No 8 BYU Holds Off Arizona State 27-20 to Improve to 7-1

Eighth-ranked BYU held off Arizona State 27-20 on October 31, 2026, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, surviving a frantic second-half comeback led by true freshman quarterback Jake Fette to improve to 7-1 on the season.

How BYU Survived Arizona State After a Halftime Collapse

The eighth-ranked Cougars looked firmly in control after building a 17-3 halftime lead in front of an announced crowd of 63,332 fans on Halloween afternoon. But that comfortable margin evaporated in the third quarter as Arizona State clawed its way back into the Big 12 contest.

True freshman quarterback Jake Fette, making his first career start for the Sun Devils, shook off a punishing first half.

Following an Owen Long forced fumble on the subsequent possession that gave the visitors the ball back in enemy territory, Fette guided a 39-yard march. During that possession, he picked up a key conversion with his legs by delivering a physical hit on a linebacker before throwing a one-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller to pull the visitors even at 17-17 with a little over a minute remaining in the third period.

That certainly leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I think we are all looking forward to this Saturday.

Bruce Mitchell, BYU offensive lineman

Freshman Standouts Cardae Mack and Jake Fette Spark Arizona State

Arizona State became the first program in its history to start true freshmen at both quarterback and running back in the same game, pairing Fette with running back Cardae Mack. The freshman back rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per rush for his third 100-yard rushing performance in four games.

Fette completed 22 of 42 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns on the afternoon.

Despite the loss, Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham expressed optimism about the direction of his young roster following the hard-fought road battle.

The future is very bright.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach

Defensively, the Sun Devils deployed an offensive line featuring Champ Westbrooks at left tackle, Maki Stewart at left guard, Makua Pule at center, Rob Lapuaho at right guard, and Jalen Klemm at right tackle.

Clutch Fourth-Quarter Plays Preserve BYU Victory

Facing mounting momentum from the visitors, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake watched his squad respond in the game’s final stages. Leading by three points with eight minutes left on the clock, quarterback Bear Bachmeier led the hosts on a crucial, 95-yard drive spanning 11 plays.

The series included a two-yard quarterback keeper on fourth-and-1, a 53-yard deep completion to move the chains from their own territory, and a five-yard completion on fourth-and-4 from the six-yard line to flip the field position. Bachmeier finished the day throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown with an interception, while running back Sione Moa contributed two rushing scores, including a one-yard touchdown plunge.

The decisive sequence concluded when BYU sealed the final margin despite a late offensive possession by the visitors. Although Arizona State’s Montana Warren intercepted a pass late in the half, the resulting drive stalled out, allowing the Cougars to hold on for the seven-point victory.

Unresolved Defensive Struggles Ahead of Utah Showdown

The victory moved BYU to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play following their letdown against UCF the previous week. Yet defensive lapses—particularly in tackling, where defenders frequently attempted arm tackles or big hits instead of wrapping up—remain a pressing concern before the Cougars travel to face Utah.

Defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga emphasized the ongoing hurdle of maintaining a complete defensive effort across all four quarters rather than just a single half.

More on State: NC State Fires Defensive Coordinator DJ Eliot After Doeren Ouster

Let’s put something together for 60 minutes that we walk off the field and we’re dang proud. So that’s the challenge.

Kelly Poppinga, BYU defensive coordinator

That’s not our style of play, and I am really disappointed that (style) showed up. So we’ve got to fix it.

Kalani Sitake, BYU head coach