BYU goes into Saturday's game against Arizona State with more than one thing unsettled. Rain is forecast around the 1:30 PM Mountain Time kickoff, and Arizona State could turn to true freshman Jake Fette if Mikey Keene cannot play.
That is why the search around Arizona State Vs BYU has sharpened now. The game is close, the weather is not clean, and the quarterback spot for Arizona State is still open after Keene was injured last week against Kansas State. Fette finished that game, so the possibility that he starts is not theoretical.
For BYU, the timing matters because the team is trying to recover from a loss to UCF and answer the frustration of a 2024 defeat to Arizona State. The matchup has already carried weight in Provo this week, and the forecast adds a layer that can change how both sides approach the first half. Rain is expected at 2:00 PM Mountain Time, which means the opening stretch could already be played in wet conditions.
That kind of weather does not help a passing game that needs rhythm. BYU's offense has struggled in the rain over the last two years, and the margin for comfort gets smaller if the conditions hang around. One reason the game still tilts toward BYU is that Bear Bachmeier should have success through the air if the rain does not last long, but that is a conditional edge, not a guarantee. If the field stays slick and the ball stays wet, the game becomes much harder to separate from the kind of grind that can swing on a mistake.
There is another wrinkle sitting underneath all of it. BYU has not forced a turnover since the TCU game, so the Cougars do not arrive with recent takeaways to lean on if the weather turns messy and the score stays tight. That makes the start of the game especially important: if Keene is out and Fette takes over, Arizona State can at least simplify what it asks from its quarterback. If Keene is able to go, the game keeps its original shape. Either way, the first answer fans get on Saturday may come before the weather fully settles in.
