Although Arizona State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1897,[1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1946. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since 1946, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[2] The Sun Devils have played in 13 bowl games since this decision and are assured of at least one postseason game in the 2024 season, giving many recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics.
The Pac-12 Conference held a championship game from 2011 until its collapse after the 2023 season. ASU's current home of the Big 12 has held its own championship game for most of its history. The Sun Devils played in the Pac-12 game in 2013 and the Big 12 game in 2024, giving players in those seasons yet another game to accumulate statistics.
Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA did not count the 2020 season against the eligibility of any football player, giving all players active in that season five years of eligibility instead of the normal four.
