought this is where ASU falls. Despite being down 7-3, the Devils turned the heat up a notch and dominated the Cyclones to capture the Big XII championship, in their first year in the conference. Remember, they were projected to finish last by "experts."
So, this Sun Devil team reminds you of a certain team that shocked the college football world way back when. The 1996 ASU squad had the swagger and the confidence to beat the odds and conquer anybody in its path. They silenced one of the greatest runs in history by shocking Nebraska and used that momentum to reach the Rose Bowl and a chance for a National Championship. Players like Jake Plummer, Keith Poole, Juan Roque, the late Pat Tillman and coach Bruce Snyder were the catalyst to the rise of the Sun Devils. Despite a heartbreaking loss against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, the 1996 squad have been etched in time. This squad has players who are the heart of the team as quarterback Sam Leavitt and Heisman hopeful, running back Cam Skattebo. The 2024 team certainly carries the heart and soul of that 1996 team.
Today will decide if ASU can relive that dream the '96 Devils almost had, a chance at the National Championship with the new expanded playoff format. The Devils should be a shoo-in for a spot and hopefully, a first-round bye. This could be the platform for a brighter future for the program.
Just like the Diamondbacks last year, the Sun Devils caught everyone by surprise with their sudden success. We don't win much in these parts, so enjoy the ride while it lasts.
Also, it's time to bring back Sparky as the main logo. He was punching Wilbur the Wildcat for you.
(Photo by YouTube)
(To read more about the 1996 Sun Devils football team, check out our Facebook page, our website www realsportsmarksaz.com and the Wix mobile app)
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