Freshman quarterback Jake Fette took his first real college football punch almost immediately, and he kept getting back up.
On the third play of his first career start against No. 8 BYU, sophomore defensive end Nusi Taumoepeau came from behind and jarred the ball loose.
BYU recovered, and LaVell Edwards Stadium erupted. That was the opening shot in a first half that kept hammering Fette, who was sacked six times before the break and went 9-for-18 for 48 yards.
But the freshman didn’t fold. After ASU trailed 17-3 at halftime, Fette helped spark 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to pull the Sun Devils even. In the end, BYU had more left, closing out a 27-20 win.
The loss dropped ASU to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play.
Fette’s start came after a week in which the quarterback picture was still unsettled. Junior Cutter Boley opened the season as the starter, but he was benched two weeks earlier at Texas Tech. Sixth-year Mikey Keene started last week against Kansas State and played well before leaving with an injury late in the first half.
That opened the door again for Boley, who reclaimed the job as Mountain America Stadium made its frustration clear, booing him and chanting for Fette after a string of stalled drives.
Keene was described by coach Kenny Dillingham as “honestly questionable” all week and was a game-time decision before the matchup, but Fette ended up getting the nod against BYU.
He made the most of the opportunity after the rough beginning, finishing 22-for-42 for 166 yards and two touchdowns, the first scoring passes of his college career.
Fette also shared the backfield with fellow freshman Cardae Mack, and the two made history together as the first freshman running back and quarterback pair to start a game in program history.
The result still went in the loss column, and that doesn’t change. But Fette and Mack’s October emergence gives ASU something real to build on in a season that has otherwise been uneven.
In Other News...
Arizona State Let Another Elite Team Slip Away Late
Arizona State had enough offensive punch to hang around with No. 8 BYU, but the Sun Devils could not keep the Cougars from taking control when it mattered most. Bear Bachmeier passed for 236 yards and a touchdown, and BYU used a strong finish to leave Tempe with a 27-20 win after a game that stayed within reach deep into the night.
Cardae Mack gave Arizona State plenty to build on with 170 all-purpose yards, and Jake Fette showed promise in his first career start by throwing for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Still, BYU opened the fourth quarter with the first 10 points, getting a 45-yard field goal from Matthias Dunn and a rushing score from Sione Moa to turn a tight contest into a road victory the Sun Devils let slip away late. [Read more 🡒]