First Glance: Arizona St. Sun Devils

TEMPE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 05: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot, Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the first half of the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images Get to Know Arizona St.: Location: Temp

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What is the story about?

Get to Know Arizona St.:

Location: Tempe, AZ
Established: 1885
Enrollment: 160,051 (what?!?!)
Mascot: Sun Devils
Colors: Maroon and gold
Conference:
Big 12

What You Need to Know:

The No. 8 Aggies open the season with a 50-0 win over Missouri State, while Arizona State defeated Morgan State 70-7. Both will be each other’s first real test of the 2026 season.
Sample size aside, pitting what are statistically a top 5 offense (ASU) vs a top 5 defense (A&M) could make for a fun showdown
Texas A&M fans will don a “red white and blue out” color scheme for this game, in remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Arizona State has a costumed mascot named “Sparky”

Betting Lines:

The Aggies are a 14.5-point favorite.
the over/under for points is set at 51.5.

Historical Notes:

Texas A&M won the only previous matchup between these two teams, a 2015 neutral site game at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Famous Missouri State alumni include Kenny Dillingham (their head coach), Mary Temple Grandin, Al Michaels, Phil Mickelson, Kate Spade, Pat Tillman, David Spade and Barry Bonds.

What To Watch For:

The O-line: If there was one area of concern for the Aggies last Saturday, it was the performance of the offensive line (even if they did improve considerably in the second half)
RB rotation: Statistically Rueben Owens had the best day out of the A&M backfield, but backups Jamarion Morrow, K.J. Edwards and Carsyn Baker all looked equally up to the task of taking on a bigger share of the load. How will those touches get dispersed as the competition level steps up a notch?
Fans wearing maroon. As a RWB out game, make sure to publicly ostracize anyone wearing anything else (don’t actually do it, but maybe kindly direct them to wear they can but the correctly colored shirt for the occasion).
Litmus test. The first game of the season against a real opponent is always nerve-wracking. While the Aggies are favored by two touchdowns, this is the first game of the year that’s legitimately losable, and until we feel like we know more about who this team is, those games can cause some anxiety.