Arizona State heads to Orlando on Saturday with a game plan that could hinge on a simple question: does Kenny Dillingham let freshman quarterback Jake Fette open it up a little more?
That’s the tension entering Week 11 against Central Florida. ASU has leaned on straightforward calls and option looks with RB Cardae Mack, keeping Fette from having to do much heavy lifting as a passer.
But the true freshman showed a different side against Colorado, when throws to Reed Harris and Omarion Miller drew attention as “Sunday caliber” balls. The question now is whether those flashes lead to a looser approach against the Knights.
The numbers suggest Fette is settling in. His completion percentage climbed from 52.4% against BYU to 68.4% against Colorado, and his quarterback rating jumped nearly 20 points. Against a UCF defense carrying a long injury report, that growth could matter.
The Knights are down three defensive backs, with one more listed as probable, and they’ve shown they’re willing to get into high-scoring games. Their 39-31 2OT win over No.
2 BYU is the clearest example. With a thinner secondary, ASU may need Fette to hit some big throws to keep pace.
The alternative is a more conservative approach, and that decision could shape the afternoon.
UCF’s own offensive situation is also unsettled. RB1 Duke Watson is out, while QB1 Keyone Jenkins is questionable. If Jenkins can’t go or isn’t fully healthy, the Knights may lean harder on the run game and a deep group of backs rather than asking their backup quarterback to carry the load through the air.
For Arizona State, the bigger issue may be on the other side of the ball. The Sun Devils’ best wins have come when they’ve controlled the run, and their worst losses have come when opponents have run wild.
Since the Fette/Mack era began, ASU’s defense has held each of its three opponents under 100 rushing yards, and that stretch has produced a 2-1 record. Before that, the Sun Devils gave up 100 rushing yards or more in four of their first six games.
Three of those outings reached at least 179 yards, and Baylor and Texas Tech both went over 250 on the ground.
That makes this matchup feel pretty straightforward: if ASU can stop the run, it has a real shot. If it can’t, the trip gets a lot harder.
And road games have been a problem all season. ASU has not won away from home yet, though the London game can be counted as a road environment if you want, even with the Sun Devils technically serving as the home team in a split crowd.
The split between home and road production is stark. At home, ASU has nearly doubled its total yards, 2,173 to 1,291.
It has averaged more than 100 additional yards per game at home, 434.6 to 322.8, and its yards per play number jumps from 4.66 on the road to 6.37 at home.
Of course, the schedule matters there. At home, ASU has seen teams like Morgan State and Hawaii. On the road, it has faced ranked opponents such as Texas A&M, Texas Tech and BYU.
Dillingham addressed that this week and didn’t sound concerned about a structural road problem.
“We’ve been good on the road in the past. I think we’ve played three road games, top-10 teams at the time.
We haven’t played our best football, but I think we’ll continue to play better. But I don’t think it’s like an operational (issue).”
This could be ASU’s best chance to finally break through away from home before its final road trip, a rivalry game against No. 21 Arizona. First comes UCF, and the matchup may come down to whether the Sun Devils trust Fette to throw more, whether their defense can choke off the run, and whether they can handle a game that may turn into a shootout.
ASU and UCF kick off Saturday, Nov. 14, at 1:30 PM MST.
In Other News...
Arizona States Orlando Trip Just Got More Complicated At The Worst Time
Arizona States trip to Orlando hit an unexpected snag on Friday when the teams charter plane was delayed by a nationwide FAA ground stop ordered for safety reasons. What should have been a routine travel day suddenly turned into a waiting game, with the delay now threatening to push the Sun Devils departure to around 9 p.m. local time.
For a team trying to stay on schedule ahead of an upcoming game, the timing could hardly be worse. The disruption is not limited to Arizona State, either, as other college football teams are dealing with the same ground stop and its ripple effects could even touch the slate of games on Nov. 14. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Brings A Major Offensive Concern Into Arizona State Game
UCF is heading into its matchup with Arizona State carrying a few notable offensive questions, starting with the absence of running back Duke Watson because of injury. The Knights also listed wide receiver Waden Charles as doubtful and tight end Caden Piening as questionable, which leaves their skill group in a less certain spot than they would prefer against a Sun Devils defense that will be paying close attention.
There is at least some encouraging news on the other side of the ball, with linebacker Lewis Carter probable to return after missing multiple games. Even so, UCF still has several defensive backs sidelined, so the roster picture remains a little uneven as the Knights try to sort through their availability before facing Arizona State. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Heads Into A High-Stakes UCF Clash Fans Will Feel
Arizona State heads to Orlando on Saturday for a matchup with Central Florida that carries far more weight than a typical November road trip. It is the first meeting between the programs since 2024 and only the third time they have ever lined up against each other, with both teams entering the game with identical records and bowl eligibility very much in play.
The history between the Sun Devils and Knights is still short, but the stakes this time are easy to understand for both sides. With postseason positioning on the line, this one has the feel of a late-season test that could shape how the rest of the year is remembered, and fans will be able to follow along with the broadcast details as the game approaches. [Read more 🡒]