Arizona State Coach Kenny Dillingham Made A Really Weird Argument For Why The Sun Devils Should Get A CFP Bye

Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham made a case for his squad to get a bye in the College Football Playoff - but his argument for why was rather weak.

After clobbering the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 title game 45-19 on Saturday, Dillingham spoke with an ESPN reporter about why he believes the Sun Devils should be a top-four team. Remember, the four highest spots are reserved for only four conference champions, meaning that one conference winner between the Power 4 and Group of 5 schools has to play an extra game.

Wanting to avoid the additional wear and tear, Dillingham pitched his argument for ASU to get the bye, and it really flopped.

"Last year, [the CFP Selection Committee] kept Florida State out because their quarterback didn't play. We're 11-1 with our quarterback. 11-1. And we're Big 12 champs. I think we should be treated like an 11-1 team," Dillingham said.

If I were in Dillingham shoes, I would point to the past four quarters I played as enough evidence. While Boise State did finish the year as 12-1 Mountain West champions, it didn’t have a quality win against a ranked opponent like ASU’s title win, and had a smaller margin of victory to win the MWC. That’s what should catapult ASU into a top-four spot, despite ending the year at 12-2.

ARLINGTON, Tex. - Head coach Kenny Dillingham of the Arizona State Sun Devils reacts during the second quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones of the Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium on December 7, 2024. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Comparing his team to last year’s FSU team is like comparing apples and oranges. ASU played only one game with a backup QB, Florida State essentially played three. Despite the Seminoles’ quarterback situation, they still found a way to go undefeated and win the ACC (which makes it even more confusing why they were left out). Basically, Dillingham is drawing attention to an issue that probably wasn’t on the committee’s mind anyway when assessing ASU’s body of work this year.

ASU should get one of the byes in the playoff rankings based on its resume and its punishing win in the Big 12 title game. The next time Dillingham makes a playoff case for his team, he should focus more on what his team did this season, not what the committee did last year.