ASU earns bowl eligibility with convincing win over UCF

The Arizona State Sun Devils earned bowl eligibility for the third straight year in Saturday’s convincing 26-13 win over UCF.

The Sun Devils (6-4, 4-3 Big 12) also won back-to-back games for the first time this season after a 20-10 win over Colorado last week.

The Knights (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) will have two more opportunities to gain bowl eligibility, with matchups against Iowa State and Colorado to end the regular season.

The game started slowly, with no points in the first quarter before ASU got tricky with a double pass that led to the first score of the game.

Running back Cardae Mack lined up in the wildcat formation, took the snap and tossed it out wide to wide receiver Derek Eusebio. Eusebio then launched the ball downfield to tight end Anthony Miller for a 28-yard gain, to set up running back Marquis Gillis’ touchdown run.

The Sun Devils added a field goal before UCF got on the board with less than two minutes before halftime. It looked like the score the Knights absolutely needed before halftime.

However, ASU countered immediately by driving for a field goal in 1:10 to leave 43 seconds for UCF.

The Knights’ first drop-back on the ensuing possession was a sack fumble recovered by the Sun Devils. Defensive lineman Jalen Thompson bull-rushed the Knights’ offensive lineman back into quarterback Alonza Barnett III, dislodging the football for Albert Smith to recover. That led to another ASU field goal to lead 16-7 at halftime.

The third quarter started similarly to the first, with no scoring and the two teams going back and forth with punts. The Sun Devils finished off a drive that started in the third in the fourth quarter with a Mack 8-yard rushing touchdown to extend their lead to 23-7.

ASU then turned UCF over on downs on two straight possessions and added a field goal in between the possessions to lead 26-7, which essentially put the game away.

The Knights managed a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cut ASU’s lead to 26-13 before the Sun Devils ran the clock out for the victory.

Wide receiver Reed Harris led the team in receiving with seven catches for 80 yards, including a deep ball he jumped and ripped away from UCF defender Antione Jackson.

Big play Harris 🤝

📺 ESPNU https://t.co/AvEFNRnY2p

— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 15, 2026

Mack collected another 100-yard game on 22 carries, his fourth of the season and fourth in his last six games.

Quarterback Jake Fette finished 21 of 36 for 196 yards. The stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but although Fette had some high throws, his confidence to move around in the pocket to extend plays was evident.

The Sun Devils defense was the story of the night, holding UCF, who came in averaging more than 30 points per game, to 13 points. ASU had three sacks and four passes defensed.

ASU’s win came after the team arrived in Orlando about 4.5 hours ahead of kickoff. The Sun Devils were unable to take off Friday night due to the Federal Aviation Administration nationwide ground stoppage.

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