Super sad news for ex-Arizona State football head coach Todd Graham ... his wife says 17 of his most prized championship rings were stolen in Arizona this week.
Penni Graham tells TMZ Sports ... she and the coach are in the process of moving to Hawaii from Scottsdale for his new head coaching gig -- and had given the rings to a close friend to help move the jewelry out to Honolulu.
But, Penni says someone broke into their friend's car on Tuesday at around 1 p.m. a couple blocks from Arizona State's campus .