| MATCHUP | Morgan State Bears | Arizona State Sun Devils |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Where | Mountain America Stadium, Tempe, AZ | |
| When | Saturday, September 5, 2026 | |
| Time | 10:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
Morgan State Bears Betting Preview
Morgan State had a pretty forgettable 2025 campaign. The Bears managed only a 4-8 overall year and won just one of their five outings in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That effort would put Morgan State ahead of only Norfolk State in the standings. The Bears won three of four in the middle of the season then closed on an ugly 1-4 run.
The Bears kicked off their season with a matchup versus NC A&T on August 29. In that game Morgan State had a 7-3 deficit heading into the fourth quarter. After a couple of touchdowns though, the Bears won 17-7. QB Cameron Edge was 13-of-19 for 167 yards, a TD and an interception. Jordan Barnett led the rush on 12 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Arizona State Sun Devils betting Preview
Over on the Arizona State side, they didn’t have too bad of a season in 2025 but the campaign ended on a down note with a bowl defeat. The Sun Devils were 8-5 overall and 6-3 in a competitive Big 12, putting the team behind Texas Tech, BYU, Utah, Houston and Arizona in the conference standings. After a regular-season finale loss to Arizona at home, Arizona State took a Sun Bowl loss 42-39 versus Duke to end the campaign for good.
In 2026 the Sun Devils will get Kenny Dillingham back for his fourth season along with a retained crop of coordinators behind him. Trouble is, Arizona State will have to navigate some heavy roster losses, including QB Sam Leavitt, WR Jordyn Tyson and RBs Raleek Brown and Cam Scabo. Replacing them comes a hefty class of transfers, including QB Cutter Boley and WRs Omarion Miller and Reed Harris.
Morgan State Bears @ Arizona State Sun Devils Betting Trends: Week 1
Why the Arizona State Sun Devils will win
- Arizona State has won each of its last five home openers.
- Arizona State has covered the spread in three of its last four games against non-conference opponents at Mountain America Stadium.
Why the Morgan State Bears will win
- Arizona State has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five games at Mountain America Stadium.
Total Points Facts
- Ten of Arizona State’s last 11 September games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.
Arizona State Sun Devils Player Prop Facts
- Omarion Miller ranked 21st amongst qualified players for Yards Per Reception (18.0) last season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Arizona State ranked T16th among FBS teams for red zone percentage against last season (75.0).
- Arizona State ranked 121st among FBS teams for 3rd down conversion percentage last season (33.2).
Morgan State vs Arizona State Prediction
I’ll stay with Arizona State. This is a pretty friendly opener for the Sun Devils, and they shouldn’t have too much trouble dispatching Morgan State. Arizona State has their work cut out for them this year, as they’re dealing with some heavy production losses and facing down a tough Big 12 schedule. Most people have the team finishing somewhere in the middle of the pack among that group; to be honest it would probably be a successful season if the Sun Devils can just get to a bowl game and power out a winning record. That said, if all breaks go the team’s way, Arizona State could find themselves in the mix near the top of the conference by season’s end.
As for Morgan State, they took a while to get going in the NC A&T win but everything worked out. The Bears gained 276 yards (167 passing) but only had 12 first downs and went 1-of-7 on third-down conversion attempts. Things won’t get any easier here.