TEMPE- During the home game between Arizona State and Texas Tech, which ended with the Sun Devils securing an upset victory, the football program honored the 1975 team during the second quarter on Saturday.
The 1975 Arizona State undefeated football team was inducted into the Sun Devils Athletics Hall of Fame this year in honor of the 50th anniversary of one of their most successful seasons in program history.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham praised how the current Sun Devils wore the uniforms of the 1975 football team with honor and pride in the postgame.
When asked by a reporter if he encouraged the team to look up to the 1975 Sun Devils football team, he said they are part of history.
"No, we didn't, but they're around the program," Dillingham said Saturday. "They're one of the greatest teams in program history. So it would honor them, wear the throwback jerseys that were unreal, and those things were fresher, so they were tough. And, it's great to have all those guys back around the program."
During the 1975 season, the Sun Devils went undefeated with a 12-0 (7-0 WAC) record under the late Frank Kush as head coach. Arizona State participated in the Fiesta Bowl that year, defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a close game, and finished the season ranked in the Top 2 nationally.
Their offense was unstoppable, as they outscored their opponents with an astonishing 347-127 margin. Additionally, the Sun Devils received national championship honors from both The Sporting News and the National Championship Foundation based on their performance.
One of the notable names from the roster is defensive back Mike Haynes, who was drafted at fifth overall in the 1976 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. With his contribtions to the football program, his jersey number is retired by the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Haynes went on to play for the Patriots and the Oakland Raiders (now known as the Las Vegas Raiders) for 14 seasons, winning Super Bowl 28 in his first year with the Raiders.
During his career, he was named to the Pro Bowl nine times, honored on the NFL's 75th and 100th anniversary teams, and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He also recorded 46 career interceptions and 688 interception return yards.
Another notable name from the undefeated team was the late linebacker Larry Gordon, who won Defensive MVP honors in the Sun Devils' victory in the Fiesta Bowl. He went on have an impressive career with the Miami Dolphins for seven seasons before his passing in 1983.
The legacy of the 1975 Arizona State Sun Devils football team will always be remembered for their dominance on the field.