Saturday, Nov. 16
7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. Pacific
ESPN, ESPN Plus
The Arizona State Sun Devils have been one of the most pleasant surprises in college football this season. Coach Kenny Dillingham has done a superb job transforming ASU into a winning team after a rough first season which, to be fair, involved a lot of injuries to the Sun Devils’ offensive line. Arizona State competed really well last season, given how shorthanded the roster was. Dillingham did good work in 2023.
A lot of people outside the state of Arizona didn’t really appreciate that reality because the win-loss record wasn’t impressive. People inside the program, however, knew just how much heavy lifting Dillingham did. This year, with a healthier offensive line and better pieces in place at quarterback and some other key nerve-center positions, we have seen what Arizona State is capable of. The Sun Devils will go bowling and have a chance to play in a decent bowl if they can win out.
The consistent feature of ASU this year, other than star running back Cam Skattebo – who has been sensational – is that the Sun Devils have been good in late-game situations. They have rallied to win a number of games this season, notably against Texas State, Kansas, and more recently versus UCF. They trailed and took some punches but were able to respond in the fourth quarter. ASU got roped into a number of tough games but has been able to rise to the challenge in fourth quarters. It will be interesting to see if ASU can be within one score in the fourth quarter with a chance to beat Kansas State on the road, or if the Wildcats – who have had a disappointing season – will be able to establish the clear upper hand and get control of this game by halftime.
Arizona State Sun Devils-Kansas State Wildcats Odds
Spread: Arizona State +8.5 (-110), Kansas State -8.5 (-110)
Total: 49.5 (Over -114, Under -106)
Underdog moneyline: Arizona State +250
Hear T.J. Rives and Brian Edwards talk more about this game and all the intriguing underdogs on the “3 Dog Thursday Podcast” by clicking play below,
Sun Devil Rebound To Continue?
Arizona State has had the better season, but Kansas State should have the better team. The Wildcats did score a road win at Colorado, a win which is more impressive than any individual win ASU has. However, Arizona State has been more consistent on a weekly basis, while KSU has weirdly faltered at times and has allowed winnable games to slip away, most notably blowing a 19-10 lead to Houston in a 24-19 loss. That’s the kind of game Arizona State has not lost this year.
The real question from a betting standpoint is if Arizona State can play this game on relatively even terms in the first three quarters.
If it does, ASU’s fourth-quarter chops would suggest that the Sun Devils can bring this game home under the 8.5-point spread and cover. If Kansas State is able to start quickly and jump out to a 14-0 lead, then you might see the game snowball on an Arizona State team which has fallen behind on several occasions this season and – this time – might not be able to rally. ASU has been living dangerously this year, but the Sun Devils have overcome slow starts. Arizona State wants this game to come down to the final 10 minutes. Kansas State wants to gain early separation and create a large working margin. Your bet should reflect which scenario you think will unfold here. The Big 12 has been a notoriously difficult conference to predict in 2024, so we do not have a strong lean to either side or to the total.