Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium
The Arizona State Sun Devils are a perennially tough opponent known for fielding competitive teams. Coached since 2018 by Herm Edwards, the Sun Devils have won 14 bowl games and 17 conference titles. Arizona State plays in Sun Devil Stadium, which originally opened in 1958 and underwent a five-year renovation that was finished in August 2019. Among other things, the stadium, which now seats around 55,000 people, added a 5,000-square-foot beer garden and space for the Pat Tillman Veterans Center.
Arizona State Sun Devils Football History
Arizona State's football program dates back to 1896, when the university was called the Territorial Normal School. During their initial existence, the team was known as the Tempe Normals. Later, the squad played as the Arizona State Bulldogs from 1922 to 1946 until adopting the Sun Devils as a name. Arizona State was independent until joining the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1931. The team later played in the Western Athletic Conference between 1962 and 1977 before joining current league home the Pac-10 (now known as the Pac-12) in 1978.
Arizona State's legacy as a football powerhouse was cemented thanks to head coach Frank Kush, a ferocious leader who guided the program to just one losing record between 1958 and 1979. Under his watch, the Sun Devils won five straight Western Athletic Conference championships and went undefeated in 1970 and 1975, the two years they also won national championships. During the Kush era, Arizona State also won four straight Fiesta Bowls between 1970 and 1973. Other notable head coaches include College Football Hall of Fame member Dan Devine, who led the team three very successful winning seasons just before Kush took over, and Dennis Erickson, who guided the team to a Pac-10 co-championship and a Holiday Bowl appearance in 2007.
The Sun Devils have produced dozens of NFL players and several Pro Football Hall of Famers, including running back John Henry Johnson, cornerback Mike Haynes and wide receiver Charley Taylor. College Football Hall of Famer Pat Tillman, who was killed during combat while serving in the U.S. Army, is also an alum. The Sun Devils have a century-plus rivalry with the Arizona Wildcats. Every year, the two teams meet in what's known as the Duel in the Desert for control over the Territorial Cup, which was first awarded in 1899.
