On3 Sports' Brett McMurphy came out with his College Football Playoff prediction on Tuesday, projecting what 12 teams he sees at the top of the nation this upcoming season. Out of the 12, the Arizona State Sun Devils were left off the list after taking home the fourth seed last year.
NEW: College Football Playoff Prediction via @Brett_McMurphy🏆
— On3 (@On3sports) July 1, 2025
Do you agree?👀
https://t.co/5IUoqiYgcm https://t.co/XWxc6mHiBK pic.twitter.com/7MUlw3yPOk
Head coach Kenny Dillingham is looking to replicate his team's success from last season, and prove McMurphy wrong. The roster from last year to now contains a majority of the same players for the Sun Devils, with just a few major differences.
Cam Skattebo's departure to the NFL will be the biggest change, leaving big shoes to fill in the backfield. The running back had a huge year for Arizona State in 2024, exploding for the second-most (1,711) rushing yards in the country, on 293 attempts, with 21 rushing touchdowns. He added 605 receiving yards on 45 receptions, along with three receiving touchdowns. As the backbone of the Sun Devils' offense and coming in fifth in Heisman voting, the combination of Kyson Brown, Kanye Udoh and Raleek Brown will be aiming to replace the lost production.
Arizona State also lost offensive lineman Leif Fautanu and wide receiver Xavier Guillory to the NFL, with their roles needing to be filled. Jimeto Obigbo transferred in from Texas State, and looks to be in line to replace Fautanu up front. At wide receiver, the Sun Devils brought in Jalen Moss (Fresno State), Noble Johnson (Clemson) and Jaren Hamilton (Alabama) to replace Guillory.
A majority of the rest of the roster remains intact from last year's 11-2 season, keeping starting quarterback Sam Leavitt, who will be heading into his second year running the offense. The Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year finished his first year at Arizona State as the school record holder for total offense by a freshman with 3,328 yards.
Even with limited roster changes, McMurphy's prediction shows that he sees regression coming for the Sun Devils this year. It can be difficult for teams to repeat success year to year, but Arizona State hopes to shock the world and get back to the top again in 2025.
More Arizona State Sun Devils News: