Arizona State Head Coach Kenny Dillingham Postgame Press Conference:
Saturday, November 7, 2026
On aligning all three phases:
“I told the guys in the locker room, the first half was us having all three phases aligned. That was good football for the first half. Let's go out and let's put it all together. That was the first time we've played good football in all three phases for a half. Let's finish the game and play for a game. And obviously that didn't get done, so bad motivational speech. Go back to the drawing board there. I thought our defense still, even though we gave up a ton of yards, they still held in the red zone. Other than the field goal that we ran into the kicker, which obviously can't happen. But freshman mistake for a guy who doesn't get a ton of reps on that, because (ASU CB) Rodney (Bimage Jr.) usually runs that position. (ASU DB Daquwan Dunn) doesn't get that a ton, so learning experience for me. We need to run more twos field goal blocks, and especially with young guys. Like I told (Dunn), it's a good learning experience. Luckily, it didn't cost us a game.”

On (ASU DE) Albert Smith III’s growth since freshman year:
“I've really challenged Albert for three years, you can ask him. I've challenged him a lot because he has so much talent. And sometimes he doesn't like me, but I think he's starting to learn that there's a reason I'm choosing to challenge him, and be after him, and be on him because he has so much ability. So for him to seek, to see and to feel that really for the first time in a game, hopefully that becomes contagious for him. Hopefully that feeling of man that felt great, hopefully that becomes contagious and he only practices better and continues to get better and doubles down. And so I was just super proud of him just because you know I've been really hard on him for the last three years.”

On ASU QB Jake Fette’s growth throughout the game:
“I think every game he's gonna grow. He took a sack on a first and 10, and I could hear him on the sideline. He's like, ‘My fault.’ I love that, but it's all good, go to the next play. That was the story of the offense tonight. The times that we got out of sync, there was some sort of play that was a negative that put us way out of sorts. Whether it was their defensive line was really good. I thought that was one of the best, if not the best, defensive lines we've played. And whether it was just an instant TFL, which we had a few of those, and that knocks us to third and nine, or second and 14. Or it was a potential throwaway. I think for Jake, I thought he's 13 for 19, 187 yards touchdown. He did a good job controlling the game once again. Stupid things like no penalties, no procedural issues, no 42nd clock, no missed shifts or motioning the wrong guy. All very veteran-like operation for a young buck.”

On how fun it is to get creative in the red zone:
“It’s fun. (ASU RB) Cardae (Mack) was quarterback. Cardae could play quarterback in some systems, I really believe it. If you ran the triple and that was Cardae, he could play collegiate quarterback in the triple. He would be so annoying to play, so I hope nobody tampers with him to go play triple quarterback. It would be dreadful, but he 100% could do it.”

On his thoughts about ASU Cornerback Ashton Stamps interception tonight:
“Big time play. I was excited about that because we played team football on that play.  We made a call to one another based off of the cut split by three and recognizing it was going to be sprint out. The cut split by one. Then they communicated a call to basically move the safety outside leverage and eject the corner, and then the guy runs the post and the safety's wide, so the post looks open, the corner ejects, and it was like, man, that's what it's supposed to look like. That's why I was over there juiced. Give me a play where we play really sound football and we leverage the ball to each other and make a play like that, over somebody just winning a one on one and making a one and a catch. Talent does that but good teams make the plays when they work together and they play team defense. That was a team defense interception, that's what fired me up. Even our defensive end recognized boot with the cut split of three and got up the field. Our adder added fast. The team created that, and everybody understood the assignment. They made it happen.”

On the punting unit executing a punt directly to the 5-yard line:
“It felt great. Like I said, I've been arguably one of the most aggressive coaches in the country on fourth down, our first three years here, or at least our first two years. We get near the 50, we're going for it. Fourth and sevens, fourth and sixes, fourth and fours. But that was when we weren't great at pin punts. It was like, we don't have a great chance of getting them inside the five. Now it's fourth and one and I'm like, ‘Meh.’ I kind of like it when the defense starts the drive on the five. That's awesome, but it's definitely changed my mindset, and it's a weapon. I think  even in the last two games, our field position has been a weapon that's helped us. We didn't win the prior one, but that was a huge piece of the game. And then this week, I thought the field position was a huge, another huge piece of the game. Us always playing with them backed up, so it's a great feeling.”

On the 1996 team being honored today:
“We had a few of the guys in the locker room. The other guys were lining the tunnel, that's one of the best teams in the last 30 years here. To have them back around and to show the guys that, if you do something special here, you'll be remembered forever, and they're remembered forever here because of that year. The goal is: how do we have a team get remembered? Not every 30 years. Every three years, every four years, every five years, whatever it is. How do we create that to where those unbelievable teams and unbelievable moments become a little bit more consistent? It's going to come with rocky times too. It's just part of the nature of this world we're in, but we need to get more teams that people remember because the '96 team is one. Jake Plummer walks around this place and he could do whatever he wants, he earned that right. I hope some of our guys get to feel that in 30 years, and they get to walk around this place and feel like they own it.

On Jake Fette being the first quarterback since Jake Plummer to throw and catch a touchdown:
“I did not know that. That's a great stat. Looks like they've got something in common.”

On his thoughts about the defenses execution:
“Really good. We understand our fits. We were there. We were leveraging the ball correctly. I thought we did a great job. I think our defensive staff has done a good job getting these guys on the same page, we’re playing hard again. We’re confident in our run fits, and I think it's showing up.”

On any updates about (ASU DB) Rodney Bimage Jr.:
“That was not a good one. Unfortunately he’ll probably be out for the year unless something drastically changes. Probably won't be a quick recovery, and sucks for him. He's worked his butt off to get to the point to be a starter here, it's just painful to watch.”

Arizona State Freshman Quarterback Jake Fette
On his first home win as a starter:
“It’s awesome. The first home win is a real special one. At the end of the day I don't think as an offensive unit we played well enough. But it makes it sweeter when you come out with the win. So we are just focused on the now and not so much on the future.”

On his thoughts about the first half:
“I think pretty much throughout the whole game we moved the ball down the field pretty well, for the most part. But once we get to the red zone we need to start finishing drives and pushing the ball into the end zone.”

On how he moves on between plays:
“I’m trying to do a better job of focusing on the next play, regardless of the last, whether it was a good play or a bad play. I need to get my mentality into the next play cycle of the snap. Each play is different.”

On his touchdown reception with (ASU RB) Cardae Mack:
“It was crazy. All week they told me to be ready, he might throw it late, and then it actually happened. I didn't even know what to do, I’m just happy I caught it.”

Arizona State Junior Linebacker Owen Long:
On his emotions when (ASU DB) Rodney Bimage Jr. went down with an injury
“ Rod's been a staple of our defense. That guy gives everything he's got every day, whether that's a Tuesday practice or a Saturday game. To see someone go down like that, obviously, is not anything that we want. Like you said, the team is rallying around it. Going out there and playing for him, doing what he would do, which is play as hard as he can, having that opportunity to go do it and show we got his back.”

On what enabled the defense to be dominant in the first half:
“We had a great game plan. We feel like as a defense, week by week, we have felt our confidence grow. We've done nothing but just get back to work. To just go out there and let our work speak for itself. Go play as hard as we can. As a unit,  what we call our staples, is just how hard we play. Not everything's going to be perfect, but we're going to go play as hard as we can and try to make everything right.” 

On the defense holding Colorado scoreless for 44 minutes: 
“It's just a testament to the work that the coaches and players put in this week. We know what it looks like when we're on the same page and when we're flying around playing our game. Now the job is to continue to do that going into next Saturday.”

On linebacker (ASU LB) Prayer Young-Blackgoat’s play tonight:
“Unreal. Another guy that is just a lunatic, in a good way. He loves football so much, and it shows. He's so passionate about it. I think you guys can tell by his celebrations. To see him get in there and do what he did was awesome, and he's just gonna keep building on it. It's gonna be fun to see. 

Colorado Head Coach Deion Sanders Postgame Press Conference:
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Opening statement:
“Had a turnover, but we also improved in the penalties. Only 5-for-34. We had detrimental penalties at the wrong time. A lot of respect here for Arizona State and Coach Dillingham and his staff. It was a wonderful game. We loved the way they utilized their freshman quarterback. We love the things that they did to keep us off balance, they threw a couple of deep balls. His (Coach Dillingham) big time receivers made plays, but we didn’t. Overall, I didn’t see anyone quit or see anyone being lethargic. Didn’t see them giving up by any means. We had a comeback but it was way too late, I wish we’d start off like that instead of ending up like that.

On his message to the locker room:
“We don’t have time for a pity party. We play Friday, there’s no time. We don’t have time for it. If anybody’s in that locker room that’s not hurting right now, this isn’t the sport for you. It’s the wrong game. It’s the wrong team, it's the wrong everything. This is not how it’s supposed to be. And it’s not a personal hurt for me, I hurt because you guys (the fans) deserve better, the team deserves better. We should win and put our best foot forward, and I’m not seeing that.

On the execution while on the road:
“I don’t think it’s just on the road, it’s like this, period. We have to score and that’s it. I don’t believe it’s a destination type of thing. On the road, at home, we just need to stop people (from scoring) and that’s on me. We need consistency. We’re just not consistent in many phases of the game that it takes to win football games, we’re not consistent by any means.”

On junior (Colorado) WR Joseph Williams and senior LB Gideon Lampron:
“Leadership isn’t a question. These guys play their butts off. Gideon (Lampron) had 18 tackles, 16 last week. Joseph (Williams) every time he touched the ball, it was electric. We got guys that the team looks up to and they set the right example. Not only on gameday, but in practice as well. I don’t see anyone having a pity party or hanging their heads, we just gotta do better.”

On how much he has learned from this season that he will take into next:
“I don’t like to think about tomorrow, I’m thinking about now. This butt whooping is going to prepare me for next year, no you are not going to get to next year with that. You just don’t think like that. We have a couple of young freshmen corners who were out there and dressed up. They play a couple special teams, and I took it up by myself because I care about these young men, and I believe that they’re going to be good players somewhere down the line. So during the game I would tell them to look down in the distances because they were so thought-provoked about the players you’re playing against instead of understanding situational football. So it is always a moment to learn and to teach.”

Colorado Senior LB Gideon 'ESPN' Lampron:
On if the team is playing for head coach Deion Sanders’ job:
“We're playing for the team. I'm playing for him. He brought me here. It's always fun to win so we’re trying not to think about that. It just adds unnecessary pressure. We just have to keep grinding and hopefully the tides will turn.”

On the Colorado fans:
“They (the fans) do make an impact. We play on Friday, we play in a few days. We can't have a pity party about this loss. We have to move forward and get ready. We're going to put a good product on the field versus a high-quality opponent. I'm excited for the chance.”

Colorado Junior WR Joseph Williams 
On the emotions following a tough loss
“Pretty low. Everybody wants to win. We really aren’t talking much after the game. We just went into the locker room, got dressed and we were ready to leave. We are trying to get ready for Friday.”

On seeing his old teammate and current Sun Devil Fifth Year DL Emar’rion Miller:
“That's my guy. I love him. I talk to him all the time. We're still teammates because at the end of the day, he's still my brother. He might be on another team, but we're still super close. We're always checking in on each other to see how things go. We’re with the same agency as well. We're always around each other like that. I enjoyed seeing him today.”