QB
BLeavitt at 91 (sophomore, stamina 95). Top-3 of 81.3.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 7.6 / 10
Arizona State
Strategist Dillingham with rare A- coach stability and the only 90+ junior-sophomore offensive duo at the 3.5-prestige tier.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Kenny Dillingham program where the only 90+ junior-sophomore offensive duo at the 3.5-prestige tier collides with rare A- coach stability, Arizona State is the Big 12 team built to compound across three years. Tyson at 94 with short route running 96 is the highest-rated junior WR in the editorial set. Leavitt at 91 ties South Carolina's Sellers for the top sophomore QB. Udoh at HB junior 88, Fite at DT junior 85, and Moss at WR junior 85 round out the underclass core. The catch: SoCal Tier-5 is your only above-Tier-3 reach, and if Dillingham's A- stability cracks under a Power 4 offer, that home pipeline goes with him.
What makes Arizona State different from the other 3.5-prestige Strategist programs is the company it keeps. NC State under Doeren asks you to ride a 3-deep sophomore bridge (Nelson II, Smothers, Andersen) into Year 3 starters under double-B+ coach grades. SMU under Lashlee asks you to chase a Year 1 CFP run before a 7-senior cliff drains the launch roster. Arizona State asks you to ride Tyson, Leavitt, Udoh, Fite, and Moss across three years while Dillingham's A- stability holds the program together. Same archetype as NC State, same conference adjacency as SMU, with the only 90+ junior-sophomore offensive pair at the 3.5-prestige tier.
The 7.6 buys you Tyson's senior year, Leavitt's junior year, and three more upperclassmen who don't graduate until you're already a Big 12 contender. The catch is the Big 12 schedule that pits Year 1 against Texas Tech, Colorado, and Iowa State, and a senior secondary that graduates as a unit and reloads through the SoCal class. Don't pick ASU for a Year 1 ceiling chase. Pick ASU for the three-year compound where Dillingham's stability turns Tyson and Leavitt into a sustained Big 12 contender.
Head Coach
Kenny Dillingham
StrategistDillingham is a Strategist archetype with B+ coach prestige and A- coach stability — the rare strong-stability mark at the 3.5-prestige tier. Strategist means the staff out-schemes opponents week-to-week rather than relying on overwhelming talent or institutional weight. The launch roster gives Dillingham Tyson at WR junior, Leavitt at QB sophomore, Udoh at HB junior, Fite at DT junior, and Moss at WR junior as the underclass core, with Alford, Rowser, Metayer, Elliott, and Coleman carrying Year 1. The A- stability is the structural advantage. The risk is upward: A- coach stability plus consecutive winning seasons attracts Power 4 head-coaching offers, and Dillingham could leave Arizona State for a bigger job before Year 4.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Big 12 |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Kenny Dillingham · Strategist |
| Team Prestige | 3.5 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 84 |
| Top Position Group | Defensive Backs · A- · top-3 avg 86.7 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · C · top-3 avg 73.3 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | B- |
| Brand Exposure | C+ |
| Coach Prestige | B+ |
| Coach Stability | A- |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 5 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Jr | 94 | Short Route Running 96 |
| 02 | Sam Leavitt | QB | So | 91 | Stamina 95 |
| 03 | Xavion Alford | SS | Sr | 91 | Stamina 97 |
| 04 | Kanye Udoh | HB | Jr | 88 | Stamina 98 |
| 05 | Chamon Metayer | TE | Sr | 86 | Injury 90 |
| 06 | Keyshaun Elliott | WILL | Sr | 86 | Pursuit 91 |
| 07 | Ben Coleman | C | Sr | 85 | Strength 93 |
| 08 | C.J. Fite | DT | Jr | 85 | Toughness 97 |
| 09 | Jalen Moss | WR | Jr | 85 | Acceleration 92 |
| 10 | Myles Rowser | FS | Sr | 85 | Stamina 95 |
Position Group Grades
RB
B+Udoh at 88 (junior, stamina 98). Top-3 of 83.0.
WR
B+Tyson at 94 (junior, short route running 96) and Moss at 85 (junior, acceleration 92). Top-3 of 85.0.
TE
B-Metayer at 86 (senior, injury 90). Top-3 of 78.0.
OL
BColeman at C (85, senior, strength 93). Top-3 of 82.3.
DL
B+Fite at DT (85, junior, toughness 97). Top-3 of 83.0.
LB
BElliott at WILL (86, senior, pursuit 91). Top-3 of 81.3.
DB
A-Alford at SS (91, senior, stamina 97), Rowser at FS (85, senior, stamina 95). Top-3 of 86.7, the strongest unit on the roster.
ST
CTop-3 of 73.3.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Multiple Offense (Arizona State Default)
Run Multiple Offense because the multi-year skill cluster anchors the design. Leavitt extends plays at stamina 95 and throws on the move at throw power 94. Tyson runs the short-route route tree at 96. Udoh carries the rotations at stamina 98. Moss stretches the field at acceleration 92.
Why this fits
Three top-10 multi-year skill players (Tyson, Leavitt, Udoh) plus a junior WR2 (Moss) gives the Multiple Offense the 2-3 year skill cohesion that justifies running tempo and play-action without a senior fallback.
Defense
4-2-5 (Arizona State Default)
Run the 4-2-5 because the senior front-and-back is the design's whole point. Alford reads run-pass at stamina 97 and injury 95. Rowser patrols deep at stamina 95. Elliott closes run fits at pursuit 91. Fite at DT junior 85 gives the multi-year interior.
Why this fits
The 4-2-5's nickel personnel matches the DB grade A- unit. Two top-10 senior defensive backs plus a senior WILL carries Year 1, and Fite's junior eligibility carries the multi-year DL bridge.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- Southern CaliforniaTier 5
- Northern CaliforniaTier 3
- Pacific NorthwestTier 2
- ArizonaTier 2
- North TexasTier 2
- East TexasTier 2
- LouisianaTier 1
- OhioTier 1
- HawaiiTier 1
- Central FloridaTier 1
You'll recruit hard in California. Southern California is the only Tier-5 reach on the recruiting board, and Northern California is the lone Tier-3, anchoring the entire West Coast plan. Below those two, the visit budget gets thin: four Tier-2 reaches plus four Tier-1 long-distance reaches that aren't worth the spend. Dillingham at B+ coach prestige and A- coach stability can land specific recruits the bigger Big 12 schools also want, and the SoCal Tier-5 home is structurally strong for a 3.5-prestige tier.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 5-senior cliff at SS/FS/TE/WILL/C. Defensive back is critical. Alford and Rowser graduate together, and the Year 1 DB class becomes Year 2's identity behind whoever Dillingham signs. After DB, replacement TE depth behind Metayer, replacement LB depth behind Elliott, replacement OL behind Coleman.
Avoid the deep South and Sun Belt entirely beyond a single targeted player. The Tier-1 cluster (Louisiana, Ohio, Hawaii, Central Florida) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Arizona State
Year 1
The Tyson-Leavitt Window
You're inheriting an 84 overall with five top-10 underclassmen on the bridge. Don't audition backups. Run Multiple Offense, feed Tyson 10 targets a game, and let Alford and Rowser eat behind the senior front. Year 1 is a Big 12 contender's run that the underclass core carries on offense and the senior secondary carries on defense. While you're winning, sign the Year 1 DB class that the SoCal Tier-5 home closes above the 3.5 ceiling.
Goal
Big 12 contender, 9-10 wins, top-15 recruiting class with secondary depth and OL at the top, the multi-year skill cluster and the senior secondary carry a CFP-bubble Year 1.
Years 2-3
The Compound Window
Five senior anchors graduate. Tyson becomes a senior, Leavitt becomes a junior, Udoh becomes a senior, Fite becomes a senior, Moss becomes a senior. The Year 1 DB class becomes Year 2 starters. Dillingham's Strategist archetype combined with the returning underclass core means the offense compounds into Year 2's apex, with Leavitt as the QB bridge into Year 3.
Goal
9-10 wins, Leavitt at 93+ as a junior, top-15 recruiting class maintained.
Year 4+
The Stability Decision
By Year 4, the dynasty is whatever the recruits became and whether Dillingham is still the head coach. A- coach stability at launch is the structural advantage, but consecutive winning seasons creates the upside risk that Dillingham takes a Power 4 head-coaching offer. If he stays, Arizona State holds a 9-win Big 12 baseline. If he leaves, the rebuild restarts under another archetype.
Goal
Stable 9-win Big 12 program with the Strategist tactical edge intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arizona State good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for a Strategist Dillingham three-year compound with the only 90+ junior-sophomore offensive duo at the 3.5-prestige tier, with caveats. Arizona State enters CFB 26 with an 84-overall roster, B+ coach prestige and A- coach stability Dillingham under a Strategist archetype, and Tyson at WR junior 94 leading the multi-year offensive identity. The 3.5-prestige cap and SoCal-narrow recruiting are the structural caps.
What's Arizona State's prestige in CFB 26?
Arizona State enters CFB 26 with a 3.5-star prestige rating, paired with B+ coach prestige and A- coach stability. The Tier-5 Southern California home plus a Tier-3 Northern California reach gives ASU the only Tier-5 SoCal home among 3.5-prestige programs in the editorial set.
What playbook does Arizona State use in CFB 26?
Dillingham's Arizona State runs a Multiple Offense and a 4-2-5 defense. The Multiple Offense fits Leavitt at QB, Tyson at WR, and Udoh at HB. The 4-2-5 deploys Alford at SS (91, senior, stamina 97), Rowser at FS (85, senior, stamina 95), and Elliott at WILL (86, senior, pursuit 91).
Who is Arizona State's best player in College Football 26?
Jordyn Tyson at 94 OVR, junior wide receiver, with short route running 96, medium route running 95, and agility 93. Tyson is the highest-rated player on the roster and the multi-year offensive identity of Dillingham's Multiple Offense. Sam Leavitt at QB (91, sophomore, stamina 95) and Xavion Alford at SS (91, senior, stamina 97) round out a top three split between the underclass core and the Year 1 secondary anchor.
Should I rebuild Arizona State or take an easier team?
Arizona State is a Strategist three-year compound, not a Year 1 CFP contender. The Year 1 ceiling is a Big 12 contender's run; the Year 2-3 floor depends on the underclass core compounding under Dillingham's continued tenure. Take Arizona State if you want the only 90+ junior-sophomore offensive duo at the 3.5-prestige tier plus rare A- coach stability. If you want a faster Year 1 ceiling at the same prestige tier, look at SMU; if you want a slower compound under similar archetype, look at NC State.