Arizona State 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Arizona State Sun Devils 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Arizona State Sun Devils roster and what to expect in the Big 12 this season. Can Kenny Dillingham keep the program climbing after an 8-5 year? He’s 22-17, and the hot seat still reads just 1/10. What does Kentucky transfer QB Cutter Boley bring to Marcus Arroyo’s offense? He posted 2,160 yards, 15 touchdowns and a 63.3 completion percentage in 2025. And can a defense that finished 57th in total defense take a step forward under coordinator Brian Ward?
How do returning anchors like offensive lineman Wade Helton, defensive lineman C.J. Fite and DB Adrian “Boogie” Wilson hold up with half the production gone on each side? Can transfer wideouts Omarion Miller, Reed Harris and Raiden Vines-Bright give Boley enough firepower? Do edge rushers Jalen Thompson and Emar’rion Winston, plus LSU corner Ashton Stamps, lift the pass defense? What is gameday like at Mountain America Stadium, from a slice of Venezia’s to a Devil’s Halo lager? How does a brutal Big 12 slate shake out? It opens with Morgan State, runs through Texas A&M, a Kansas game in London and the Territorial Cup at Arizona. Where’s the betting value on the Sun Devils win total, Big 12 odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Kenny Dillingham Has The Sun Devils Rising
Kenny Dillingham is 22-17 at his alma mater. Last year the Sun Devils went 8-5 and stayed in nearly every game. In fact, they went 5-3 in games decided by eight points or less. Also, Pick Dundee calls it maybe his best coaching job yet. Because of that, the hot seat reads just 1/10, about as low as this feature gets. The early goodwill also runs deep. Dillingham has kept his staff intact, and that continuity still matters heading into year three.
Cutter Boley Takes Over The Offense
Marcus Arroyo returns as offensive coordinator after a 2025 unit that ranked 30th in total offense and 27th in rushing. The new triggerman is Cutter Boley, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Kentucky. Then he started 10 games last season and threw for 2,160 yards with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Arizona State also added transfer receivers Omarion Miller, Reed Harris and Raiden Vines-Bright. Still, returning production sits at just 53 percent, so there is work to do up front behind lineman Wade Helton.
Brian Ward’s Defense Reloads Through The Portal
Brian Ward stays on as coordinator. His group finished 57th in total defense and 95th against the pass, so there is room to grow. The portal answered the call. Edge rushers Jalen Thompson and Emar’rion Winston arrive, along with LSU corner Ashton Stamps and safety Lyrik Rawls. Meanwhile, C.J. Fite anchors the line and Adrian “Boogie” Wilson returns in the secondary. Returning production is 49 percent, so continuity on that side runs mostly through those two returning starters.
Gameday In Tempe
Mountain America Stadium is one of the best environments in the sport, tucked into the buttes. The guys rave about the setting, with Tempe right outside. The scoreboard still reads Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here. Grab a Venezia’s pizza at the game, then wash it down with a Devil’s Halo lager from Huss Brewing. Together, the Pat Tillman statue and a long list of Sun Devil legends give the place real history. So gameday in the desert still carries weight, even after a rough stretch on the field.
The Schedule And The Big 12 Grind
The slate opens soft with Morgan State at home. Then it gets weird fast. Week 2 is a trip to Texas A&M, and Week 3 sends Arizona State to London to face Kansas. After a bye, the Big 12 draw brings Baylor, Hawaii and a road game at Texas Tech. Then it’s Kansas State, followed by trips to BYU, Colorado and UCF. Finally, Oklahoma State visits before the Territorial Cup finale at Arizona.
Where’s The Betting Value
The win total sits at 6.5. Both Pick Dundee and Moneyline Mac lock the over. The Sun Devils are +2200 to win the Big 12 and +1200 to make the College Football Playoff. This team already showed it can win the close ones a year ago. So the guys see a roster that lives in tight finishes. They trust Dillingham to clear seven wins, even against a brutal first Big 12 slate.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
01:56 Welcome to The College Football Experience
04:47 Ryan McIntyre AKA Moneyline Mac Joins the Show
07:48 Kenny Dillingham and an 8-5 Sun Devils Season
09:00 The Close Game Meter: 5-3 in One-Score Games
10:34 Coaching Hot Seat and the Sam Leavitt Exit
13:35 Fifteen Years of Sun Devils Football
14:27 Marcus Arroyo’s Offense and QB Cutter Boley
16:30 Returning Offense and the Transfer Haul
23:04 Brian Ward and the Sun Devils Defense
27:35 Gameday: Devil’s Halo, Venezia’s and Mountain America Stadium
31:12 Sun Devil Legends and State of the Program
36:59 Schedule Breakdown Through the Territorial Cup
45:39 Locking the Over on 6.5 Wins
46:27 Big 12 Title and Playoff Odds
47:24 Who Should Be on the Schedule?
