2026 Football Schedule Release

In this episode, the hosts discuss the recently released 2026 football schedule for Arizona State University, highlighting key matchups, road games, and the importance of preparation for unique challenges such as the London game against Kansas. They analyze each game on the schedule, providing predictions and insights into the potential outcomes, while emphasizing the significance of rivalries and the impact of travel on performance. The conversation also touches on the importance of bye weeks and player health as the team aims for a successful season in the Big 12.

What is Echo From the Buttes?

The only podcast covering all things Arizona State athletics! We bleed maroon and gold, and love talking about the Sun Devils no matter what sport.

Tom Hardon (00:01)
Welcome one, welcome all to another episode of Echo from the Buttes. I'm your host, Tom Harden, with me as always, Austin Bundy and Andrew Hazlett. And yesterday was an exciting day for ⁓ percent of a football. Aside from the portal news that we've been having, it was officially schedule release day. The 2026 schedule for Arizona State and the entire Big 12 was announced yesterday and

and we've already known that the Sun Devils will be heading to London on September 19th take on Kansas and technically an away game but we finally got the dates for all the rest of the Big 12 opponents outside of Arizona. We've always known that was going to be Thanksgiving weekend but I want to, before we go week by week through the schedule, I want to pivot to both of you guys. What's your immediate takeaways from the schedule? Andrew will lead off with you.

Andrew Hayslett (01:01)
Yeah, I look at those key road games are you're going to A you're going to London, and then you've got probably the, well, they were the big 12 champion and runner up on the road in BYU and Texas Tech. And then

I the only other road game this year, or next, well I guess this year since it's 2026, next season is going to be at UCF, which is a program on the rise, and that's a trip all the way to Florida on the other side of the country, so five, I would still.

I would call all those games winnable games, but I also call them loseable games just because of the situation and scenario between all of them. You've got great teams like A TECH, and BYU who if no matter where you're playing them, it's gonna be tough. And then going, like I said, all the way to Florida, just traveling across the country is always tough no matter who you're playing.

And then going to London, that's an absolute wild card. It's going to be, think that game is the team that better prepares for London is going to be the team that wins that game. that's not going to be a team, it's not going to be whoever's the better team on paper or anything. It's going to be preparation for having everything being thrown, just a curve ball at you. So.

That's my huge takeaway.

Austen Bundy (02:45)
Yeah, I think Andrew really hit that on the head. mean, I'm looking at each of these games and like you said, I think they're all very winnable. I don't think any ASU is going to go undefeated next year, but I do believe ASU is going to be a contender for the title again. ⁓ Just things that stand out to me. mean, obviously Morgan State's got to be a win. Hawaii's got to be a win. Colorado, Oklahoma State. Dare I say Kansas State's also got to be one of those must win games. ⁓ Going on the road this season is going to be

the biggest key, like Andrew said, to having any kind of success. London is going to be the biggest, toughest test because ASU hasn't played overseas. At least this version of ASU has not played overseas. ⁓ And with it being a conference opponent, it's going to be gigantic in the standings. You're going to need that. ⁓ I'm excited specifically for that A ⁓ game, though, going down to another SEC powerhouse.

Kyle field is very difficult to play in but if anything Kenny should be going to that Miami CFP game and pointing to it and say like. That's not it's not impenetrable this is a- a fortress that we very well could go and play our game. And sneak out of there with the win- ⁓ so I'm excited for that game- the UCF games got my attention just because it's an East Coast game it's a it's I mean it's all the way down in Florida but potentially that's that's something I'm circling the maybe- ⁓

a little PTO flight down Orlando to go see the devils in that one but otherwise I'm excited for this season this is a very winnable slate for the Sun Devils.

Tom Hardon (04:18)
When you bring up the Miami CFP game at Kyle Field, I think that should be a big part of the preparation as Coach Dillingham gets the team ready is not only watching the game fill on A but watching how Carson Beck in Miami really thrived in that hostile atmosphere and how they overcame the home field advantage to come out of there with a win on their way to the appearance in the national championship game.

and going right from there to London. I've been hearing that the team is going to fly directly ⁓ from Texas to London. So that'll be nearly a full week of acclimation to the time change. It'll give the Sun Devils ample time to get used to the flying surface at Wembley. It'll be obviously an opportunity for the guys to...

to do a little sightseeing on their own as well. You know, don't want to have this be strictly all business with such a marquee event, but it'll be a great, if that does come to be, and I see no reason why it wouldn't, a full week to prepare will go miles to helping the Sun Devils to come away with the win over the Jayhawks.

My biggest takeaway is just, and this is simply just how the schedule shakes out with only one bye week from now until I believe 2031 is going from October 3rd all the way through the end of the season. Nine straight games, that's something that we haven't seen in college football in quite a while. I don't think it's certainly been.

at any point in recent years, but this is going to be a grind for the Sun Devils to go down the wire and look for that berth in the Big 12 Championship game.

fingers crossed, hoping that the injury bug doesn't rear its ugly head like it did this year. these guys are going to push to him. I believe we'll have these guys well conditioned and the coaching staff will have them, coaching staff, training staff, everybody will have the guys in tip top shape, ready, ready for every week as it comes. And really just taking taking this schedule a week at a time. The alternating travel for me also was ⁓

We stood out going from really from October 10th through October 28th, alternating one home, one away. You're not able to have the comforts of home for a sustained stretch starting in mid October, but maybe that's just what this team needs is to have that inability to settle, to stay at their best on the field. Do you guys think there's any merit to that idea?

Andrew Hayslett (07:20)
I do. I just think that...

just going on the road and then going on, just altering like you said, just allows the team to go from one place to another. you get in, that you get, you still have your road routine and not fall out of that.

if you were to stay at home and vice versa, you have your home routine, get into that. So I think that's good in that fact. But I wanna go back to a couple points you said earlier, Rost and Tom, is that when...

Miami went into Kyle Field in one and then going on the road to Going to London Kenny Dillingham mentioned At in the middle of the year in one of his Monday press conferences that he draws on advice from other coaches. He calls other coaches for advice Sometimes it's scheming. Sometimes it's just other stuff about being a coach

And he also has said that he gives advice. I'm wondering if he knows Mario Cristobal to say, hey, can I have some of your takeaways that you did to beat A &M? And then I know Georgia Tech in Florida recently, Florida State rather, recently played overseas and

I know Mike Norvell was on the staff at Arizona State at one point, so that could be another connection that Kenny Dillingham could be leaning on. Say, hey, how do you get guys to travel well? So that could be something for me to see. I wonder if something that Kenny's doing.

Austen Bundy (09:10)
we're going talk about coaches that he's going to be picking brains. mean, my first phone call would be Dan Lanning in Oregon. Ask him, how the heck did you shut out Texas Tech in the playoff there?

Andrew Hayslett (09:23)
Probably, he's probably made that call already if not gonna call him a few times because...

Tom Hardon (09:28)
probably has a standing call

as the season gets closer. But I want to go week by week and just give our off the cuff knee jerk reaction of how winnable you think each game is. We'll start ⁓ with week one, hosting Morgan State, which is actually a replacement of the originally scheduled game against Bowling Green. ⁓

This is ⁓ an HBCU that isn't typically known for their football prowess, but ⁓ it's far from me to overlook any opponent. ⁓ That being said, this should still be a game that Arizona State wins handily to start the season with a 1-0 record.

Austen Bundy (10:15)
easily. is your come out and prove to everybody that this past season was injury riddled, unlucky, like this is where the real ASU stands up and gets off to a real hot start.

Andrew Hayslett (10:15)
Yeah.

Yeah, I'd give them a 98 % chance of winning that one at this point in time. Just because Morgan State's one of those FCS schools that isn't like you said Tom, one at the near the top. NAU last year was one of those schools. Morgan State doesn't really move the needle for me. They're coming all the way from Baltimore, Maryland.

Which is, I assume everyone out here listening knows that Morgan State is not a real state, unfortunately. ⁓ But ⁓ that's a long journey for them. I talked about earlier how ASU's got that long journey to UCF. That's gonna be a long journey for Morgan State as well, so something to look out for.

Tom Hardon (11:20)
And it's also worth noting that this is the only home game for Arizona State in the month of September. It does kind of mitigate the built-in home field advantage with the early season heat. But as we've seen for Andrew, you and I here, certainly that heat does have a tendency to creep into October. it may not be as finite, but we'll certainly see how. ⁓

how that impacts as the season goes on as well. Moving on to Texas A &M road game at Kyle Field as we were talking about, this is.

It all comes down to just the preparation that Coach Dillingham is able to get for the guys and get them coached up, get them ready for that SEC atmosphere. think learning from going down to Sarkville last year really woke Coach Dillingham up to just what it means to go down to the SEC on the road. So I think he's going to be better prepared for just any atmosphere.

That being said, this is a CFP team that came off of hosting a first round playoff game. They're not gonna roll over. I think it's certainly winnable, but.

Gotta have the entire roster on the same page and have all the coaching staff, everybody in line with play calling, with execution. It doesn't necessarily have to be a perfect, perfect game to win, but you need to be firing on all cylinders to be able to pull this one out.

Andrew Hayslett (13:08)
Yeah, that starts with the quarterback, whoever that's going to be at this point. That needs to be defined and you need to have full confidence in whoever that QB is. We've mentioned four different guys, Bollie, Fetty, Keane, and ⁓ Cameron Dyer as possible quarterbacks that could be starting well.

Whoever that is, need to it figured out by then because you have to be 100 % all in behind your quarterback to win this game. Because it's going to be tough game. Texas A &M, they have a lot of success. They're going to be continuing with it. So I would call it a 27 % chance to win that game.

Austen Bundy (13:56)
And I thought me giving them a, a toss up calling it a 50 50 was going to be the pessimistic take on this one. But, um, I, again, like this is going to come down to health. It's going to come down to preparation, but I feel confident enough to say that ASU is going to play this Texas A &M team closer than people are going to expect ASU early in the early in seasons in non-conference historically.

is a toss up, but with Kenny at the helm and the amount of talent they were able to bring in in the transfer portal, I am confident that they're going to surprise some folks, I think. I'm not sure if they're going to fully win the game, but I mean, because A &M is going to have Marcel Reid back at quarterback. They will not have their top receiving option with them. He's going to the NFL. This is where I think ASU plays a really close game.

Maybe they lead for a little bit. Whether or not they're leading in the fourth quarter when this thing hits triple zeros, I got no idea. But I am confident enough to say that I think they're going to play a close enough game to where it's entertaining. And we are either going to be elated that they pulled off such an upset, because A would be shocked if they're not a top 10 team going into next year, ⁓ or will be potentially hanging our heads because they were just that close to pulling off the upset.

Andrew Hayslett (15:24)
I think the earlier in the day, the better ASU's chances are. ⁓

Tom Hardon (15:30)
If ⁓ I were to put any bets down on what time this game is going to be, I would imagine it will be a later game just to get that prime time slot for the SEC. But what do I know? I'm just throwing darts here. Moving on to the London game. ⁓ This game, I think,

I'm going to go out on a limb and say about 85 % chance that Arizona State comes away with the win. Kansas has been able to play spoiler against some teams in the big 12, but I just think that losing a home game, you know, it shouldn't have that big of an impact on on a team. But I think. Traveling ⁓ traveling overseas and knowing that you're not going to have quite as.

as dominant home crowd is going to be a little bit of an X factor. What I will be very curious about is to see not only how many Sun Devil fans make the trip out, but what the mix of the crowd is, whether it is college football fans coming in specifically for the game, or if it's people who just happen to be in London traveling and it's, hey, here's a college football game, or if it's London locals.

getting their first exposure to college football. I'm interested to see what the mix of fan will be.

Austen Bundy (16:59)
ASU's got a very large alumni base internationally as well. I would not be surprised if there's a few expats over there that are going to be going to this game, whether they're from the UK or from Europe in general.

Tom Hardon (17:08)
And I believe Michael Crow also just announced the opening of the Arizona State University London campus. So that'll certainly play into some of the home field advantage.

Andrew Hayslett (17:24)
Yeah, I'm gonna give this game, I'm not gonna be as optimistic as Tom, but well, I'll say it's like a 60, I'll go with 68 % chance of winning just because London games are in just...

Wild cards because you see it in the NFL Jacksonville when they're bad they sometimes win those NFL NFL London games that they're in theory not supposed to the same thing could happen to Arizona State with coming off a loss or possible loss but coming off of an A game where it's going to be intense gonna be emotional I think regardless of the who wins or a lot loses that I think that's gonna be something to keep an eye on

Austen Bundy (18:14)
Yeah, I mean, I'll go, I'll give them a 75 % chance just because I like their odds against the Kansas team that seems to be not floundering, but still trying to find its identity. And as much as it's technically a home game for them, I do feel confident saying that I think the crowd numbers are gonna favor ASU just because of that international fan base. think that ASU fans will travel for this. ⁓

And I like the wild card factor to favor ASU because as we've seen, especially in those Ireland games, teams that are, I wouldn't say necessarily expected to win, but the ones that are more well-known, the ones that are a little more established are the ones that tend to be ⁓ caught on the back foot.

⁓ and ASU tends to thrive in chaotic atmosphere so you never know if this is a rainy game or if this is a just one of these games where because of the time difference maybe Kansas gets off to a slow start something like that I mean I like to think that ASU has got the benefit of the wild card here.

Tom Hardon (19:29)
Yeah, it'll be really interesting to see how that entire week shakes out and just what the lead up to the game is and all the extra pomp and circumstance that goes into this game as well because you're going to see a lot more fanfare than there is at a typical college game and that's going to throw off.

time for guys on game day with their their rituals that they have for the game, whatever, whatever on field ceremony there's gonna be that that's when it's gonna have some sort of impact, whether it be good or bad is we won't see that until until the game actually kicks off. But after the after the Devils come back stateside, they will have their only by week of the season at the end of September before hosting Baylor to open the month of October. This will be

Mostly, the Baylor team that we saw last season, I think, didn't really live up to expectations that they were looking for. Certainly didn't live up to the hype that even some of us internally built up leading up to the matchup in Waco. That being said,

It's going to be coming off of coming off the week. The guys will be accustomed to. Arizona time once again, but just how much will that travel have been a disruption to to the regular flow of? Of practice weeks and off weeks. How will the how will the team recover from coming back overseas? I think you know.

I'm going to hedge my bets here a little bit. I'm going to say about a 65 % chance for ASU to win. I think that it's, again, it comes down to the wild card factor of just how much the travel will impact the team.

Austen Bundy (21:34)
going go. I'm going to invoke the health factor here as much as they do have the bye week. I would not be surprised if this Kansas game especially coming off of an intense Texas A game is one where a few guys get injured especially along that offensive line potentially and as much as you would hope a bye week would be enough to to heal some guys up I wouldn't be surprised if there are some some missing key pieces in some key spots going into this Baylor game and I would actually

I'd give them more of a 45 % chance to win this game. I would not be surprised to see ⁓ Baylor's quarterback, DJ Lagway have a ⁓ decent game in Tempe and potentially ⁓ frustrate ASU secondary. ⁓ He'll have just a little bit more talented of a roster than he did at Florida, a little more stable coaching. So.

As much as I'd like to believe home field advantage in a bio week is going to benefit ASU. But if we know anything as fans, a lot of times when the circumstances tend to add up in ASU's favor, they don't necessarily take full advantage.

Andrew Hayslett (22:41)
going swing the opposite way here. just think DJ Lagway is a downgrade from what Slyler Robinson was last year. I believe their tight end from Baylor's going to be going into the draft as well. So for me, I like ASU's chances a lot. Like Tom said, I'm going to say 71 % chance for ASU in this one. ASU is very good at home. We've seen in the last few years, especially when they're

Tom Hardon (22:44)
Thank

Andrew Hayslett (23:11)
healthy because I'm going to throw that little asterisk down there is that when ASU has its its quarterback and receiver health star receiver healthy best two players on offense they're undefeated in the last two years so I think that will continue

Tom Hardon (23:30)
I got to say, I love the precision in your percentages there, Andrew. You've given this a lot of thought for being on the fly. So ⁓ I do give you major props for that. ⁓ Sun Devils do have back-to-back home games. ⁓ October 10th, hosting Hawaii. This is a very winnable game. I'm going to say about a 90 % chance to win. I will not be nearly as precise as Andrew. But this is a team that I'm

I'm a big fan of Timmy Chang and I loved watching him play when he was at Hawaii when I was in high school. But that's about the extent of what I will love Hawaii for that specific week. This is a game that Arizona State, if they come off of the loss that Austin is...

leaning towards. I won't say that you are predicting but that you're leaning towards. ⁓ This will be a game that the Sun Devils are going to come out ready to put that week behind them and and pity to Hawaii for having to be in the way of that steamroller.

Austen Bundy (24:41)
Yeah, this is a get right game if if it would to be coming off a loss ⁓ or even if they have a even if they beat Baylor but it's one of those games where they have like the four turnovers and they somehow pull off pull off the win. This is a get right game. I give him 85 % to win just because I don't think you can ever write off Hawaii. They're like the wild card of wild card teams out there. ⁓ But when they come I mean when they come stateside I think their power is a little diminished but if this was going to

going to Hawaii going up against the Rainbow Warriors. It's always a toss up going down there and coming out with the the wind just because of time difference climate all that stuff. ⁓ But yeah, this was this is exciting. I'm excited for this game. I'm a big fan of Hawaii. I'm really excited to see them finally get this match up. So it'll be interesting to to see who comes out on top here.

Andrew Hayslett (25:35)
Yeah, I like Timmy Chang. I like what he's doing at Hawaii. Took him to a bowl last season and won the Hawaii Bowl. They beat Stanford. They beat Cal last year. So I think they're going to be a good team. I give ASU an 82 % chance to win. I even saw a prediction of, I think, I don't know who it was, but someone was predicting that Hawaii was going to be the group of five representation for the CFP, which I think is a little bit

of a stretch at this point, but I think they are with this Mountain West pack, whatever you want to call the number now, it's kind of split with the Western teams and the FBS. It kind of leaves that in ⁓ Wild West state. How well will these conferences be valued in the committee's eyes? I just don't see Hawaii, even if they go 11 and 1.

being selected as the Group of Five representative, but I do think they will win eight, nine games and head to a bowl game for sure, I would say.

Tom Hardon (26:44)
We did see in 11 and 1 James Madison come out of the fund bill.

Austen Bundy (26:50)
Is this the first year the Pac-12 gets the absorbed Mountain West? Or does that start as this year? Okay.

Tom Hardon (26:54)
Yes, yep, 2026 will be

⁓ the rebirth of the PAC, Mountain 12, eight, however many teams are going to join it, but they will be above the six team minimum to resume the Pacific 12 name. So all hail PAC 12 after dark.

Austen Bundy (27:01)
You

Tom Hardon (27:18)
We're going to move on to a game that's going to be certainly circled on the opponent's schedule and should be circled on Arizona State's schedule as well. That is none other than the October 17th trip to Lubbock, Texas to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. We all know what happened last year. Texas Tech came into Tempe expecting to come away with a win and continue their...

Andrew Hayslett (27:21)
you

Tom Hardon (27:45)
continue their march towards what was going to be at the time an undefeated run of Big 12 play. Arizona State was the only team that disrupted that that hopes that hope and dream. But you know for a fact that the Red Raiders are going to be angry and ready to get revenge after that game. This is going to be the first game that I really don't truly like Arizona State's chances. I think that Texas Tech coming off of

the season that they had in 2025 is going to be just a monster yet again. I think that I'm going to put it at about a 20 % chance for Arizona State to win.

Andrew Hayslett (28:31)
I'm going to go little more optimistic. I'm going to go 26 % chance, a little bit less than what I think ASU's chances of winning at A I want to say, going back to the past, these first three years, ASU has played Texas Tech three times, which I'm curious on why the schedule makers made that decision.

Maybe they just knew ASU and Texas Tech were going to be the next two powerhouses or something. But it's interesting why ASU and Tech got scheduled for three years in a row instead of Colorado or Utah, where ASU had traditionally played those teams yearly. And now this year is going to be the first year ASU hasn't played Utah. And I don't think Colorado's on this year's schedule either.

And Colorado wasn't on the 2024. No, they weren't on the 2024 schedule either. So that's interesting to me. ⁓ I don't know why. That's something that when I realize that I'm like, that's interesting. But I do think this Texas Tech team, I don't think I Sworesby is as good as people think he is.

Austen Bundy (29:30)
They are.

Andrew Hayslett (29:57)
quite frankly and Hey, the the loser of this game has gone on to win the big 12 championship. So that's all I've got to say there

Austen Bundy (30:10)
give me a 51 % chance they win this thing. I'm going to be optimistic on this one just because just exactly what that last little point that Andrew Mays, the loser of this game, has gone on to win the conference. So if ASU wins this game, I think Texas Tech is still the juggernaut of the conference again. ⁓ Colorado is on our schedule November 7th.

Tom Hardon (30:14)
Mr. Optimism here.

Austen Bundy (30:37)
But I think the schedule makers maybe are trying to play into a little bit of building new rivalries here. having Texas Tech and BYU on there again, I think they're trying to build into those somewhat naturally geographic rivalries ⁓ with this schedule. I mean, I'm all for it. I would like a rivalry with Texas Tech. Especially seeing how good the teams have been these first two years in the Big 12. ⁓ I kind of like...

something like that, especially since the two teams have a bit of a history going back to the end of the Patrick Mahomes era. And then immediately following that, having a controversial ⁓ game there. BYU, mean, it's BYU, it's Arizona State. You can start drifting into maybe Barstool territory there with the two competing moralities of the universities if you want to those two against each other. But I mean, I like it.

the way that they've started to lean into these things but- ⁓ specifically on on the Texas Tech game. I ought like like Andrew said with Sworesby maybe he's not as as good as we think he's gonna be. I would not be surprised to see is having to face Will Hammond again potentially in this game. ⁓

but just let's say injuries happen or maybe source be just is not consistent who knows we've seen where things happen in college football but- ⁓ I feel like this is one of those games where as you plays up to the competition it potentially surprises people.

Tom Hardon (32:09)
Well, it looks like we've got Aya joining us. Aya, if you can hear us, give us your take on Arizona State playing Texas Tech for a third straight season.

Aya Abdeen (32:14)
Hello.

This is going to be such a fascinating matchup between those two teams. Like you can see, like the script has written throughout the past two seasons, both of those teams who have lost on the road to like opposing opponents, which in 2024, Arizona State losing, losing to Texas Tech on the road, they ended up advancing to the big 12 championship game and especially the college football playoff, which they lost to double to Texas in double overtime, a peach bowl that year.

And then the following season, Texas Tech ⁓ fall to Arizona State in which I was at that game. That was actually my first football game that I reported that year, which is basically pretty fascinating. And the Red Raiders went on to win the Big 12 championship and they lost to the Oregon Ducks in ⁓ the Cotton Bowl.

on New Year's Day, but except it's very different results. I it's going to be pretty interesting rivalry to keep an eye on as well. And at the end, Arizona State getting the opportunity to travel to London to face Kansas Jayhawks, I am all here for it as well.

Tom Hardon (33:35)
You guys have all brought up the idea of building new rivalries, and I'm in favor of that. This is a very strong possibility for a budding rivalry within the Big 12, so I'm interested to see just how far this goes down the road. We'll move on to the next home game, hosting Kansas State. This is...

I think this is a must win for Arizona State, it is a must win due to conference standing or whether they've lost to Texas Tech the previous week. I think that this is just a very winnable game for the Sun Devils. I'm going try and be as precise as Andrew here. I'm going to go with an 84 % chance to win.

Andrew, your turn to play Price is Right.

Austen Bundy (34:37)
Yeah.

Andrew Hayslett (34:42)
I'll defer this one to Austin here. I want to see what he has to say.

Austen Bundy (34:46)
He's just gonna is the law of averages here. He's waiting for me to go way low and then so he can come out in the middle ⁓ No, I this is a very winnable game as much as like Avery Jonathan's coming back ⁓ He has struggled to really find his identity at K state. I K state in general has struggled to find the identity I think that and meet the expectations that a lot of people put on their shoulders the last two years ⁓ I think ASU especially this game being at home

Yeah, I'd give them, yeah, 82%.

Tom Hardon (35:20)
I even very narrow window to fit between Andrew start pulling out the decimals.

Andrew Hayslett (35:27)
not gonna be two in decimals. That's, that's, I like those numbers. I'm gonna go, ⁓ I'm like.

I'm now. I'm gonna go a little lower, 79 for me. But just right in that ballpark of, yeah, Kansas State, I'm not moved by what they're doing. Avery Johnson, everyone had Kansas State as the favorite to win the Big 12 in 2025. They obviously didn't. So it wasn't a huge surprise to me that they were.

They that they kind of underwhelmed but as much as they did it was a surprise I just don't I don't see that team being I Don't see that team winning more than seven games this year to be honest

Tom Hardon (36:24)
I your turn. How winnable is this Kansas State game?

Aya Abdeen (36:28)
This is a very great question. Depending on how Arizona State has constructed a roster due to transfer portal and especially incoming freshmen from high school, it's going to be very fascinating to see how it will all work out. I could see a 50-50, but leaning towards the winning side, I could see Arizona State taking home the win from London. Basically, the last time I've been to London was almost seven years ago.

COVID and I also went to Hamilton, which is like, it's a little bit off topic of me to bring up, but I mean, it's pretty cool to see Arizona State getting to travel internationally for those games. mean, might as well make a bucket list of traveling to an international game to cover one in the future.

Tom Hardon (37:20)
There we go. And we're talking about the Kansas State game later on in October back here in Tempe.

We'll come back to that one. We brought up the point that ⁓ Arizona State does not play Utah this season, but we'll still be visiting the Beehive State and playing on the road Halloween night at BYU. ⁓ I overheard a comment last night on Ralph Ameson's spaces that ⁓ was akin to Provo basically runs on trigger, so Halloween is the equivalent of their Mardi Gras. ⁓

I'm not sure how much I lean into that side of things, but this to me is another budding rivalry. I'm not necessarily budding. It's a rivalry that has existed in lesser terms than obviously the territorial cup.

with a lot of with a high BYU fan base here here in the Phoenix area and around the state. tension, I wouldn't say tensions get high, but it's always a it's always a fierce game whenever any of the the programs play head to head. And this is I'm looking I'm looking ahead to this game. I think that this is called about a

Austen Bundy (38:35)
Thank

Tom Hardon (38:47)
68 % chance for Arizona State to win. You kind of never know what you're going to get when you go to Utah in October. It could be frigid cold. It could be unseasonably warm. You'd never really know what the forecast is going to be. And I think that's going to be a big part of the...

the fact that goes for or against the sun devils on that Halloween night.

Austen Bundy (39:18)
I mean, this is ASU, BYU on Hollow Weekend. They run on Sugar up there because they really can't run on a whole lot else. ⁓ But yeah, I'm really looking forward to this game. I don't think you can ask for much else in a big matchup like this. If you're an ASU student, you travel for this game. You better get your butt up to Provo. This is one that's worth going up for. ⁓ I like their chances in this game.

I do understand with BYU having proven this year not having Jake Retzlaff and being able to bring in a freshman quarterback and pretty much dominate the Big 12 from start to finish. They came out just a little bit short because Texas Tech just had their number all year long. ⁓ But ⁓ this is another one of those games where I feel like ASU can play up to its competition. ⁓

take advantage of the budding rivalry that I think the schedule makers are trying to push on here. And I'll say it because you're a coward, I'm going to give them 69 % to win this game.

Aya Abdeen (40:26)
LOL.

Tom Hardon (40:29)
Clap, clap, well done.

Austen Bundy (40:30)
Hollow weekend at

Provo Mormons vs. Sun Devils. Come on, man. You just gotta lean into the bit at this point.

Andrew Hayslett (40:39)
I'm not going to be optimistic here. That's how I'm going to start it. And I know Austin might be the chief pessimist here, but I'm with these predictions. Maybe he's not. ⁓ To me, ASU, last two times they've went up to Utah to play, even though it was Utah, they got blown out of the water.

Yes, BYU is a different team. It's still Salt Lake City. I'm not confident in that. And I think BYU is the most underrated team in the Big 12 within the past few years. I think there's a case that you can argue, even though they haven't had the championship, they've been the most consistent team the past two years in this new Big 12.

And I think they're gonna be a top 3 or 4 team for sure. And I think this is gonna be loss. I'm gonna say a 32 % chance to win. just... I think... BYU, they want to win this one. And this is probably... It's the two Texas Road games and BYU are the three toughest games on the schedule.

and you can put all of them in the same tiers. Yeah, ASU is probably going to be the underdog going into it, I think, but they could win it. I don't think they will. I think that BYU team is very good. Kalani Satake is one of the top coaches in the Big 12.

Tom Hardon (42:20)
All right, your turn, How winnable is BYU?

Aya Abdeen (42:24)
This is a very good question. I could see it on below 50 knowing that BRU has one of the best atmospheres. mean, Arizona State has been building a momentum to activate the Valley motto that Kenny Dillingham has stated throughout the past few years. And you can see how sold out the crowd has been at Mountain America Stadium, which I still call it the Sun Devil Stadium with all due respect.

Tom Hardon (42:54)
As anybody should.

Aya Abdeen (42:54)
song about America

but I could see the Sun Devils it's still 50-50 for me like I said earlier at the Kansas as well but I could see it more towards the lose the loss but mind you I would I would be surprised if they got the win through a close game situation I'm just calling it

Tom Hardon (43:14)
All right, from one fellow four corner state to another, moving on to the final four games of the season, Colorado comes to Tempe. And to me, call this a little bit of speculation if you want, but we know with Deion Sanders' health, I haven't, I think it's been very, you know,

I have no reason to believe that there's anything that would come from coaching, but how long do you think he does still continue coaching in Colorado after his ⁓ battle with cancer over the last year? That I think is going to be a factor for how Colorado does this whole season. ⁓

Again, I have absolutely nothing to go off of this just pure wild speculation. Charlie Day gif in front of the string wall calling him from if that's what you want to call it. But all that aside, I think that this is still. Again, that the Sun Devils should be pulling away from easily. I'm going to. Go about a 76 % chance to win.

Austen Bundy (44:28)
Sounds about right. mean, when comes to prime time, I think this is the determining year for him. ⁓ If they do not, they really shouldn't have championship expectations anymore, especially since he's not been able to really throw together a very compelling roster, especially since his sons left and Travis Hunter left. ⁓ I think this will be a determining season if they do any worse than six wins.

I would not be surprised if school leadership comes to him and says, like, would you consider like stepping down just because this clearly is a burden on you? we know you're doing your best, but also like there's the longevity of the program at stake here and name brands only going to get us so far. So when it comes to this specific matchup, I'm pretty confident this is a game ASU should win.

I give it maybe 76 % they're going to come away with a win on this. I think this is a game where they really, this is a game where I would not be surprised to face you clinches bowl eligibility on. But this is one of those must have games. You can't play down your competition on this one.

I'm not doubting a quarterback like Julian Lewis to be terrible, but he's also not doesn't have a whole lot of support. ⁓ So that's where I think. Colorado needs a lot of help, and I don't think they got enough of it in the transfer portal to really be competitive.

Andrew Hayslett (46:10)
Yeah, I'm not a believer in Colorado. They've been... They've been kind of... I'm just gonna say, they've been bad for the majority of my life. Kind of the basement of the Pac-12 and the Pac-12 South. From my memory, I just...

I think Colorado is that good. I'm going be more optimistic than the two of you. I'm going to give them an 89 % chance to win. I think they have a better chance to win this game than the Hawaii game, as a matter of I just don't see Colorado to be a contender. Like Austin Thompson said, regardless of health, think this could be Prime's last season in Colorado.

not a believer, I'm just not. I don't think this is a team that's gonna contend for anything meaningful in the Big 12.

Tom Hardon (47:06)
I have your thoughts on Colorado.

Aya Abdeen (47:09)
I agree with what both of you, Austin and Andrew, have said about Colorado. mean...

It's hard to tell about the state of Colorado's football program throughout the past few years, knowing that they had one of their success in wide receiver in which he is now drafted by Jacksonville Jaguars at number two in 2025 NFL draft. I think it's Deandre Hunter if I'm stating it right. I mean, it's gonna come down to how long Deon Sanders

could sustain a football program, it's going to be an interesting year. Could it be like making or breaking? That's what I'm gonna call it about the Buffaloes for sure.

Tom Hardon (48:04)
Good stuff, good stuff right there. We'll move on to Austin's circle game on the schedule, the road trip to Orlando to take on UCF. And you know what? I'm going to come right out and say it. I am not confident that the Sun Devils will win this game. Historically, the Sun Devils have played poorly in the Eastern time zone. And traveling west to east, I think that this will be a

This will just be another case of how difficult it is to play on the East Coast. think that by this point in, this will be game seven of nine in a row. Maybe we're looking at injuries or not even injuries, but guys just banged up, not playing at 100%. I think that this is the perfect situation of a trap game for the Sun Devils.

I'm going to go out with a 43 % chance of winning.

Austen Bundy (49:09)
That makes sense. mean, historically, yes, they're not great on the East Coast. This is one of those rarely visited ⁓ areas of the country for the Sun Devils. It's going to be humid there, even though this is going to be November or so. Maybe it'll have cooled off just enough down in Orlando, but still, it's very hard to go into UCF's building down in Camping World Stadium and... ⁓ Sorry?

Tom Hardon (49:31)
bounce house.

Isn't it the bounce house?

Austen Bundy (49:35)
Yep, the bounce house, space city. Though I believe another name, another purpose for that venue is going to benefit ASU. I'm going to call upon the gods of the Pop Tarts bowl to bless ASU as they go to that building ⁓ and let chaos reign. ⁓ So I feel like this is not an easy game as much as feel like a lot of people would look at this and be like, it's UCF. Maybe they should be able to handle that.

Andrew Hayslett (49:35)
Yes.

Austen Bundy (50:03)
We said at the beginning of this UCF is a program on the rise. Would not be surprised to see them be a contender in the big 12 in the next couple of years. ⁓ I still think ASU can potentially get this done. So I'm gonna give them a 53 % chance.

Andrew Hayslett (50:17)
I'm gonna go a little higher than Austin here, I'm gonna go 62. UCF is on those teams, is on the rise. I think they could potentially be this version of what ASU was a few years ago, what Houston was last year, that kind of, oh, surprising team is saying, oh, you're here under a second year head coach. But we'll see what they can do over.

Orlando, I'm, I don't know. UCF's one of those teams where I didn't put much interest into last year in terms of when I watched. So it's kind of hard for me to be comfortable in that prediction, but it's, again, ASU should win in theory.

Tom Hardon (51:10)
I give us your take on UCF and how winnable it is.

Aya Abdeen (51:14)
It's too early to even like predict knowing that it's January. It's been almost a month since since Arizona State's football season has come to an end to a Sun Bowl loss, which there has been a lot of changes since then. So basically I could see the Sun Devils like maybe it's a hot take. I could actually see the Sun Devils winning the game at UCBF knowing that how both teams have come a long way. But Arizona State with

return of Kenny Dillingham but how they could sustain continue to sustain their longevity of success for the Sun Devils especially like how they've been building from scratch throughout the last two years I still could see the Sun Devils winning. If they win you'll thank me later.

Andrew Hayslett (51:52)
you

Austen Bundy (52:04)
Thanks.

Tom Hardon (52:05)
All right, well, you know, that's what we're doing here. We're our way too early outlook out there so we can review the tape in November and see just how right or wrong we were. And hopefully there's more right than wrong and where some of us are on. hope it's in the Sun Devils' favor. But moving on to the last home game of the season, it will be Senior Night against Oklahoma State, the first full season of the post-Mike Gundy era.

Are we going to be seeing an Oklahoma State team that catches lightning in a bottle? Are we going to be seeing a team that's going through a lot of growing pains? I'm leaning towards the latter. I think that the Sun Devils send the seniors off the right way with a win. I'm going to. I'm going to be bold here and go with a 93 % chance of winning.

Austen Bundy (52:54)
I thought I was going to be the bold one saying 90%, but I'm with you there. is definitely a must win. This is a game that if you lose this game, anybody calling into doubt.

Andrew Hayslett (52:54)
I

Austen Bundy (53:10)
what type of, I don't know, I don't want to say you want to call it doubt into Kenny's leadership, but this is the type of game that if you lose this game, like what's going on? Like this, that's an unacceptable loss. ⁓ The only way you could potentially justify is if Oklahoma State starts pulling an Indiana and is like 10 and one by you get to this point. So I don't think there's any acceptable outcome except the win here.

Andrew Hayslett (53:36)
I've seen predictions saying, yeah, Oklahoma State's for way too early predictions saying, Oklahoma State's going to be a 10 win team. Pump the brakes people. I don't think that's going to happen. It's a first year head coach moving from North Texas who was good, but they in a, in a very good.

group of five conference in the American they didn't win and they didn't even make their championship game mind you so they were in a lesser conference the probably third best team maybe fourth depending on how you'd rank Navy in there as those were along with Memphis and Tulane as the top four teams

And I'm just not seeing it. I think in two years, they could be the Arizona State, make a run out of nowhere. But for next year, I think they're going to be a three and nine team. They might sneak their way into ⁓ a bowl game, but I think it's going to be an eighty, eighty six percent chance for me.

Tom Hardon (55:04)
And let's be honest, there's only one Kurt Signetti. He resides in Bloomington, Indiana. I don't think that we're going to see the same thing happen with Oklahoma State. But stranger things have happened. Aya, give us your take on Oklahoma State and how winnable that is for the Devils.

Aya Abdeen (55:24)
Thank you all. wait, can you hear me okay? ⁓ shoot.

Tom Hardon (55:32)
Yep, yep, we got you.

Maybe we lost Ia there for a little bit. we'll circle back to her on.

Austen Bundy (55:41)
I'm not sure she can hear us.

Aya Abdeen (55:46)
Okay,

can you hear me?

Tom Hardon (55:49)
Yep, yep, we got you now.

Aya Abdeen (55:51)
Okay, perfect. So I can see Arizona State winning the game.

At home to over Oklahoma State like what Andrew said I agree with all the points he has made About Oklahoma State. I mean they haven't had a ton of success throughout the past few years. So it's a possibility that it was an estate so you could find a way to basically win the game and carry on the momentum to Tucson in which the Wildcats won the game on their home court on their home field It's going to be really interesting. I can see another win

Like back to back wind over Arizona. Don't get me wrong.

Tom Hardon (56:32)
I was ⁓ saying, you're calling a territorial couple in. We're going to keep you on the spot here.

I are you are you predicting a territorial cup win for the Sun Devils this year? Ooh, alright, we've got we've got our got our first vote of a territorial cup win. I too am going to vote on the side of a territorial cup win. ⁓ It's worth noting that this is the 100th playing of the territorial cup. ⁓ So the.

Aya Abdeen (56:48)
Yes I am.

Tom Hardon (57:10)
down in Tucson, this is, I feel like this rivalry could be shaping back up to what it was during the Rich Rod versus Graham years. think this has very strong potential to be, ⁓ whoever throws the last punch is really going to take the game in any given year. I don't think that we're looking at.

a stretch of dominance from either team for the time being. But I think that this year is Arizona State's turn to return the cup to its rightful place in Tempe. I'm going to go with. ⁓

Austen Bundy (57:47)
Yep, I'm going to join you there

on that one. going to take ASU to go down to Tucson, give them a taste of their own medicine, get a little bit of revenge. I'm going to be bold enough to say that I'd give them 70 % chance to do that this year.

Tom Hardon (58:03)
I was going go with a 75.42 % chance of winning. Got to give that path a shout out.

Andrew Hayslett (58:04)
I wanna-

Austen Bundy (58:12)
1975 national champion shout out there,

Tom Hardon (58:17)
Exactly.

Andrew Hayslett (58:20)
⁓ I do want to make a correction on my last prediction North Texas did make the American Conference Championship and lost I was misremembering there, but still my the point stands for this Arizona game in The Kenny Dillingham era though the winning team was on the road So with that that being said I will be

favoring Arizona State, but I think this will be a close battle. think it like Tom said it, whoever throws the last punches is going to win this game. These two teams might be fighting for a big 12 championship title game spot in this game. That's how I think if both teams are up to their ceiling, that's what I think fans can expect. But

Like I said, it's going to be two great teams, I think, fighting for it. So I'm going to give AASU a 51 % chance to win.

Tom Hardon (59:24)
All right, well there we have it, our week by week breakdown of the season. We will, of course, have much more football coverage all throughout the year, both on Devils in Detail and here on Echo from the Buttes. We'll move on to the hard court. Both the men's and women's basketball teams were in action yesterday. We'll start with the women going on the road to West Virginia. it was a.

It was a little bit of a back and forth game. Pretty evenly played throughout the first half. Arizona State pulled out to the lead to close out the third quarter, but then foul trouble really started to get a hold of the Devils, and West Virginia pulled away for the 53 to 43 win.

You know, it's obviously it's much too early to question Malinore, but how far does this team go this season? how is this disrupting the hopes of a tournament run? Aya, we'll start with you.

Aya Abdeen (1:00:31)
Okay.

So Arizona State did lose that game. They were very close to getting the upset over the number two ranked West Virginia Mountaineers. I mean, but frankly, both of them have had a low scoring game between those two teams. But in the fourth quarter, turnovers and drawing fouls has definitely cost the game for the Sun Devils. mean, the Mountaineers, according to the Sun Devils Athletics website,

you

Arizona State ⁓ made only one back and suffer that our God raised it within four or 63 seconds remaining of its nine shots like me David they've struggled to score they struggle to score in the last few minutes of action and about nears to score the games lost six points from the free-drawn line 14 of Virginia's 19 free-drawn attempts came in a final quarter in which there has been a notice that whenever they get into some sort

foul trouble like that could definitely cost them the game as well. And West Virginia's 53 points represented the 11th time this season has Arizona State has allowed fewer than 55 points. mean, that's good that they've been focusing on the defensive identity but.

But there has to be like a lot that they can improve on heading into Saturday's Saturday mornings game against Cincinnati, which it was moved up to the morning time due to the inclement weather. So they will close out their road trip and then they get before facing Arizona's Wildcats in the annual Territorial Cup game at in Tempe on Wednesday. So they I mean, the Sun Devils were minus four in turnovers,

However, they were plus six points off of turnovers, which is good, but they just need to be ⁓ more careful on the fouling as well.

Tom Hardon (1:02:32)
And anytime you don't have any free throw attempts as a team, you're already going to be behind the eight ball. ⁓ But Gabby Elliott, Micaela Brackens with 15 points apiece, only 13 points combined out of the rest of the team. Is that a systemic issue throughout the team? I'm going to open this up to anybody who wants to answer that. Is that a systemic issue around the team, or is that a situational?

Aya Abdeen (1:02:57)
I would say they need more

production from not only the bench but also from the starters as well. Marley Washington, even though she's been all over the place when it comes to starting guard position, Molly Miller-Steele needs to rely on Marley to make sure that she scores to help the Sun Devils win more. Not only for contributions but on both ends of the

court as well.

Tom Hardon (1:03:30)
Austin and Andrew, any takeaways that you guys had from this game from afar?

Austen Bundy (1:03:37)
It was disappointing. I was a little surprised when the notification came up that they lost this game, ⁓ especially in the manner that they did only getting 43 points on the board. But ⁓ I think they'll rebound. Again, this is another one of those instances where we've probably gotten a little too used to Molly Miller's team winning and doing so in the fashion that they had. mean, this is still her first year at the helm. There's going to be growing pains.

⁓ I think the only thing we can really ask for is that these are infrequent losses and for all we know they could go on another winning streak coming up here starting with Cincinnati but- ⁓ I think you give. Miller and this roster a little bit of grace and- just let them continue to do what they're doing and I think they're going to prove that they can continue to rebound from this and- still act as a bubble team.

going forward- ⁓ for the NCAA tournament and I'm confident that they're going to- be able to rebound and pull off a few. And find a little bit more consistency down the stretch here.

Aya Abdeen (1:04:41)
I agree with you, Austin.

Andrew Hayslett (1:04:45)
I do too, just the big takeaway for me is free throws. If you can't get to the line, you're not gonna win many games. Simple as that. Going zero for zero, I don't know what the stats are when you don't attempt a free throw, but your record probably isn't a good record when you do that, so.

That's something that they're going to have to figure out is draw, try to draw more fouls, whether that be offensive or defensive, but we'll see how this team goes. I'm generally optimistic for the future of this team, both the short term and the long term.

Tom Hardon (1:05:31)
Like I said, next game for Son of a Woman did get moved up to 10 a.m. on Saturday morning at Cincinnati before coming back home to face the Wildcats at home from Desert Financial Arena Wednesday, January 28th at 6.30 p.m. tip-off. Moving over to the men's side and...

Aya Abdeen (1:05:53)
I'm going to get going

guys, so have a lovely night to all of you guys. Thank you, boy.

Tom Hardon (1:05:58)
Thanks, I. YouTube.

Andrew Hayslett (1:05:59)
Thank you, you too.

Tom Hardon (1:06:01)
Moving over to the men's side and what more can we say but just another.

Another day in the life. I think that's about the best I can sum it up for those of us who do watch ASU men's basketball on the regular. Sunnival has actually had a halftime lead 35 to 37 and just fell apart in the second half losing 75 to 63.

head coach Bobby Hurley after the game made the comments of not having a true home court advantage and just this team not being able to play its best even at home. That's not what you're wanting to hear out of your head coach, whether he is in the last year of a lame duck season or if he is mid contract. This is.

How much is the last straw when it comes to Bobby this season? do you think that Graham just takes a swing and cuts him loose with a handful of games left to play?

Austen Bundy (1:07:17)
He's lost the locker room. He's admitted he's lost the locker room. I don't know how you can keep a coach around who does not have authority, who has admitted he doesn't have authority anymore, especially when games are being played. If they're not going to listen, he's saying they're not listening to him. They're not going to be making the adjustments that he's recommending. I mean, this is not even like a full on mutiny. It's a coup. It's a completed coup. He does not have the locker room. He does not have the command that head coach should require.

It's a very difficult position that he is in that Graham Racini is now in because the optics of this are not great. that if you keep him around just out of respect for the fact that this is his last year, he's been the most successful coach in school history. He's been the longest tenured. ⁓ But do you really want this to drag out in a likely embarrassing fashion and that Hurley is just there on the sideline because he has to be like.

Andrew Hayslett (1:08:01)
you

Austen Bundy (1:08:13)
These guys are not listening to him apparently and they're going out there and just like they're playing basketball, but this isn't they're not playing college basketball. there's no, there's no, it doesn't seem to be any discipline. There's no hierarchy here. And as much as West Virginia at 13 and six, like that, that's a good ball. That's a good ball team. Like they're potentially going to threaten for the bubble here if they, if they keep going the way they're going, but.

This was an unacceptable loss at home to a team that you should have beaten and the fact that Hurley is now just waving the white flag. I think he's just asking to be let go at this point. I did this. It sounded like a cry for help or cry for mercy really than anything else.

Tom Hardon (1:08:59)
And also knew you bring up the point of just being on the sideline because he has to be watching his body language throughout last night's game. It was it was very much like Marshawn Lynch saying I'm just here so I don't get by. He will know it was not the look of a coach who was actively interested in what was going on in the game. I did not see him turn four different shades of red throughout the game. I'm looking at.

I'm looking at this shell of Bobby Hurley and wondering where's the fire that he's known for? Where's the passion? You can tell that he has just resigned to the fact that he is done here at the end of this year. And I think that you're absolutely right. This is a call for help. It's a call on high to be.

rescued from having to coach out the rest of the season.

Andrew Hayslett (1:10:01)
Yeah, I feel that there's a similar point on last year's schedule season that he had a similar message in the media, which I don't know. I don't know. For me is it the if you keep them, I think if you if let them go early, you you have to for me, if you let them go.

You have to have one of his like potential replacements for the long term beyond this coaching staff is is your next coach on the staff and if the athletic admin say no, we don't want any of these people. I don't I don't see any.

huge reason to move off Hurley if you know all the guys on the other side of that bench aren't going to be your head coach next year. Yeah, I'll do Hurley the service of letting him ride it out, but if there's a guy that you want to try out possibly for the next season, I'm all for promoting that person, but you have to be promoting that person because

You think he's gonna be your head coach next year, or you think, he could be your head coach next year. If you're just putting a guy to put a guy out there, it's...

It- it- no one wins there. And in-

Tom Hardon (1:11:32)
Looking at

the staff as it is right now, do you see anybody that could be the coach for next season?

Andrew Hayslett (1:11:42)
I don't know how the Athletics admin feel. They could go with someone on the roster. If it's me in charge, I'm not. Because I think this program, whatever's left of it right now needs to be brought down with a wrecking ball and just restart at this point. Because that's where I think it's at. Which is unfortunate to be saying this, but I think if you kind of...

saw what happened with women's basketball. They went with someone who had no ties to ASU, but brought in a culture. She adapted, and Molly Miller adapted to the ASU culture. You see her at a lot of other sporting events.

You wouldn't know that she wasn't a Sun Devil before this year. You need to find someone to do the same thing for men's basketball. for me, I don't think that someone's in this room at this point. And kind of just go further, you've got on Hurley's potentially lost locker room, you've got a player on Twitter responding to Bernhard.

right now. Just like this is the situation has gotten bad and I want to remind everyone that there's been with the past two seasons there's been a player that didn't finish the season that started the season with the team with Jose Perez leaving early with that whole thing and then BJ Freeman getting dismissed from the program.

Could we see another one at this point? That's not out of the realm of possibility at this

Tom Hardon (1:13:39)
And we're really hoping it doesn't come to that, but at the same time, it wouldn't be entirely surprising with how the season has gone. It would just be one more mark on the list of, here we go again.

The Sun Devils will be back in action on Saturday hosting Cincinnati before heading on the road to play UCF on Tuesday, January 27th and returning home next Saturday, January 31st for a 12 noon tip off against the Arizona Wildcats in the second game of the Territorial Cup Series.

Hopefully some happier topics. Hockey is back in action hosting North Dakota, but before we get into the preview of this weekend series, there were four Sun Devils that were nominated for national awards over the last couple of weeks. First, we'll start with the Mike Richter award, which goes to the most outstanding goaltender in all Division one.

Both of Arizona State's goaltenders, Connor Hasley and Samuel Raban, were nominated, making it the first time that two Sandoval goaltenders have been nominated in the same season. Andrew, you've been in Mullet every weekend as I have. Having seen the play of both goalies, do you think that both were deserving of the nomination?

Andrew Hayslett (1:15:00)
I think both were. think, well, Greg Powers believes that this is the best goaltending pair he's ever had at ASU, which I'm not so sure on having one you had Joey DeCourt on your roster for a few seasons. Probably might find one of those pairs as a better pair somewhere. But this is a very good pair regardless. Samuel Urban, a lot of potential in him as a freshman.

⁓ I think the nomination is as far as he'll go. I don't see any way he wins the award just because he hasn't been really outstanding. He's been good, but he hasn't just... To win these awards you have to be outstanding and he hasn't. Connor Hasley, the senior goaltender, he's been ⁓ great, I would say, but like Urban, he hasn't been outstanding. think... ⁓

Depending on how Powers uses his goalies, I think there's an outside chance that Hasley can win this award if he gets a few shutouts here down the stretch if ASU makes a run in the NCHC tournament and then the NCAA tournament with Hasley in the net. You can see him winning the award because postseason success is a huge factor in these awards.

because that's matters. Teams want trophies on the wall and not the regular season ones, but the end of the season ones. That's what really matters.

Tom Hardon (1:16:43)
You know, all the same, no matter whether either either goaltender makes it past the nomination stage if they advanced to semi finalists or finalists, it's still a still a feather in their cap. Still a nice line item on their on their career mark and for Urbán to be to be named to the watch list as a freshman. That speaks volumes to his potential for for his future at Arizona State. But you mentioned you mentioned Joey DeCord and that tandem. Joey DeCord is

as of date the only Sun Devil to be named a finalist for the Ripper Award. Like you said, if Connor Hasley can string together some shutouts and gain more of the minutes in net, I think that he could also have an outside shot at winning this award. But ⁓ we will see as the season plays out, finalists will be announced in mid to late March with the award winner being named

during the Frozen Four up in Las Vegas. Moving on to the other national award announcements that just came out on Wednesday, the Hobie Baker Award. For those who aren't familiar with college hockey, the Hobie Baker is hockey's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy given to the most outstanding player. It's measured on a number of, a number of,

metrics, not only your play on the ice, your sportsmanship, but also your academic performance and your overall leadership quality. This year, there were 88 players that were nominated representing 49 teams across college hockey. Two Sun Devils did make the nomination list, Bennett Schimek and Cruz Lucius, both in my mind, extremely well-deserving. Cruz Lucius, of course, coming off of

is injury shortened year last year and approaching career highs in all three categories, goals, assists, and points. Ben and Shemek being the true embodiment of a co-captain alongside Kyle Smolin. To me, both of these guys are extremely well deserving of their nomination. And ⁓ I truly hope that one of them is able to advance to the round of 10 players that is then voted on by coaches and media alike.

Andrew Hayslett (1:19:02)
I think it's a real possibility that either of them get to that stage and there's a chance that both of them make that run. As at this point you mentioned Tom, Bennett Shimmock, a co-captain, Cruz Lucius is an alternate captain I believe is or an assistant captain. Don't remember what the A stands for. There's a state off the top of my head but regardless both these players on the leadership count, the leadership team for the Sun Devils.

Both these guys just are great players on the ice. Bennett, Shimmick, Cruz, Lucious, one point or one two in points this year. If they can kind of rekindle that magic because they're the last few games they haven't been really finding the back of the net as much.

They can make a serious push and win this award, either one of them. I firmly believe that. And I think a lot of it's going to come down to who's the new center that they're playing with, because Colin Potter out for the year. Whether that be, I think it's really one of, there's three people that you could see. I think what I would predict most is Sean McGurn playing with the two of them.

You can also see Kyle Smolin or Logan Morell also on that line.

don't think it will be Braxton Whitehead but we could see. Coach Powers didn't really say anything on Tuesday that he indicated either way. I don't think he really knew at that point. Now we're recording this Thursday. He probably has that picture of what that lineup card is going to look like tomorrow. And I'm curious to see what he'll do with that because

Lucius and Shimmock should produce for the Sun Devils and should make a run for the Hobie Baker Award.

Tom Hardon (1:21:03)
Absolutely, they should and you know both guys really will have to have to shoulder a bulk of a bulk of the scoring because as you just said Colin Potter out for the season undergoing shoulder surgery as we're recording this on Thursday He was he was scheduled to undergo the surgery today joining Jack Beck who was out for the season and The aforementioned Ben and shimek was practicing earlier this week in a non-contact jersey after missing the second game of the

the series at the beginning of January. I'm sure of his status as ⁓ of hours of comments on Tuesday. ⁓ Again, like I said, Andrew, I'm sure he's formulating that picture in his own way, but I would expect that we will see his chairman status be determined ⁓ on game day on Friday. But looking ahead to game day.

Andrew Hayslett (1:21:58)
I tend to think he'll play just as a pure guess. I know nothing about what he's dealing with. I'm not a doctor. I don't know, but I just think he's going to try to tough it out and play in this crucial series against North Dakota. I think he's going to want to get that chance to potentially see Gibson, Homer, his former teammate, and Tim B. ⁓

Coach Powers, he kinda said, he could return if he doesn't play North Dakota, he'll be back next week. So we'll see if he returns or not, but I tend to think he will return.

Tom Hardon (1:22:37)
The kind of player that know that Shumig is, I would think that he is going to do anything that's within his control to be able to be out on the ice this weekend. And looking ahead to the series with North Dakota, Sun Devils should be getting a couple ⁓ of other injured players back. Johnny Waldron missed the series against Miami as did Lincoln Kean. Coach Powers indicated that both players should be back in the lineup.

which is really testing the depth that Coach Barras has touted all season long. But this is, in my mind, is ⁓ the put up or shut up weekend of the season. Is this going to be the start of the Sun Devils push to top four in the conference and homeless advantage in the first round of the NCHC tournament? Or is this going to be a season defining

series loss that puts the Sun Devils in a tailspin and puts them at risk of falling into that ninth spot because as the Sannings are today, only five points separate Arizona State in fifth place from Colorado College in ninth place.

Andrew Hayslett (1:23:53)
I'm going to make the prediction of neither. I think it's going to be a split with a win on Saturday, a on Friday. What this team has done so many times this year. You have to go a long way back to find the last time they lost on a Saturday game before...

Think of what, if memory serves me correctly, was the Colorado College game that was the last Saturday loss. But still, that's a...

Tom Hardon (1:24:25)
Yep, that is correct.

Austen Bundy (1:24:27)
I was there for that one, I think.

Tom Hardon (1:24:31)
So Austin, you're the reason.

Austen Bundy (1:24:33)
I have a reason. I won't be there this Saturday, so they're gonna win.

Andrew Hayslett (1:24:38)
Yeah, so that's something the Sun Devils have done so many times this year is split. haven't... They haven't...

They haven't had a series where they've swept a team and beat that team twice in a row. They did take the two in-season tournaments in the Desert Hockey Classic and the Icebreaker, but they haven't found, ⁓ they did beat Ohio State. They did sweep them, but I will put a little caveat with that, because both those games were overtime games. They haven't swept a team winning a rick.

getting that full six points even though that was a non-conference series. ⁓ But those true regulation wins which bump you up in the NPI more than an overtime win does. regardless, this is a time where the Sun Devils do have to win as many games as can. You have to split at bare minimum. Take four points if you can with a loss in overtime.

at the end of the day, just don't think this team is going to go into tailspin. I think this team is probably just going to putter out for the rest of the year with all these injuries, be like a 5-6 seed, a game in the NCHC first round, but wind up losing the series. ⁓

and then season's over. I don't think they'll miss the tournament. I don't think they'll head into tailspin. I think they'll just kind of putter out. With all these injuries, you've got Waldron coming back. He was going to replace Potter in the lineup in some way. If Schimick comes back, that means Tony Achilles is going to be the other healthy scratch.

It'll be interesting for me at least, Tom, see if Keane coming back, who's going to be the scratch on the defensive side? Will it be Sam Court or Tucker Ness? Because I think they're going to keep Joel Schellberg in there. I think they're going to keep Anthony down there. think they're going to keep the three left side defensemen over there. So I'm not sure which way they're going to go. That's interesting to me.

And one more piece of news if this depth really gets tested here down the line, Hunter Moll has been practicing with the team. If they have to field get another guy, would suspect Hunter Moll would be the guy with all these injuries and the two players departing back to the CHL. He might play game this year if we see some injuries. ⁓

Tom Hardon (1:27:28)
I

believe coach powers said during his comments and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he said that Hunter was was just a practice body. I don't think that there is any realistic expectation that he will be added to the team. And even so, I believe that the Sun Devils are still. ⁓ They'll still be hampered by the house settlement and the roster cap of 26 players. If you look at the roster right now, the Sun Devils are at 26 players. I don't I don't see any way for. ⁓

for them to add a player at this point in the season. I believe they would have had to already designate their designated student athletes or whatever the term is to be able to circumvent that roster cap. But at this point in the season, even if Coach Powers was that desperate, I don't think he could add Hunter Muller to the roster.

Andrew Hayslett (1:28:19)
I don't think he did say that, but you might be right, This house settlement with a dozen student athletes is ⁓ complicated to follow, easiest to follow. When you think it's easy, it's, ⁓ there's this wrinkle, so.

Tom Hardon (1:28:39)
The one I'm to be watching this weekend is. No, which game does Gibson Homer get to start? In that for the for the Hawks, the will head coach Dane Jackson. Put Jan Spooner out there for the Friday game or will not will be let Homer get the Friday start in in his return to Tempe. What I want to get protected from both you guys on that.

Andrew Hayslett (1:29:09)
I'll go first here, Austin. I think he'll get the Friday. I could see it going either way, but I think he'll get the Friday game. Mola Arena is a tougher place to play, would say, in the NCHC. Especially for Nodak, because Nodak might be the hardest place to play in the NCHC, and then besides that...

Western Michigan's up there, Denver's up there, and ASU is up there as well, I would say as tougher places to play. And you might say, okay, you're a freshman, you haven't seen this place before, Gibson-Homer, you've seen the Molotovina.

Often, you know what it's like to play you'll get the start spoon are you can learn from him? I think that's the route they're gonna go rather than ⁓ Spooner you're better than Homer. So you're gonna start Friday out be the argument I would I would imagine for for if it were to go that way but Regardless, I think Homer will be starting Friday and it'll be interesting to see who Arizona State goes on the other side too because I think that's also

in the air.

Tom Hardon (1:30:29)
Awesome. Your take on who's going to get the net for North Dakota. ⁓ it be the returning Sun Neville like Andrew is saying? And I'm tending to agree with Andrew as well. think that Homer is going to get the start having played here for two years.

Austen Bundy (1:30:31)
you

Yeah, I also, think you as a coach, you probably want to get that out of the way, especially if you're thinking that's the weaker of your two going into this ⁓ matchup. I feel like I don't think you'd call it a sacrificial lamb type of start, but ⁓ considering ASU potential is set up to potentially. Dent Gibson a little bit here. ⁓ I feel like North Dakota would potentially want to put him up first in this Friday game, get a little bit of that rust shaken off early.

⁓ let his team settle in a little bit against their opponent ⁓ rather than going in guns blazing taking the friday game with your best colt enter and saturday your steer tired your fatigue from that first game and then you're you're letting up potential easier goals with with gipson and that there we get his old team ⁓

I think you get that out of the way first because there's a greater chance that Gibson settles in better in the second and third period. The team defends better around him. The offense gets going on a Friday game and you potentially steal that or if you somehow get pushed to overtime. That's a more desirable scenario than going in, taking a Friday game with your best goaltender and then potentially missing out on all the points on a Saturday game.

Tom Hardon (1:32:01)
Yeah, and with also with Homer getting the if he does get the start the more faithful or not.

probably will not be giving him a very warm reception. ⁓ And I'm gonna go out here on the record and say I don't think that any poor reception for Homer is deserved. think that given his ⁓ career for the Sun Devils, ⁓ he's not going to be deserving of any booze or otherwise that he does get. But we saw TJ Sumpkin Felter get a very chilly reception when he got to start the opening game.

for North Dakota last season. If I know hockey fans, have very short memories and it's a, you left me, so, you you're something.

But as far as who's going to get the start at net for the Sun Devils, my leaning is towards Connor Hasley. He got the win in Grand Forks back in November. He's gotten the last, I believe, four games in a row, maybe three games in a row. But I think that Coach Powers will give Has the start for the Friday game before turning to Urbán for the Saturday game.

Andrew Hayslett (1:33:20)
Urbann was the most recent to start for the Sun Devils in the Miami series, he got the shutout there.

Tom Hardon (1:33:26)
That's right, you got the shutout.

Andrew Hayslett (1:33:31)
Coming, well before that game I always said, it's definitely Hasley, but with Urban coming off the shutout, I'm not so sure for me anymore. I still lean Hasley to start Friday and then Urban Saturday, but.

I'm not surprised about anything in terms of goaltending on who's starting which way for both teams. The only real surprise for Arizona State if they were to trot out Chase Hamm as their starting goaltender one of these two games. That would be a surprise, but other than that nothing would surprise me in terms of how they play it. If it's even Urbon twice or Hasley twice, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tom Hardon (1:34:14)
That is if Ham is off the injury report. He was listed on the injury report for the Miami series as well. you know. But, you know, Ham hasn't seen any minutes this season. The hope is he doesn't have to see any minutes unless Arizona State is up by eight goals or down by eight goals. And Coach Power says, you go, kid, have some minutes.

Andrew Hayslett (1:34:37)
Yeah.

Tom Hardon (1:34:39)
This is a very crucial series for the Sun Devils. ⁓ Really got to have at least four points. can't, Sun Devils can't be...

going into ⁓ the series and playing for splits because they're just going to be staying net even in the standings, won't be gaining any ground. And as I look at the NCHC standings right now, I think that Minnesota Duluth is the team that has the most risk of falling out of that top four spot with a very tough schedule coming up and losing their own goaltender Adam Guyon to the Olympics for a stretch in February.

it'll be a critical stretch for the Sun Devils to make up ground and try and sneak their way into that top four by the end of the season. Well, any... Go ahead.

Andrew Hayslett (1:35:31)
Yeah.

I'm running some NPI numbers right now. Hypotheticals, I'm giving ASU a win Friday night and an overtime loss Saturday night and that would move ASU, I didn't give any other teams hypotheticals so it might be a little bit off here in terms of how the real life situation would play out but that would move Arizona State up to 19 for what it's worth in the NPI with a four point weekend.

Tom Hardon (1:36:03)
And, you know,

Andrew Hayslett (1:36:03)
So I.

Austen Bundy (1:36:03)
So what

if you factor in other teams splitting, getting sweeps over there, I'd maybe knock them down to what 22 potentially.

Andrew Hayslett (1:36:10)
I had a tour.

Tom Hardon (1:36:10)
I think

you could see 21 as a final spot with the winter overtime loss.

Andrew Hayslett (1:36:18)
Yeah, it just depends on how these other games go. Sweep, who wins, who loses, what's expected, what's not, yeah.

Tom Hardon (1:36:29)
It's going to come down to the wire in the race for the Penrose Cup. Only 12 games remaining for the Sun Devils, ⁓ the most important games here at Mold Arena, hosting North Dakota, currently number three in the NPI, leading team in the NCHC.

games will be on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. If you're a student and you don't have your ticket yet, get there. If you are in the Phoenix area and don't have your ticket yet, get a ticket. You don't want to miss this series. Any other closing thoughts from you guys before we sign off?

Andrew Hayslett (1:37:07)
Yes, actually, I don't think we talked about it last episode, but Willy Blomquist did sign an extension.

Tom Hardon (1:37:14)
Yes,

he did. Yep, a year extension, believe. Correct, Andrew?

Andrew Hayslett (1:37:17)
Yep, two years. that would put him through the end of the 2028 season for Bloomquist. So that was announced ⁓ a while back and I don't think we talked about it. I think this is an adequate extension for the results Bloomquist has put up.

Tie him down to your meet long-term future because yeah, he hasn't put up the results that should be the standard yet But he's been improving every year the hire of Jeremy a cardo is the pitching coach I think was a ⁓ potentially a home run higher the the era improved by over a point Which is huge? If a cardo can

really develop something here in Tempe, I think this team will be a force to reckon with looking at the baseball season.

Tom Hardon (1:38:17)
Yeah, I think it's also a it's an appropriate extension and this this is this is the time to really get get this program back to

the promise that it once had having up into Omaha since 2010 really a really an opportunity to build off of last year's turn in appearance and work towards getting back to a super regional take a one step at a time. Don't try and go for go for Omaha right off the bat. But

Take it a step each time, advance further in the regional, get to a super regional, then start setting your sights on Omaha. think with consistent incremental improvement, I believe that the right pieces are in place right now. And I think that with the right tutelage under Bloomquist and the rest of the coaching staff, I think that this team, this program can make it back to the promised land.

I know that that's all that's all for me. ⁓ Or Andrew or Austin and for I had who joined us earlier as our basketball expert. I'm Tom Harden. And as always, give him hell devils.