Last year, the Arizona State Sun Devils were given little chance of beating Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were ranked No. 7 nationally and boasted an offense that averaged 700 yards and 55 points per game. ASU was down to its third-string center. Making matters worse, it was coming off one of its worst losses in the Kenny Dillingham era, a 32-point loss to Utah.
Sound familiar?
The Sun Devils pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the college football season, defeating the Red Raiders 26-22. They were the only team that defeated Texas Tech in the regular season. Texas Tech went on to win the conference title and advanced to the College Football Playoff.
The two teams will square off again at 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 in Lubbock.
Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0)
is once again a heavy favorite, with betting lines favoring the Red Raiders by double digits. ASU (3-2, 1-1) is at a crossroads. This game will likely determine what kind of season Dillingham's squad has. Is it a contender or a pretender?
The Sun Devils were humiliated by Baylor 55-19 on Oct. 3, and their 30-12 nonconference victory over Hawaii a week later was underwhelming. The fan base has gotten antsy. Most don't seem sold on Cutter Boley at quarterback, even though the offensive line hasn't exactly been stellar in front of him.
Another upset of Texas Tech would signal ASU's arrival as a legitimate contender in a conference that appears up for grabs. BYU sits in first, having played one more conference game than the other undefeated in-conference teams. But Texas Tech does not appear to be the juggernaut it was a year ago.
The Red Raiders, ranked ninth in one national poll and 10th in the other, are coming off a bye. The last time they took the field, they defeated Colorado in uninspiring fashion, 29-7. The Buffs actually led 7-3 at the half and only trailed 12-7 after three quarters.
Texas Tech vs. Oregon State was a one-score game until the final minute.
Still, the Sun Devils will need their best effort of the season to have a chance.
A loss and ASU will sit at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, with qualifying for a mid-level bowl seemingly the best the team would be able to do.
Dillingham has questioned his team's passion in recent games. In his weekly press conference on Monday, the fourth-year head coach promised a better effort in that regard. It showed when the team took to the practice field 24 hours later.
Despite practicing outdoors in a light, constant rain, there was noticeably more energy and intensity. So much so that Dillingham ended practice a bit earlier than usual.
"It's the shortest practice I ever had," Dillingham said. "That's not comfortable for me. It's like the opposite of comfortable for me. When I was out here, and I saw the passion and energy, I got really comfortable. That's what practice should look like. It's my fault it hasn't looked like that, and I haven't made changes to make it look like that."
There were some slight changes in personnel. Freshman running back Cardae Mack, who had a breakout performance in the win over Hawaii, saw some time with the first team. Two starters on the offensive line, Wade Helton and Tana Alo-Tupuola, both of whom were out last week, returned, although Dillingham shuffled positions up front.
While the start hasn't been what anybody in the ASU camp wanted, the Sun Devils have a chance to make a statement on Saturday. Remember, that 2024 championship came in a season where the Sun Devils started out 2-2 in conference play.
A difficult schedule awaits the Sun Devils the rest of the way, though. There are five Big 12 teams without a conference loss, and ASU plays three of them. This is the first of those. The Sun Devils have a chance to control their own destiny. With another loss, that won't be the case.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here's why ASU football's game vs Texas Tech is so pivotal
