By: Keller Brown
After going scoreless in the second half of last week’s 27-15 loss at the hands of Oklahoma State, Arizona State continued its scoreless streak, extending it to sixquarters straight in an ugly shutout loss to the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Mikey Keene, the University of Central Florida transfer, lit up the Sun Devils through the air, playing deep into the fourth quarter and finishing with 281 yards passing, and two touchdown passes.
Keene led the Bulldogs straight down the field on their opening possession, hitting wide receiver Jalen Moss up the seam on third and 10 for a 19-yard score, just three and a half minutes into the contest.
The Bulldogs never looked back from there, adding multiple field goals from Dylan Lynch, who kicked the game-winning field goal in Fresno’s previous contest, a 34-31 win over Eastern Washington.
Four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada did not play for Arizona State, he was held out with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Kenny Dillingham provided info on Rashada’s injury postgame.
“Jaden is going to be out for 4-6 weeks. It’s an injury he’s had since high school, and we want to get him healthy.”
Dillingham kept the message simple postgame, that the offense has to be better.
“I’ve never in my career been involved in a game like that. I can’t explain how it’s even possible.”
Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, Rashada was not the only quarterback to be ruled out with an injury. Trenton Bourguet, who started for Arizona State, quickly went down with a lower-body injury in the first quarter.
Third-string quarterback Drew Pyne, a redshirt sophomore, stepped in for Bourguet and didn’t fare much better, slinging two interceptions before being pulled for fourth-string quarterback Jacob Conover. Unfortunately for the Sun Devil fans, Conover was more of the same, tossing two more interceptions of his own.
The defensive star of the game for the Fresno State Bulldogs was starting corner Carlton Johnson, who plucked three interceptions on the night, the most of any on the Fresno State defense.
Dillingham will have to find answers at the game’s most important position, as being shut at home, and adding to a scoreless streak will bring even more attention to the offensive philosophy moving forward.
It doesn’t get any easier for Arizona State, as they welcome #5 ranked USC to town next week, at 7:30 pm. Fresno State returns home to face Kent State next Saturday, at 7:30 pm.
Featured Image via Rob Schumacher/The Republic