This isn’t your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it’s my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
- Who do I think is good?
- Why do I think they’re good?
- What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here is a look at where Arizona State lands in my Ultimate 136.
Arizona State ranking: 23
Last year’s ranking: 56
Top player: QB Sam Leavitt: Finished his first year at ASU as the school record holder for total offense by a freshman with 3,328 yards and second in program history in passing yards by a freshman at 2,885; named Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season.
[Arizona State’s 2025 schedule]
RJ’s take: The Sun Devils retired the Preseason Big 12 Media poll all by themselves. Picked to finish dead last in a 16-team league, the Sun Devils proceeded to go from 3-9 to 11-3 with a Big 12 title and quarterfinal appearance in the College Football Playoff.
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Kenny Dillingham’s team returns star QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jordyn Tyson and edge rusher Clayton Smith to a team that expects to finish right where it ended last year. Leavitt passed for nearly 3,000 yards and created a dynamic partnership with Tyson, who caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards with 10 TDs.
Former Army RB Kanye Udoh figures to be RB1 after rushing for 1,117 yards at 6.0 yards per carry last year. Still, replacing Cam Skattebo might prove to be a group effort. He accounted for more than 2,300 yards and 24 TDs from scrimmage in 2024.
[Check out RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]
Arizona State Win Total Odds: Over 8.5 (+102) Under 8.5 (-124)
Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school’s rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young, and I’ll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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