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Sun Devils have an uphill climb this season

ASU head football coach Herm Edwards. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images Forks up, ASU faithful! The first game of the season is Thursday night against our friends from up north, the NAU Lumberjacks.The Sun Devils should be able to pull off an easy win against NAU — but that might be the only easy thing about this season. State of play: ASU has had a tough off season in almost every way. Five of the team's top coaches resigned or in the months following the NCAA's announcement that it was the team for recruitment violations. players, including starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and leading receiver Ricky Pearsall, left the team through the transfer portal. Oh, and this little thing: ASU president Michael Crow and athletic director Ray Anderson were caught flat-footed when USC and UCLA announced their from the Pac-12 searching for more TV revenue with the Big Ten. Crow in particular has been a of former Pac-12 commissioner , who has taken blame for subpar deals for the conference. Yes, but: We've got some new blood to try out. ASU scored , including nine from the Power Five. Florida transfer will start as quarterback. Offensive lineman and Valley native comes to ASU after three active seasons at Iowa State.Wide receiver (no known relation to the Suns' ) joins the Sun Devils from Vanderbilt. Reality check: The new talent likely won't be enough to save ASU from a mediocre season.The first half of the Sun Devils' includes tough opponents like Oklahoma State, Utah and USC.Experts the team will win no more than eight games this year and may even lose to UofA for the first time in six years (say it ain't so!). Jessica here: My at ASU (2011), the Sun Devils won only six games and lost to UofA at home 27-31. My fandom can weather anything. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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