The September 13, 2025 matchup between Texas State and Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe brings together two programs at very different points in their trajectory but each with something to prove, as the Bobcats continue to build under GJ Kinne and the Sun Devils work to establish themselves as a Big 12 presence under Kenny Dillingham. Oddsmakers have Arizona State positioned as a two-touchdown favorite with the total sitting in the high 50s, a number that reflects both ASU’s offensive upside at home and the pace-heavy profile Texas State brings to the table. The market’s read on the game is telling: Texas State has been a profitable team against the spread of late, covering five of its last seven overall and four of its last five on the road, while ASU has been equally reliable at home with a 7–0 straight-up run and seven covers in its last nine overall. That split creates a dynamic where the chalk has the depth, but the underdog has the profile to backdoor late if the script lines up. From a stylistic standpoint, the game sets up as a clash of tempo against balance. Texas State’s identity under Kinne is about getting defenses off balance with tempo, layering RPOs and quick-hitting runs to keep the chains moving before taking calculated deep shots downfield. The Bobcats’ cover path is narrow but clear: keep early-down success above 45 to 50 percent to stay out of predictable passing downs, hit at least two explosives of 20-plus yards to flip field position, and steal one possession through either a turnover or special-teams play. They also need to be ruthless in the red zone, as trading touchdowns for field goals against a two-touchdown favorite is the fastest way to slip outside the number.

Arizona State’s plan is more straightforward: use their recruiting depth to dominate the line of scrimmage, pressure Texas State’s quarterbacks into mistakes, and allow their own balanced offense to operate on schedule. When ASU has been at its best under Dillingham, the formula has been a run game strong enough to keep linebackers honest and a quarterback capable of hitting slots and tight ends on intermediate routes before unleashing vertical shots when safeties start to cheat. The Sun Devils’ ATS checklist is simple: keep turnovers to one or fewer, finish at least 60 percent of red-zone trips with touchdowns, and avoid the penalty clusters that extend opponent drives. Because the spread sits in a high-variance band (−14.5, total ~59), leverage points become critical. The “middle eight” minutes around halftime can be decisive—if ASU closes the first half with points and scores on its first drive after the break, it can quickly create a three-score margin that suffocates an underdog. Special teams also loom large: a made 42-yard field goal or a pinned punt inside the 10-yard line could represent the difference between a comfortable ASU cover and a late Texas State backdoor. Ultimately, the most likely game script involves Texas State keeping it competitive with pace and creativity through the first half before Arizona State’s depth, home-field advantage, and situational polish take over down the stretch. Whether that translates to a cover will hinge on small edges in execution—turnover margin, red-zone finishing, and explosive differential—all of which are magnified in a game with a high total and a spread hovering around two touchdowns.