Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) are entering the final four games of the 2026 season.
One piece of the equation to solve over the final four contests?
None other than quarterback.
Cutter Boley began the season as the starting player at the position. Recent struggles put an end to the experiment.
So where do Dillingham and the Sun Devils go from here?
Well, the 36-year-old head coach made an outright confirmation during his weekly Monday press conference.
Dillingham Announces High-Profile Freshman Will Start This Week
The fourth-year leader of the program made an announcement that Jake Fette will continue to serve as the starting QB this week against Colorado (Chris Karpman, Sun Devil Source).
This isn’t an entirely shocking decision due to a myriad of factors. To start, there’s simply no way that circling back to Boley is justifiable. The fanbase would be incredibly unhappy, and it seems that few in the building have any belief left in the passer.
Secondly, sixth-year senior Mikey Keene is recovering from a knee injury. While he was active for Saturday’s game against BYU, it was under the pretext of being in an emergency capacity.
The most important factor rests in Fette’s ability and potential. The four-star recruit in the 2026 class (Texas) has been impressive ever since stepping on campus in January. Fette brings a blend of eye-opening arm talent, legitimate mobility, and maturity that exceeds his experience.
There’s a real chance that Fette becomes the face of the program in a way that Jaden Rashada and Sam Leavitt were unable to. Expect the final four games of the season to serve as a litmus test for this hypothesis.
How Arizona State Manages Change Over Rest of Season
The 19-year-old Fette made Dillingham’s interest in recruiting him look intelligent during the second half of the loss to BYU.
The Del Valle alum was sharp, confident, and decisive in a hostile environment. While the upcoming game against Colorado won’t be of the same level challenge-wise, it remains a challenge nonetheless.
The final three games pose even greater challenges to Fette, as well as Arizona State’s bowl game ambitions. Dillingham and the Sun Devils are traveling to take on UCF on November 14. This UCF team took down BYU less than two weeks ago.
Over the final two games, Arizona State is taking on Oklahoma State’s prolific offense, as well as their bitter rivals in the Arizona Wildcats.
Each team presents a different challenge. It’s Dillingham’s job to keep Fette comfortable through it all. This includes leaning on RB Cardae Mack to catalyze the offense, as well as in Omarion Miller and Reed Harris to elevate the freshman’s confidence.
The Sun Devils must win two of their final four games to reach a bowl contest. This is crucial for the trajectory of the 2026 freshman class – one that looks to be historic in Tempe.
Kenny Dillingham Makes Bold QB Statement Ahead of Arizona State-Colorado