Arizona State

Terrific portal signings and a special-teams fix position the Sun Devils for another Big 12 title run after last year's breakthrough season. Arizona State enters 2026 ranked 36th nationally in JP+ (+5.1), powered by a defense that grades out 26th (+4.7) but held back by special teams that ranked 126th last season. The Sun Devils lost quarterback Sam Leavitt (80.2 PPA) to LSU and receiver Jordyn Tyson (52.7 PPA) to the NFL Draft, but landed Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley (57.9 PPA) to lead the offense alongside new receivers Omarion Miller (43.0 PPA from Colorado) and Reed Harris (33.5 PPA from Boston College).

JP+ projects 6.7 wins for Arizona State, suggesting modest regression from their 8-4 campaign despite the portal additions. The defense should remain elite, ranking among the top 30 units nationally, while the offense sits at a pedestrian 51st (+1.0) as the new signal-caller adapts to Big 12 play. Road trips to Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and BYU represent the toughest tests, but home games against Colorado, Hawaii, and Morgan State provide opportunities to pad the win total. If Boley quickly establishes chemistry with the new receivers and the special teams unit improves dramatically, Arizona State could challenge for another Big 12 championship. If not, they're looking at a step back toward the middle of the conference pack.