The Big 12 Showdown: 5 Shocking Takeaways From The Revived Arizona State Vs. BYU Rivalry

The long-dormant rivalry between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the BYU Cougars has officially exploded back onto the national scene, fueled by a seismic shift in college athletics: the Big 12 Conference realignment. After decades of sporadic matchups, these two universities are now locked into an annual, high-stakes conference battle across every major sport.

As of this December 2025 update, the rivalry is burning hotter than ever, with a stunning, ranked football victory in 2024 and intense, back-and-forth battles on the basketball court in 2025 already defining the new era. The fresh history being written today connects directly back to the heated Western Athletic Conference (WAC) days, setting the stage for one of the Big 12's most compelling new rivalries.

The Latest Clash: Football, Basketball, and the Big 12 Era Scoreboard

The most recent results between the Sun Devils and the Cougars prove that this rivalry is far from one-sided. The 2024-2025 athletic year has seen both schools claim significant victories, establishing a volatile and unpredictable series that Big 12 fans can look forward to for years to come.

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The 2024 Football Showdown: Sun Devils Upset Cougars

The most recent and arguably most significant clash took place on the gridiron. On November 23, 2024, the No. 21 Arizona State Sun Devils delivered a thrilling home victory against the No. 14 BYU Cougars at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

• Final Score: Arizona State 28, BYU 23
• Significance: The win, which saw ASU keep their Big 12 Championship hopes alive, immediately established the rivalry's new intensity as a ranked matchup.
• Coaching Battle: It was the first Big 12 meeting between young ASU Head Coach Kenny Dillingham and veteran BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake.

2025 Men's Basketball: The Cougars' Dominance

The BYU men's basketball program, under new Head Coach Kevin Young (who joined from the Phoenix Suns), has had the upper hand in the early Big 12 matchups.

• Recent Result 1: BYU 91, Arizona State 81 (February 26, 2025)
  • This high-scoring affair in Provo, Utah, saw the Cougars finish their 2024-25 season with a strong Big 12 record.
• Recent Result 2: BYU 77, Arizona State 67 (January 1, 2025)
  • The Cougars completed the season sweep over the Sun Devils, despite ASU Head Coach Bobby Hurley's efforts to rebuild his roster.

2025 Women's Basketball: Sun Devils Fight Back

The rivalry is truly balanced, as evidenced by the women's basketball results. The Arizona State women's team secured a critical road victory in the 2025 season.

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• Recent Result: Arizona State 85, BYU 73 (February 22, 2025)
  • The Sun Devils traveled to Provo, Utah, and left with a decisive Big 12 win, showcasing the competitiveness across both programs.

A History Forged in the WAC: From Frank Kush to the Big 12

To understand the current intensity, you must look back to the rivalry’s origins in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). From the 1960s through the early 1990s, the Cougars and Sun Devils were regular conference foes, often battling for the WAC championship.

The Era of ASU Dominance (1966-1973)

The early history of the rivalry was heavily skewed in favor of Arizona State, particularly during the legendary tenure of coach Frank Kush. ASU holds the longest winning streak in the series, securing eight consecutive victories between 1966 and 1973.

• All-Time Football Record: Arizona State leads the series with a 20-8-0 record.
• WAC Conference Matchups: During their 15 conference matchups, Arizona State went 12-3 against the Cougars.
• Legendary Figures: The rivalry saw the rise of future Hall of Famers, including a young true freshman quarterback for BYU, Jim McMahon, who would go on to have a storied NFL career.

The Conference Realignment Catalyst

The rivalry essentially went dormant after ASU left the WAC to join the Pac-10 in 1978. For decades, matchups were rare and primarily non-conference games. That all changed with the recent conference realignment, which placed both schools in the new, expanded Big 12 Conference.

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This move has been described as a "revived rivalry," one that is deeply entwined by both football history and the connection of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to the BYU campus in Provo, Utah, and its large alumni base in Arizona.

Key Entities and Figures Defining the New Rivalry

The current state of the ASU vs. BYU rivalry is defined by the personalities and programs leading the charge. The coaches and their philosophies are now direct competitors, battling for recruits and conference supremacy.

Arizona State Sun Devils (ASU)

• Head Football Coach: Kenny Dillingham. A young, energetic ASU alumnus who has quickly injected excitement and high expectations into the Sun Devil Football program.
• Head Men's Basketball Coach: Bobby Hurley. The former Duke star is a fixture in Tempe, now navigating the high-pressure landscape of the Big 12 in his 11th season.
• Notable Alumni: The ASU program boasts a rich history, including NFL legends like Pat Tillman, Terrell Suggs, and Jake Plummer.
• Home Venue: Mountain America Stadium (formerly Sun Devil Stadium).

BYU Cougars (BYU)

• Head Football Coach: Kalani Sitake. A former Cougar fullback, Sitake has led the BYU Football program since 2015 and recently signed a long-term contract extension, solidifying his role as the face of the Cougars in the Big 12.
• Head Men's Basketball Coach: Kevin Young. Hired from the Phoenix Suns, Young's NBA background has brought a fresh, pro-style approach to the BYU Men's Basketball team, leading them to significant early success in the Big 12.
• Historical Figure: Jim McMahon. The legendary quarterback who played during the WAC era and is a symbol of BYU's football tradition.
• Home Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium (Football), Marriott Center (Basketball).

What's Next for the ASU vs. BYU Big 12 Battles?

While the 2025 football schedule does not include a matchup between the two schools, their paths are set to cross regularly in the Big 12 Conference for the foreseeable future. The conference structure ensures that the rivalry, once a historical footnote, is now an annual staple that will define the Big 12 landscape.

The intensity from the 2024 football game and the 2025 basketball season is a clear indicator that the rivalry has picked up exactly where it left off. The battle for Big 12 supremacy between the Sun Devils and the Cougars will continue to be a must-watch event, delivering the kind of high-stakes, regional drama that college sports fans crave. Expect future matchups to be heavily circled on both fan bases' calendars, with the Big 12 Championship often hanging in the balance.