Tempe, Ariz. — Jacob Knuth gave K-State a chance to steal a road win in his first career start, but Arizona State’s rushing attack proved too much for the Wildcats.
K-State took a 17-14 third-quarter lead at Mountain America Stadium. However, true freshman quarterback Jake Fette and running back Cardae Mack led the Sun Devils to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, securing a 28-17 win.
The loss dropped K-State to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 play, while Arizona State improved to 4-3 and 2-2.
With starting quarterback Avery Johnson sidelined after an injury, backup Jacob Knuth made his first career start. The fifth-year senior opened the game with a nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs. It marked K-State’s first passing touchdown to open a game this season.
Arizona State answered quickly. Senior quarterback Mikey Keene connected with wide receiver Reed Harris for a 51-yard completion to set up running back Cardae Mack’s 9-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7.
Harris kept finding space downfield, including a 39-yard catch on third-and-10 late in the first quarter. He finished with six catches for 147 yards. Keene completed 10 of 20 passes for 160 yards before leaving late in the second quarter with an injury.
Mack gave the Sun Devils the lead early in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat formation. K-State answered with a 22-yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez, cutting Arizona State’s lead to 14-10. The kick also extended Rodriguez’ perfect streak this season to 11-for-11 on field goals.
Arizona State turned to senior Cutter Boley late in the first half. Boley also opened the second half at quarterback, but K-State’s defense forced the Sun Devils to punt on their first two possessions after halftime.
K-State capitalized on its third-quarter defensive stop. After Nick McLarty’s 38-yard punt, Sterling Lockett returned the ball 27 yards to the Arizona State 21-yard line. Knuth took advantage of the short field, faking a handoff before keeping the ball and sprinting 10 yards into the end zone. The touchdown gave K-State a 17-14 lead with 7:59 remaining in the third quarter.
The Wildcats had a chance to extend their lead but failed to convert on fourth-and-12 at the Arizona State 37-yard line with 2:57 left in the third quarter. Knuth rushed for 8 yards, turning the ball over on downs.
Head coach Collin Klein said he trusted his offense to make the play and believed the field position made the decision worthwhile.
“It’s the 37-yard line,” Knuth said. “Jacob had done a nice job. Thought we had a good play. I was trying to throw, I want to say, an out-route to Josh. We were out of field goal range. … That truly is no man’s land. Believed in our guys, they had done a good job and two scores at that time was critical.”
Arizona State made K-State pay. Mack gained 7 yards on first down before breaking loose for a 30-yard run into Wildcats territory. After another 3-yard carry, true freshman quarterback Jake Fette entered and completed a 9-yard pass to Harris. Fette added a 1-yard rush before Marquis Gillis ran 9 yards to the K-State 12 as the third quarter expired.
Mack scored on the first play of the fourth quarter, powering through for a 12-yard touchdown to put Arizona State back in front, 21-17.
K-State’s offense struggled to answer. The Wildcats drove into Arizona State territory but failed to convert on fourth-and-2 at the Sun Devils’ 40-yard line, giving Arizona State the ball back.
Fette’s next possession ended in a punt after the freshman completed a 14-yard pass to Omarion Miller, but Arizona State lost 13 yards on a sack. K-State then punted, and the Sun Devils took over at their own 35-yard line with 8:53 remaining.
Fette led a seven-play, 65-yard drive that ended with Mack’s fourth rushing touchdown of the afternoon, an 11-yard run with 6:23 remaining. Mack finished with 159 yards on 26 carries, becoming the first Arizona State true freshman since Leon Burton in 1955 to record four rushing touchdowns in a game.
K-State’s offense could not respond. The Wildcats finished with 84 rushing yards on 31 carries, a difficult outing for a team that entered the game with the sixth-best rushing attack in the FBS. Joe Jackson passed 1,500 career rushing yards during the game, bringing his career total to 1,510.
“That second half we didn’t execute very well under pressure,” Klein said. “The drive before that [touchdown drive to make it 17-14], there were a couple situations we missed, and we had some critical mistakes on conversion downs that bit us, and we ran for 84 yards, and that’s not going to work.”
K-State’s defense held Arizona State to 212 passing yards, marking the sixth consecutive game the Wildcats have held an opponent under 300 passing yards. Over seven games, K-State allowed 147.1 passing yards per game, ranking fifth in program history during the Big 12 era, which began in 1996.
Defensive end Jordan Allen recorded a career-high eight tackles, while defensive back JoJo Scott logged two pass breakups for the third consecutive game. However, the Wildcats struggled to contain Mack’s rushing attack as Arizona State pulled away in the fourth quarter.
“Other than the go-route in the first half, it was not a bad first half of football,” Klein said. “We got beat on one route three or four times down the field on some explosive plays, but other than that, they weren’t really moving the football. We were able to affect the quarterback at times. Then the second half, the dam broke a little bit.”
K-State’s final push ended when the Wildcats went for it on fourth-and-5 at their own 30-yard line. Arizona State’s Julian Hugo sacked Knuth for a 10-yard loss, handing the Sun Devils possession.
Arizona State threatened to add another score, but K-State’s defense held near the goal line and forced a turnover on downs. The Wildcats still trailed by 11 and could not mount another scoring drive.
Knuth finished 26-of-41 passing for 194 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed nine times for 19 yards and a score while playing through an ankle sprain.
“He [Knuth] played his butt off,” Klein said. “He led those guys. That first drive, the passion and energy were outstanding, and he made a couple big-time plays on third down for us. The mentality to start was good there.”
Saturday’s loss also marked the first time in 38 years K-State wore purple helmets, this time with the Powercat logo on them. The Powercat logo first appeared on K-State’s silver helmets during former head coach Bill Snyder’s first game at K-State, against Arizona State in 1989.
K-State looks to regroup as it searches for its second Big 12 win. The Wildcats return to the road to face Colorado at 1 p.m. CST on Saturday, Oct. 31. TNT and HBO Max will air the game.
