ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL
Reports: Dillingham’s ASU debut could move to Week 0 vs. Colorado, Deion Sanders
Jan 10, 2023, 12:02 PM
The Pac-12 has pushed back its standard late-December release of the 2023 football schedule. It appears one reason might have to do with Deion Sanders’ debut as the Colorado Buffaloes’ head coach, and the Arizona State Sun Devils are reportedly involved.
According to 247 Sports, the Pac-12 wants to move a league game to Week 0 that will include Colorado and ASU getting featured in a primetime television slot.
The game would also be the debut of first-year Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham.
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The 247 Sports report comes after ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said during the College Football Playoff title game on Monday that Sanders, who made the jump to Colorado from Jackson State, told him the Buffs would kick off the 2023 season at ASU.
Sanders’ addition to the Pac-12 has brought increased interest, and according to these reports, the conference wants to capitalize.
Logistically, throwing an intraconference game in Week 0 appears feasible.
Arizona State was previously slated to open against Southern Utah on Thursday, Aug. 31, at home, and there is room to potentially slide that back to Saturday after a Week 0 opener.
Colorado was scheduled to open Sept. 2 against national runner-up TCU.
While the Pac-12 schedule is traditionally released in mid-December, Pac-12 senior associate commissioner for football operations Merton Hanks told The Mercury News’ Jon Wilner on Dec. 22 that the conference asked schools for more time.
“There are some things we’re taking another look at, so we’ve asked the athletic directors for more time,” Hanks told Wilner.
