Worst to first
Expectations were low for Arizona State under Kenny Dillingham heading into the Big 12. The Sun Devils were picked last place in the Big 12 preseason media poll and given little chance to recover after losing against Cincinnati early in the season. Since that moment, the program has been on a tear and is now the first team to ever go from picked last to first since the Big 12 was formed in 1996.
The Sun Devils are on a six-game winning streak, shocking Kansas State and BYU along the way. The matchup against Iowa State was the first-ever meeting between these two teams, and they responded with the second-biggest victory since the Big 12 Championship Game returned in 2017.
Now, Arizona State will clinch its spot in the College Football Playoff. The battle for the first-round bye will be fierce and likely necessitates a Clemson upset of SMU, but a performance this impressive will at least give them a chance.