The moment came early in the first quarter when Arizona State starting defensive back Rodney Bimage Jr. went down hard on the turf. It was a quiet, heavy scene as medical personnel applied an air cast and carted him off the field. Initial evaluations pointed to a significant lower-leg injury, though team staff did not immediately release a detailed diagnosis pending further imaging.
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The injury went down early in the first quarter of the huge Big 12 matchup. Bimage went down hard on the turf with what looked like a severe injury to his lower right leg. The medical staff didn’t waste any time getting out there, quickly putting his leg in a protective cast right on the field before calling out the injury cart.
Freshman Daquwan Dunn stepped into the secondary to fill the void left by Bimage, a key anchor in ASU’s defensive coverage. Bimage was officially ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
As the trainers worked on Bimage, the entire ASU defense and head coach Kenny Dillingham swarmed around him to make sure he wasn’t alone.
You could see the raw emotion on the players’ faces as they gave him high-fives, held up signs of unity, and whispered words of encouragement.
The most powerful moment came when the cart finally started driving Bimage away. Instead of just staying on the bench, the entire ASU sideline emptied out to walk alongside the vehicle. Teammates patted him on the back, offered fist bumps, and shouted messages of love and support to keep his head up before he headed back to the locker room for further evaluation.
This kind of incredible support isn’t new for the Sun Devils, who have rallied around Bimage during scary moments before.
Back in November 2025, during a game against West Virginia, Bimage suffered a frightening helmet-to-helmet hit that left him flat on his back. That time, the whole team also rushed to his side, and when he finally got up and did a little dance to show he was okay, the entire sideline exploded into a massive celebration.
Coach Dillingham has really built a culture where the players have each other’s backs no matter what. That deep bond was exactly what the team needed to push through the shock of losing one of their key defensive leaders so early in the game. Instead of letting the injury deflate them, the defense used that emotional spark to fuel their play on the next few drives.
Even though it was a heartbreaking start to the game, the way the Sun Devils responded showed what they are all about. Watching an entire football team surround an injured teammate is a reminder that sports are about way more than just winning games. Now, the whole ASU community is keeping its fingers crossed and waiting for updates on Bimage’s recovery.
As for the game, the Sun Devils didn’t have a hard time settling.
Fueled by playing for their injured teammate, the ASU defense completely balled out from the very first snap. They totally locked down Colorado’s offense right from the start, forcing three straight three-and-outs and holding them to just 64 rushing yards the entire night.
With the defense playing lights out, ASU’s freshman quarterback Jake Fette looked super comfortable in just his second career start. He threw for 187 yards and a touchdown, keeping the offense steady and showing a lot of poise for a young player.
His favorite target of the night was wide receiver Reed Harris, who came up huge by racking up over 100 receiving yards.
To really control the tempo of the game, ASU leaned heavily on their ground game and running back Cardae Mack.
Mack became a workhorse for the offense, carrying the ball 24 times to consistently move the chains, grind down the clock, and keep Colorado’s defense tired. This smart, physical running style perfectly complemented the team’s aggressive defensive performance.
Colorado tried to make a comeback late in the game, but the ASU defense simply wasn’t having it. They sacked Colorado’s quarterback four times and grabbed a clutch interception to officially seal the victory.