The Arizona State football team just missed out on being ranked in the Top 25 of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll to begin the 2021-22 college football season.
The Sun Devils were the third highest vote receiving team of those that didn’t make the Top 25, essentially making them No. 28 in the nation in the first edition of the poll for the upcoming season, which was released on Tuesday morning.
ASU returns most of its key players from a 2-2 COVID-19 shortened season last season and has received some hype as a possible Pac-12 title contender even though the program is embroiled in an NCAA investigation into alleged recruiting violations.
The coaches evidently didn’t feel like the Sun Devils warranted a Top 25 position to open the season.
More:ASU football: NCAA investigation doesn’t hurt Sun Devils’ college football Top 25 rankings
USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith included ASU in his list of the Top 5 snubs in the coaches poll.
He wrote: “The Sun Devils were poised to have a breakout season last year before the team was limited to just four games and much of the expected promise never materialized. The good news is that almost everyone returns to this year’s team that should contend for the Pac-12 title. The optimism starts with QB Jayden Daniels. Predicted for stardom after an impressive freshman season, he was unsurprisingly inconsistent after the team had a four-week break after its opener due to COVID-19. The good news is that Daniels won’t have to do all of the work. Arizona State led the conference in rushing (264.2 yards per game) and returns its top two ground gainers and all but one starter on the offensive line. There’s equal optimism as the defensive unit returns several standouts, including DL Jermayne Lole, LB Merlin Robertson and DB Chase Lucas. All the pieces are in place for the Sun Devils to thrive in Herm Edwards’ fourth season. The thing that could make it all fall apart is the NCAA investigation into the program that has three assistant coaches on leave after allegations of recruiting improprieties during the COVID-19 dead period.”
Just three Pac-12 teams were ranked in the coaches poll with Oregon at No. 12, USC at No. 14 and Washington at No. 21.
Utah was the highest vote receiving team of those not in the Top 25, with Northwestern right in front of ASU.
ASU is scheduled to open its season hosting Southern Utah on Sept. 2.
More:ASU quarterback Jayden Daniels ranked No. 72 among college football QBs for 2021-22 season
Other rankings for ASU football
Several sites did have ASU in their early Top 25 rankings for the upcoming season.
ESPN ranked Arizona State No. 25.
Kyle Bonagura wrote: “The Sun Devils return 21 starters from a team that was supposed to be good last year but really just never got out of first gear thanks, at least in part, to a COVID-19 outbreak. At Pac-12 media day, coach Herm Edwards and quarterback Jayden Daniels maintained that the ongoing NCAA investigation into conduct by the coaching staff relating to violations of COVID-19 protocols and recruiting rules won’t affect the team on the field. Heading into his junior year, Daniels has a chance to be special and one of the faces of the conference.”
CBS Sports had Herm Edwards’ team ranked No. 24.
The site ranked all 130 college football teams for 2021 and it had the Sun Devils ahead of No. 25 Louisiana and behind No. 23 Ole Miss on its list.
More:Pac-12 football coaches rave about ASU football in 2021: ‘This is the real team to beat’
NCAA.com had the Sun Devils ranked No. 23.
It wrote: “The Sun Devils played only four games, but they still piled up more than 1,000 rushing yards to go with QB Jayden Daniels’ 701 passing yards. Much of the defensive talent is back as well, including top tackler Evan Fields.”
Bleacher Report also put ASU at No. 23.
David Kenyon wrote: “Will the cloud of alleged recruiting violations sting Arizona State in the fall? Probably not, but it’s possible. Still, the Sun Devils have a young, talent-filled offense, led by third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, hoping to complement a defense that should be among the Pac-12’s best units.”
Athlon Sports ranked Arizona State No. 15.
Steven Lassan wrote: “All of the pieces are in place for Herm Edwards’ team to win the Pac-12 in 2021. The Sun Devils return nearly everyone off last year’s squad, including quarterback Jayden Daniels and running backs Rachaad White and Chip Trayanum. A crossover game at Washington is tough, and Arizona State travels to Utah, but USC visits Tempe on Nov. 6.”
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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