Arizona State quarterback Jake Fette and fellow true freshman running back Cardae Mack accounted for both of the Sun Devils’ touchdowns, one of them a pass from Mack to Fette, in a 20-10 win over Colorado on Saturday night at Tempe, Ariz.
Arizona State (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) improved to 4-1 at home this season.
Colorado (3-6, 1-5) lost its eighth straight conference road game over the last two seasons.
Fette completed 13 of 19 pass attempts for 187 yards.
Mack rushed for 80 yards on 24 carries and also was 2-of-3 passing for 9 yards, including a 1-yard scoring pass to Fette early in the second quarter.
Arizona State established a 17-0 halftime lead behind a defense that limited Colorado to 0-for-6 on third-down conversions and 0-for-2 on fourth-down attempts in the first half.
One of the fourth-down shortcomings was a sack of Isaac Wilson that resulted in a loss of 24 yards, giving Arizona State the ball at the Colorado 42 with 5:29 remaining in the half.
That led to a 34-yard touchdown pass from Fette to Reed Harris to put Arizona State ahead 17-0 with 2:54 left until halftime.
Harris finished the game with 103 yards on four receptions.
Trickery involving Fette and Mack led to Arizona State’s first touchdown.
Fette ran out of the pocket and Mack took the snap. Mack connected with Fette for the 1-yard touchdown pass that put the Sun Devils up 10-0 with 11:12 left in the second quarter.
The Buffaloes started the third quarter with Wilson throwing an interception.
Wilson was 20 of 31 for 248 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Colorado got on the board on Elliott Arnold’s 39-yard field goal that concluded the third quarter and cut the lead to 17-3.
Fette’s 58-yard pass to Reed set up a 21-yard field goal by Carson Smith, giving Arizona State a 20-3 lead with 12:09 remaining.
Arnold missed a 33-yard attempt but was injured on a roughing-the-kicker call against Daquwan Dunn.
On the next play, Wilson completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Williams, cutting the lead to 20-10 with 8:14 left.
Colorado was stopped on a loss of downs at its 46 on its last possession.