After winning the Big 12, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham conveys a direct message to the playoff selection committee.

Iowa State was defeated by ASU with a final score of 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game.

After winning the Big 12, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham conveys a direct message to the playoff selection committee.
After winning the Big 12, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham conveys a direct message to the playoff selection committee.

Arizona State dominated Iowa State in Saturday's Big 12 championship.

The committee in charge of the College Football Playoff will now have to determine if the Sun Devils' impressive end-of-season performances and dominant title game victory warrant a spot among the playoff's elite four teams.

Boise State was ranked five spots ahead of ASU in the most recent playoff rankings entering college football's conference championship weekend.

Kenny Dillingham celebrates
Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham celebrates winning the Big 12 championship game against the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Dec. 7, 2024. (Tim Heitman/Imagn Images)

Boise State is projected at No. 4 in the playoff rankings, while the Broncos entered Friday's Mountain West title game in the 10th slot. The new 12-team playoff structure requires the top four seeds to win their conference championships.

If the Big 12 champion finishes below Boise State in the final playoff rankings, the Broncos would be the fourth-seeded team.

After winning its first Big 12 title, ASU's head coach, Kenny Dillingham, emphasized the Sun Devils' impressive 11-2 record to the selection committee.

Kenny Dillingham stands on the sidelines
Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham stands on the sideline during a game against the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Dec. 7, 2024. (Tim Heitman/Imagn Images)

Dillingham argued that Florida State was kept out of the playoffs last year because their quarterback did not play, but this season, with their quarterback playing, they are 11-1 and Big 12 champions. He believes they should be treated as an 11-1 team.

Despite having an unblemished record and winning the 2023 ACC championship game, Florida State fell to the fifth spot in the final playoff rankings due to an injury to starting quarterback Jordan Travis.

Arizona State football players celebrate
The Arizona State Sun Devils celebrate after they defeated the Iowa State Cyclones at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Dec. 7, 2024. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

Several key players on the Seminoles' roster chose not to play in the Orange Bowl that year because it was not one of the semifinal games, resulting in a lopsided loss to Georgia.

Since October, ASU has not lost a game, except for a 24-14 defeat to Cincinnati. In that game, quarterback Sam Leavitt did not play. ASU's first loss of the season occurred on the road in September when Texas Tech won 30-22.

The first-round bye for the top four seeds in the final playoff rankings of the season will be announced Sunday night.

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by Chantz Martin

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