Analyzing Arizona State's 2022 Schedule
Although the Arizona State Sun Devils are still preparing for their upcoming bowl game in Las Vegas, ASU now fully knows their 2022 football schedule.
The schedule begins with three non-conference games before Pac-12 play begins.
Some things remain a staple, as Arizona State once again welcomes the season at Sun Devil Stadium on a Thursday night while ending the year with a fierce Territorial Cup battle with Arizona.
Yet, there are some notable games (and thus key differences) that are a change of pace from this past season.
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Analyzing Arizona State's 2022 Schedule
The beginning
The Sun Devils will welcome Northern Arizona as their first opponents of the season. The Lumberjacks, who defeated Arizona this season, would love to complete the sweep of major in-state schools in next year's opener.
If you were looking for a cupcake schedule, look elsewhere. Arizona State travels to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State in the second week of action as the first part of a home-and-home that will see the Cowboys travel to Sun Devil Stadium in 2023.
The Cowboys, looking to finish a strong 11-2 season with a win against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl this year, are currently the No. 9 ranked team in the country.
It's safe to say the Sun Devils, losing major talent this offseason with a considerably weak recruiting class, will have their work cut out for them early next season.
Perhaps a slight advantage may come with the Sun Devils having an extra few days of rest between games, as Arizona State hosts NAU on a Thursday.
Arizona State then returns home for a game against Eastern Michigan prior to the start of Pac-12 play.
The opening stretch is by no means easy, as the Sun Devils will be tested early in three different stages of strength of opponent in their first slate of games.
Oklahoma State is undeniably the toughest out of any team, yet Arizona State will have to get off to a very good start in order to begin the season 3-0 or 2-1 heading into Pac-12 play.
Conference play/mid-season
What better way to begin the Pac-12 schedule than playing the defending champions? The Utah Utes will be in town in Week 4, as Arizona State looks for revenge following a loss in Utah that essentially derailed the rest of the 2021 season for ASU.
The following week, Arizona State pays USC a visit to begin the month of October. The Sun Devils will see a Lincoln Riley-led Trojans team for the first time in the L.A. Coliseum, which should provide a more competitive edge than previous years for the Trojans.
Arizona State then returns home to host the Washington Huskies. After playing in miserable weather in the comeback win against Washington this season, 2022 at least looks to be nice this time around in Tempe.
A bye week is in store for the Sun Devils before traveling to Stanford and Colorado in back-to-back weeks.
Stanford currently has the Pac-12's top recruiting class after early signing day, ranking No. 15 nationally with over 20 commitments.
Admittedly so, facing Utah and USC in consecutive weeks isn't ideal for the Sun Devils. The tail end is more friendly, although Stanford is projected to be a more viable opponent next season.
Final Stretch
The Sun Devils welcome UCLA for the first game of November before traveling to Washington State.
To answer any questions: No, Arizona State was not subjected to playing consecutive games in the Pacific Northwest.
The Sun Devils play host to Oregon State for their season finale at Sun Devil Stadium before traveling to Tucson to take on in-state rival Arizona the day after Thanksgiving (Friday, Nov. 25) to conclude the 2022 regular season.
Final Thoughts
The good news is Arizona State's toughest stretch of the year will happen in the front half of the schedule. Recent history proves the Sun Devils have gotten off to strong starts, and although Arizona State will likely be underdogs in matchups against Oklahoma State, Utah and USC, perhaps catching those teams earlier in the season can provide more of a wild card when they're still figuring out their identity.
To counter that thought, however, the Sun Devils themselves are losing plenty of talent and will likely be going through growing pains of their own to begin the season. Arizona State hopes veterans such as quarterback Jayden Daniels and defensive lineman Jermayne Lole can help ASU persevere through any tough times.
The bye week comes in the middle of Arizona State's 12-game schedule, which isn't too early nor too late in the eyes and minds of coaches.
The second half of the schedule is more friendly for ASU, although the Sun Devils have shown that their ability to finish in conference play is nothing to write home about. Arizona did avoid playing Oregon for another season, however.
Like any season, Arizona State's success will ultimately come down to their execution.
However, this schedule feels much stronger than 2021, a season that ultimately led to disappointment down the stretch in Tempe. Another nine-win season may be in the cards (assuming dominoes fall correctly for ASU), and that's being generous in some matchups.
Football isn't played on paper, though. The Sun Devils can only focus on their upcoming bowl game against Wisconsin before going 1-0 against Northern Arizona to begin 2022.