ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

With ASU-USC ratings up, could we see more early Pac-12 kickoffs?

Nov 9, 2020, 12:59 PM | Updated: 1:01 pm

Arizona State Sun Devils defensive lineman Jermayne Lole (90) rushes during the college football ga...

Arizona State Sun Devils defensive lineman Jermayne Lole (90) rushes during the college football game between the USC Trojans and the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 9, 2019 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Rolling out of bed to catch an early morning kickoff might become more common for Pac-12 fans.

Saturday morning’s ASU-USC season opener outperformed last season’s primetime TV ratings by 6%, according to a tweet from Fox Sports executive vice president Michael Mulvihill.

Arizona State’s season opener in Los Angeles was the first game with a 9 a.m. PT in Pac-12 history, with previous seasons including kickoffs at noon local time or later.

With a shortened seven game season and no fans in the stands, Pac-12 could look to potentially continue the morning experiment — especially since Saturday’s game was in competition with election coverage.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden was projected as the winner of the presidential race by most major news networks within an hour of kickoff.

“To schedule the game as early as we did, I think it shows how serious we are about making sure that everyone is paying attention to Pac-12 football,” Merton Hanks, Pac-12’s senior associate commissioner for football operations, told ESPN.

The league first explored the idea of earlier kickoffs back in 2019.

They’ve wanted to focus on drawing in more views from around the country recently, especially Central and Eastern time zones where don’t normally stay up for the late-night games.

And they just may have succeeded this time.

Head coach Herm Edwards was unfazed by the game time, but was proud of his players for adjusting.

“Can you imagine breakfast at 4:45 a.m. for these guys? That’s not early for me … but for these guys it is amazing,” Edwards told reporters via Zoom Monday.

“I think both parties, USC players as well. … I commend all of those young athletes to have to go play a live football game at 9 a.m. Your body clock’s not used to that. It’s one thing to practice, it’s another thing to play in a live game.”

Arizona State Football

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham reacts during the second half of the team's NCAA college footb...

Vincent DeAngelis

Kenny Dillingham talks Jaden Rashada injury, revamped roster ahead of spring ball

ASU football coach Kenny Dillingham addressed quarterback Jaden Rashada's injury, revamped roster and NIL ahead of start of spring ball

6 days ago

Jaden Rashada on the football field...

Arizona Sports

Report: ASU’s Jaden Rashada dealing with thumb injury, will miss spring ball

ASU's Jaden Rashada won't be a full participant in spring ball due to a thumb injury on his throwing hand suffered earlier in the year.

7 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: What is Bobby Hurley’s future at Arizona State?

On the latest State of the Sun Devil podcast the guys react to the end of men's basketball season, and wonder what the future of the program will be and how the offseason will unfold. Plus, reactions to football's pro day.

13 days ago

ASU football field...

Dan Bickley

Arizona State reaches rock bottom at end of Pac-12 stay

Rock bottom is mostly a metaphor, a cliché for sports teams that have fallen and can’t get up. But you can find it on the map at ASU.

13 days ago

Michael Crow, Arizona State University president...

Kevin Zimmerman

Now would be a good time for Arizona State to hire an athletic director

Who's to make a decision on Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley without an athletic director? Michael Crow must make a decision soon.

14 days ago

ASU QB Drew Pyne...

Arizona Sports

Former ASU starting QB Drew Pyne headed to Missouri

After playing in just two games in his ASU football career, quarterback Drew Pyne is moving on to the Missouri Tigers.

18 days ago

With ASU-USC ratings up, could we see more early Pac-12 kickoffs?