So I don't come across as a Debbie-Downer I thought I'd follow yesterday's post with the opposite topic. I was going to do ASU's MOST surprising team, but I knew in a heartbeat it'd be an overwhelming response to the 1996 Sun Devils. We of course all knew that this was the one rarity it would seem where we entered the season with fairly high expectations only to blow them away completely. We started the season ranked in the top 25 and played a very gritty opener against U-Dub whereby we had a three TD lead only to have them tie it up again in the fourth quarter but we eventually beat them on a Robert Nycz field goal as time expired. That then propelled us to the amazing shut-out of #1 Nebraska who were back to back national champs. That week prior even SI did a cover story that said "RED ALERT: Can anyone beat Nebraska?" That legendary win vaulted us to an undefeated regular season, a Rose Bowl berth, a #2 ranking going into the Rose Bowl, and put us within a minute of winning the national title. Without a doubt that was our most surprising season.
So with that said, what was our second most surprising season? Once more keep in mind, I've only been religiously following ASU football since the mid-90's so I'm sure there are plenty before the ones I'm giving you here:
1997
EXPECTATIONS: ASU lost the vast majority of its starters from that legendary 1996 squad. While many thought we'd have the talent to make some noise, we were also breaking in a new QB in Ryan Kealy and had a very difficult schedule that year.
REALITY: ASU would go on to a 9-3 season including some major upsets against Miami in the Orange Bowl and the eventual Pac-10 champs Washington State. A disappointing outing against the rats however was the only thing keeping the Sun Devils from making a Fiesta Bowl berth and winning a share of the Pac title with Wazzu.
2002
EXPECTATIONS: Not very many going into the season as ASU was breaking in a new QB in Ryan Christiansen and had some formidable opponents on the schedule including a season opener in Lincoln, Nebraska, North Carolina at home, and Oregon on the road.
REALITY: ASU was blown out in Lincoln (despite keeping it competitive through the third quarter) and was looking very bad in its third game against San Diego State on the road being down 21-0 early. That's when Dirk Koetter eventually benched Christiansen for Andrew Walter. Walter's first two passes were long TD passes and ASU overcame the deficit easily and punished SDSU. From there they had a roller coaster season that included a loss to North Carolina, but a HUGE upset over #6 Oregon at Autzen Stadium (also after being down 21-0). The Sun Devils ended up with a respectable 8-5 record in the regular season and found themselves with a berth in the Holiday Bowl against #5 K-State. ASU were 42 point underdogs in that game but lead the entire match up until the closing seconds when K-State managed to finally pull out a small victory.
2007
EXPECTATIONS: ASU returned the vast majority of their 7-6 team from the year before but having Dennis Erickson as a new coach was a bit of a wild card. The general consensus was that we'd probably repeat the performance from a year earlier, maybe notch an extra win or two.
REALITY: In practically every game, ASU trailed, even badly at some points, but still managed to start the season off 8-0 and eventually achieve a #6 ranking. A trip to Autzen Stadium however stopped the Sun Devils party with their first loss of the season. ASU would then pick up two more victories with a shot at winning the Pac and returning to the Rose Bowl if they could get by USC. Unfortunately USC crushed the Sun Devils on Thanksgiving Day at Sun Devil Stadium, but ASU did still share the honors for the conference title earning them a spot in the Holiday Bowl. ASU was then crushed by Texas in the Holiday Bowl but ended the season off with a very surprising 10-3 record, which would be the only winning record Erickson achieved in his five years at ASU.
2012
EXPECTATIONS: One word..."dismal". New coach, new quarterback, new offense, barely a lick of any talent from the highly touted (yet disappointing) 2011 squad. Even I remember predicting only five wins that year and I'm the eternal optimist! Talent-wise, ASU was the very definition of having "the cupboard left bare".
REALITY: ASU started off the season completely destroying NAU. While yes it was NAU, this was the first time I can remember ASU handling them like a Pac team was supposed to handle an FCS team dropping 60+ on them. ASU's surprising offense and opportunistic defense would then pick up some solid wins against Illinois (and their legendary defense) and Utah while nearly pulling off an amazing comeback in Columbia against Mizzou. ASU would start the season 5-1 but then hit a major roadblock losing their next four straight. ASU would then go on to win its next three including a thrashing of Washington State, an amazing come from behind win in Sucton (during the infamous dancing tomato game), and a dismantling of Navy in the Fight Hunger Bowl. The 8-5 record completely destroyed the low expectations going into the season.
2014
EXPECTATIONS: Despite plenty of talent returning on the offensive side of the ball, ASU had to replace nine starters on its defense including back to back Pat Tillman Award Winner Will Sutton and his protege Carl Bradford. Many of the positions on the defensive side of the ball were manned by true freshmen. The loss of so much talent from the prior year's 10 win season that saw ASU win its first divisional title lead many to temper their expectations for ASU's chances for success. (Some publications even outright predicted we wouldn't even make a bowl)
REALITY: The freshmen stepped up big time for ASU and the Devils once more were one of the nation's leaders in forcing turnovers. This lead to ASU notching a 9-3 regular season which gave ASU a very realistic chance at repeating as South Champs up until their final game against the rats who squeaked by the Sun Devils. ASU landed a Sun Bowl berth and beat a talented Duke squad in a very thrilling game where ASU intercepted the ball on the final play of the game in the end zone to secure a back to back 10 win season.
So with that said, what was our second most surprising season? Once more keep in mind, I've only been religiously following ASU football since the mid-90's so I'm sure there are plenty before the ones I'm giving you here:
1997
EXPECTATIONS: ASU lost the vast majority of its starters from that legendary 1996 squad. While many thought we'd have the talent to make some noise, we were also breaking in a new QB in Ryan Kealy and had a very difficult schedule that year.
REALITY: ASU would go on to a 9-3 season including some major upsets against Miami in the Orange Bowl and the eventual Pac-10 champs Washington State. A disappointing outing against the rats however was the only thing keeping the Sun Devils from making a Fiesta Bowl berth and winning a share of the Pac title with Wazzu.
2002
EXPECTATIONS: Not very many going into the season as ASU was breaking in a new QB in Ryan Christiansen and had some formidable opponents on the schedule including a season opener in Lincoln, Nebraska, North Carolina at home, and Oregon on the road.
REALITY: ASU was blown out in Lincoln (despite keeping it competitive through the third quarter) and was looking very bad in its third game against San Diego State on the road being down 21-0 early. That's when Dirk Koetter eventually benched Christiansen for Andrew Walter. Walter's first two passes were long TD passes and ASU overcame the deficit easily and punished SDSU. From there they had a roller coaster season that included a loss to North Carolina, but a HUGE upset over #6 Oregon at Autzen Stadium (also after being down 21-0). The Sun Devils ended up with a respectable 8-5 record in the regular season and found themselves with a berth in the Holiday Bowl against #5 K-State. ASU were 42 point underdogs in that game but lead the entire match up until the closing seconds when K-State managed to finally pull out a small victory.
2007
EXPECTATIONS: ASU returned the vast majority of their 7-6 team from the year before but having Dennis Erickson as a new coach was a bit of a wild card. The general consensus was that we'd probably repeat the performance from a year earlier, maybe notch an extra win or two.
REALITY: In practically every game, ASU trailed, even badly at some points, but still managed to start the season off 8-0 and eventually achieve a #6 ranking. A trip to Autzen Stadium however stopped the Sun Devils party with their first loss of the season. ASU would then pick up two more victories with a shot at winning the Pac and returning to the Rose Bowl if they could get by USC. Unfortunately USC crushed the Sun Devils on Thanksgiving Day at Sun Devil Stadium, but ASU did still share the honors for the conference title earning them a spot in the Holiday Bowl. ASU was then crushed by Texas in the Holiday Bowl but ended the season off with a very surprising 10-3 record, which would be the only winning record Erickson achieved in his five years at ASU.
2012
EXPECTATIONS: One word..."dismal". New coach, new quarterback, new offense, barely a lick of any talent from the highly touted (yet disappointing) 2011 squad. Even I remember predicting only five wins that year and I'm the eternal optimist! Talent-wise, ASU was the very definition of having "the cupboard left bare".
REALITY: ASU started off the season completely destroying NAU. While yes it was NAU, this was the first time I can remember ASU handling them like a Pac team was supposed to handle an FCS team dropping 60+ on them. ASU's surprising offense and opportunistic defense would then pick up some solid wins against Illinois (and their legendary defense) and Utah while nearly pulling off an amazing comeback in Columbia against Mizzou. ASU would start the season 5-1 but then hit a major roadblock losing their next four straight. ASU would then go on to win its next three including a thrashing of Washington State, an amazing come from behind win in Sucton (during the infamous dancing tomato game), and a dismantling of Navy in the Fight Hunger Bowl. The 8-5 record completely destroyed the low expectations going into the season.
2014
EXPECTATIONS: Despite plenty of talent returning on the offensive side of the ball, ASU had to replace nine starters on its defense including back to back Pat Tillman Award Winner Will Sutton and his protege Carl Bradford. Many of the positions on the defensive side of the ball were manned by true freshmen. The loss of so much talent from the prior year's 10 win season that saw ASU win its first divisional title lead many to temper their expectations for ASU's chances for success. (Some publications even outright predicted we wouldn't even make a bowl)
REALITY: The freshmen stepped up big time for ASU and the Devils once more were one of the nation's leaders in forcing turnovers. This lead to ASU notching a 9-3 regular season which gave ASU a very realistic chance at repeating as South Champs up until their final game against the rats who squeaked by the Sun Devils. ASU landed a Sun Bowl berth and beat a talented Duke squad in a very thrilling game where ASU intercepted the ball on the final play of the game in the end zone to secure a back to back 10 win season.
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