The Arizona State Sun Devils are in prime position to be a Pac-12 player for years to come.

According to Arizona Sports 620’s Doug Franz, they are the only team in the conference trending up at the moment.

“You’ve got all of these teams across the Pac-12 that are either going through sanctions or are not playing good football except ASU,” he said.

Which is why beating USC Saturday was so important.

“Now you’ve got all of Southern California, where one of the best hot spots of high school talent is, looking up and down the Pac-12 saying who’s the program going up at the fastest rate,” Franz added.

Could be.

The Sun Devils were expected to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2007 this season, and so far they appear to be in no danger of disappointing.

Currently 3-1 and ranked 25th in the nation, Dennis Erickson’s team has the inside track on the Pac-12 South.

And none of it happens without the win over USC.

“It’s a signal to your kids, and your program, and the kids that are out there that aren’t yet in your program that the witch is dead, we can compete with these guys, and we will compete with these guys on and off the field,” Arizona Sports 620’s Ron Wolfley said.

Both Franz and Wolfley agreed it will help Arizona State recruit in the future.

“There’s a small window right now, a window of opportunity,” Wolfley said, “where the Sun Devils can really jump in that window, shatter that window — small that it may be — and actually make some hay in the Pac-12 South in regard to recruiting.”

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