Coach Todd Graham led Arizona State to back to back 10-win seasons for the first time in decades. He was 4-2 in Territorial Cup games. And this season, he transformed a team picked to finish toward the bottom of conference standings into a winner.
Simple, it came down to expectations — and USC.
ASU's Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson released a statement Sunday morning that echoed thoughts he shared previously about sustainable progress toward college football's highest levels.
"Our athletic department, university and community expect our football program to compete on the field for Pac-12 titles, be competitively consistent and qualify to participate in major bowl games on a regular basis," Anderson's statement read.