It is now 96 days until the 2025 Arizona State Sun Devils football program embarks on a season that follows the 11-win team from the year prior.
Last season saw three gut-wrenching losses – two of them against unexpected foes. This season sees the Sun Devils face a schedule that is manageable, but that doesn’t mean that challenges aren’t on the horizon.
A ranking of the five toughest games in the upcoming season – taking into account road environments, opponent’s talent on paper, and other factors that can be measured at the moment:
The early November trip to Ames will be a challenging one for Dillingham’s squad – who traveled to face the sputtering Oklahoma State Cowboys at this same time last season.
Matt Campbell and Rocco Becht could have the Cyclones in the Big 12 title race, while garnering revenge on the Sun Devils for the 2024 championship game drubbing could be a consolation prize
The conference opener this season for the Sun Devils is a road trip to Texas – this time to Waco.
Sawyer Robertson has the Bears in a position to be in the conference title race – this contest could be a high-scoring one.
The penultimate week of the regular season will see the Sun Devils travel to Boulder to face Deion Sanders.
The Buffaloes are considered an enigma in the conference once again, but this game profiles as a challenge regardless of how the Buffaloes’ season goes to this point – cold weather has not treated past Arizona State teams well.
This October road trip to Salt Lake City is a challenge simply due to the constant that is Kyle Whittingham.
The Utes head coach consistently builds up physical defenses that can wreak havoc on virtually any opposing offense – the addition of Devon Dampier via the transfer portal also gives life to an offense that has largely been lifeless since 2023.
The Red Raiders are quite possibly the most talented team that Arizona State will face in 2025. This follows Joey McGuire’s program handing the Sun Devils a loss in the latter’s conference debut in Septmeber of last season.
This figures to be the toughest battle ASU will face all season – even with the contest being held in Tempe.
Sam Leavitt, Jordyn Tyson, and the remainder of the Sun Devil roster appear well equipped to get through these challenges relatively unscathed, but the games still have to be played.
Read more about how the Sun Devil season could turn out here and here.
Please let us know your thoughts on how the Sun Devils will navigate the schedule when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.
Arizona remains one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but new migration data suggests that growth is starting to level out.
According to the latest numbers from U-Haul, Arizona ranked number seven nationwide for growth in 2025. While that is down one spot from the year before, it marks the sixth consecutive year the state has remained in the top ten.
The rankings are based on more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions for the Arizona-based company.
What stands out in the data is how close those numbers are.
In 2025, 50.3% of U-Haul’s one-way moves came into Arizona, while 49.7% moved out. In practical terms, that means for nearly every family moving into the state, there is another one packing up and leaving.
That does not mean Arizona is losing population. However, it does suggest the margin of growth is getting thinner than it has been in recent years.
Even with that shift, the greater Phoenix metro area continues to be a major driver of growth. Phoenix ranked fifth nationwide among U.S. metro areas, fueled by job creation and new housing across the Valley.
U-Haul leaders point to continued development tied to major employers, including chip manufacturing and data centers, as well as ongoing residential construction, as reasons Phoenix remains a top destination.
Experts who study migration trends say when in-migration and out-migration numbers get this close, it can be a sign that affordability pressures are starting to play a role, especially when it comes to housing.
The latest data does not point to a mass exodus, but it does show Arizona entering a period of transition, balancing opportunity and growth with affordability concerns.
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
Authorities say a prominent California agriculture heir is accused of traveling to Arizona to kill his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce, a case now drawing national attention for its cross-state trail and high-profile ties.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
Indianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
For those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos
Podcast: The 2025 EU-US relationship explained simply
Instacart ends AI pricing test that charged shoppers different prices for the same items
Apple, Google and others tell some foreign employees to avoid traveling out of the country
‘Unlucky’ Honduran woman arrested after allegedly running red light and crashing into ICE vehicle
ChatGPT’s GPT-5.2 is here, and it feels rushed
