Arizona State Beats Colorado 20-10 as Deion Sanders Dismisses Job Talk

Arizona State beat Colorado 20-10 on Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, behind freshman quarterback Jake Fette in his first home start. The win lifted the Sun Devils to 5-4, while Colorado fell to 3-6 and must win its final three games to become bowl-eligible.

The post-game question was the one Deion Sanders has heard all season: is his job on the line? "I don't think about that, man," he said. "I am not worried." The numbers keep getting harder to ignore.

Key Points

• Arizona State beat Colorado 20-10 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, leading 17-0 at halftime in a Week 10 Big 12 game.
• Freshman quarterback Jake Fette, making his first home start, completed 13 of 19 passes for 187 yards with no interceptions, threw a 34-yard touchdown to Reed Harris and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from running back Cardae Mack.
• Fette became the first Arizona State quarterback since Jake Plummer in 1996 to throw and catch a touchdown in the same game.
• Colorado went three-and-out on its first four possessions, had a 74-yard touchdown pass nullified by penalty and managed only 312 total yards.
• Asked after the game whether his job was on the line, Deion Sanders said, "I don't think about that, man," and, "I am not worried." Colorado has now lost 10 straight road games against Big 12 opponents.

What Happened

Arizona State took control early and never gave it back. Colorado went three-and-out on its first four possessions, leaving its defence on the field too long as the Sun Devils built a 17-0 halftime lead. Fette looked comfortable, completing 13 of 19 passes for 187 yards without an interception. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Reed Harris stretched the lead, and later he lined up as a receiver and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Mack.

Colorado's few bright moments were undone by mistakes. A 74-yard touchdown pass was wiped out by a penalty, and the Buffaloes finished with only 312 total yards. Their points came on a field goal by Elliot Arnold and a touchdown catch by Joseph Williams from quarterback Isaac Wilson. It was not nearly enough against a Sun Devils side that controlled the tempo and the clock.

Background: Two Programmes Heading in Opposite Directions

The result landed very differently for the two programmes. Arizona State arrived at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big 12 after a 27-20 loss to No. 8 BYU the previous week, in which Fette had thrown for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The win lifted the Sun Devils to 5-4 and 3-3 in the conference, keeping their season on track with three games left.

Colorado's picture is far bleaker. The Buffaloes are 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play, with 10 consecutive road losses against Big 12 opponents. To reach a bowl game, they must win all three remaining games, starting with Friday night's visit from No. 17 Houston. There is no margin left.

Arizona State Beats Colorado: Fette's Breakout Night in Tempe

Fette's touchdown catch was the night's signature moment. The play call sent the quarterback out as a receiver, Mack took the snap and flipped the ball to him in the end zone, and the Tempe crowd roared for a play that tied the freshman to Plummer, one of the most beloved players in school history. It was a moment that travels well beyond one game: a young quarterback announcing himself to a fan base finding a new favourite.

The performance was a team effort built on field position and discipline. Arizona State's defence forced Colorado into repeated three-and-outs early, and the offence turned the short fields into points. The 17-0 halftime lead let the Sun Devils play the second half on their own terms, leaning on the running game. For Colorado, the nullified 74-yard touchdown pass summed up a night defined by what did not happen.

Reactions and Quotes

The post-game attention centred on Sanders, as it usually does after a Colorado loss. Asked whether his job was on the line, he was blunt. "I don't think about that, man," he said, adding, "I am not worried." Athletic director Fernando Lovo stood nearby as Sanders spoke, a detail reporters did not miss.

The numbers behind the question are stark. Sanders is 3-16 in his last 19 games against Power Four opponents and 19-27 overall in four seasons at Colorado, with one bowl appearance. The Buffaloes' 10th straight road defeat against a Big 12 opponent invites scrutiny of any coach, however famous, and the remaining schedule offers no easy relief.

Why It Matters

This game matters because it crystallises the two directions these programmes are travelling. Arizona State has a freshman quarterback who just produced a historic night and a winning record to build on. Colorado has a coach whose record over four seasons is 19-27 and a team that must win out to play in December.

Sanders is not an ordinary coach. His arrival in Boulder turned Colorado into one of the most watched programmes in the country, and his future is a national story, not a local one. Every loss now comes with the same question, and every "I am not worried" is measured against a record that keeps getting worse. The 10-game road losing run is not a blip; it is a pattern, and patterns decide coaching futures.

Related coverage: No. 8 BYU holds off Arizona State 27-20; No. 19 Iowa beats No. 23 Northwestern 24-10; and Michigan State stuns Michigan 15-6.

What Happens Next

Colorado returns home to host No. 17 Houston on Friday night, the first of three games it must win to become bowl-eligible. A loss there would end the Buffaloes' postseason hopes with two games still to play and would make the Sanders job question the defining story of the programme's offseason. A win would keep the season alive — barely.

Arizona State, now 5-4, will look to build on Fette's breakout performance. The freshman has shown he can win at home and enter the record book, and the Sun Devils' remaining games offer a chance to finish strongly and secure a better bowl destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the score of Arizona State vs Colorado?
Arizona State beat Colorado 20-10 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, leading 17-0 at halftime.

Who is Jake Fette?
Fette is Arizona State's freshman quarterback. In his first home start, he completed 13 of 19 passes for 187 yards with no interceptions, threw a 34-yard touchdown to Reed Harris and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Cardae Mack.

What did Deion Sanders say about his job?
Asked after the game whether his job was on the line, Sanders said, "I don't think about that, man," and, "I am not worried." Athletic director Fernando Lovo stood nearby.

What is Colorado's record now?
Colorado fell to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12. The Buffaloes have lost 10 straight road games against Big 12 opponents and must win their final three games to become bowl-eligible.

What is Arizona State's record now?
Arizona State improved to 5-4 and 3-3 in the Big 12.