TATUM’S FITE BROTHERS IN TITLE GAMES | C.J. in Big 12 Saturday morning, Trey in Sun Belt Saturday night
Drenon and Tamara Fite have a conundrum.
But boy, is it a good one.
Their two sons – Drenon (Trey) III and C.J., former Tatum High School football standouts – are both very much in the spotlight of the college football world this weekend.
ETBlitz.com sat down with Drenon and the boys prior to the season (read that here: FOOTBALL IS THEIR BUSINESS, & BUSINESS IS GOOD | Meet the Fites, and read about their fascinating football life), and talked about C.J.’s 2024 season as a defensive lineman at Arizona State, and Trey’s season as a linebacker for the University of Louisiana.
And make no mistake: ETBlitz doesn’t bring anybody luck. But luck didn’t get the Fite Boyz to their destinations this weekend, anyway: it was hard work, and great team play.
Trey will join his team at their home stadium – Cajun Field, in Lafayette – to take on Marshall for the Sun Belt Championship. See it live on ESPN Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.
But right out of the gate on Saturday morning, C.J. and the 15th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils, in the first game of the day, will face No. 18 Iowa State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship.
That’s an 11 a.m. kickoff on ABC.
ETBlitz.com didn’t have available staff to get to Lafayette, but we are going to be at AT&T to see if C.J. and his guys can beat Iowa State – the winner will go to the College Football Playoff.
The Big 12 was a close race this year. Texas and Oklahoma were gone, off to the SEC, and Oklahoma State’s season was so bad that both coordinators have already been dismissed (or left, depending on your disposition).
But Arizona State hasn’t disappointed. The Sun Devils are 10-2, having opened the season with three straight wins and now have won five straight, including ranked teams Kansas State (on the road in Manhattan, Kan., an impressive feat) and BYU. The Sun Devils are coming off a 49-7 blowout of rival Arizona IN Arizona. And tt’s Arizona State’s first 10-win season in program history.
C.J., in the 12 games, has 27 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. The sophomore had 15 tackles and a fumble recovery last year.
When the All-Big 12 Team was released earlier this week, C.J. and teammates Keyshaun Elliott, Chamon Metayer and Sam Leavitt were all named to the second-team.
C.J., listed at 6-foot-1, 295 pounds, wears No. 99.
And no opposing player wants to see No. 99 giving chase on them.
Arizona State is led by Leavitt, the quarterback, who is 180-of-287 for 2,444 yards, 21 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He’s been sacked 15 times this year. But he’s also ran for 350 yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries, and averages 4 yards a carry.
Cam Skattebo is the Sun Devils’ leading rusher. He has 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns on 247 carries. And also look for Kyson Brown to see action. He’s got 338 yards and two touchdowns on the season, as well.
Jordan Tyson is far and away Leavitt’s primary target. Tyson is one of the nation’s best receivers: 75 catches, 1,101 yards, 10 touchdowns and a big threat. Skattebo has 468 yards and two touchdowns on 35 catches out of the backfield.
Special teams has used three kickers this year: Ian Hershey (20-of-21 extra points, 7-of-12 field goals, a long of 47, and 4-of-4 between 20 and 29 yards, 2-of-4 between 40 and 49 yards); Parker Lewis (24-of-24 in extra point attempts, 1-of-3 in field goals (47 yards); and Carston Kieffer (5-of-6 in extra points, no field goals made).
Defensively, defensive back Myles Rowser leads the team with 87 tackles, and has defended four passes.
Iowa State and Arizona State did not play this season.
Iowa State, led by coach Matt Campbell, is also 10-2, and went on a seven-game winning streak to start the season before losing at home to Texas Tech by a point (23-22). They also lost at Kansas, 45-36, the very next week, but haven’t lost since: they’ve won three straight games headed into Saturday’s Big 12 title game, including a 29-21 win at home over K-State a week ago.
Quarterback Rocco Becht (Rocco?) has completed 228-of-385 passes for 3,021 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. Leading receivers are Jayden Higgins (80 catches for 1,068 yards and nine touchdowns) and Jaylin Noel (67 for 1,013 yards, six TDs), and no one else is close; the next-closest receiver, tight end Gabe Burkle, has 17 catches for 208 yards, and no scores in 2024).
Carson Hansen is the Cyclones’ leading rusher: 618 yards and 11 touchdowns on 125 carries, about 5 yards a carry. Abu Sama III (547 yards, two TDs) and Jaylon Jackson (373 yards, two scores) are next, and Becht hasn’t rushed for many yards – just 272 – but he does have seven touchdowns.
Kicker Kyle Konrady seems dangerous, looking at his stats: 39-of-41 extra points made, 8-of-9 in field goals between 30 and 39 yards, and a long of 54.
Defensive back Malik Verdon leads the Cyclones in tackles (74).
Trey Fite’s team, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, are the champions of the Sun Belt’s West Division, and are also 10-2. Their two losses were in the third week of the year to Tulane, 41-33 (Tulane was ranked for most of this season) and three weeks ago to South Alabama, 24-22 – so two losses by a combined 10 points.
Fite and the Cajuns are on a two-game winning streak coming in to Saturday’s Sun Belt championship game: a home win over Troy, 51-30, and a road win last week at Louisiana-Monroe (37-23).
Trey – listed at 6-4, 235 pounds – has four tackles and a fumble recovery this season. Trey, a sophomore, wears No. 31 for the Cajuns.
Quarterback Ben Wooldridge is 185-of-271 for 2,392 yards, 17 touchdowns and five picks in 2024. Chandler Fields is 59-of-79 for 793 yards, five touchdowns and a pick.
Receiving targets include Lance LeGendre (44 catches, 733 yards, six touchdowns), tight end Terrance Carter (48 catches, 689 yards, four touchdowns) and Harvey Broussard (27 catches, 406 yards, three TDs).
The Ragin’ Cajuns have ran for 2,160 yards and scored 26 touchdowns as an offense, and they’re led in rushing by Bill Davis (777 yards and nine touchdowns on 150 carries) and Zylan Perry (621 yards and four scores on 95 carries). Wooldrdige has five touchdowns this season, and Fields, two. Dre’lyn Washington has five, as well, to go with 459 yards.
If the game comes down to Louisiana attempting a game-winning kick, Marshall could be in trouble. Kenneth Almendares has hit 26-of-28 field goals, a long of 53, and has not missed from 20 to 49 yards. He’s 2-of-4 in kicks over 50 yards, and has hit 46-of-47 extra points this year.
Marshall is the Sun Belt’s East Division champ. The Thundering Herd are 9-3 this year, and all three losses came between Sept. 7 and Oct. 12: Marshall was 1-2 after the first three weeks of the year, one of those at Ohio State and both non-conference (the other was to Virginia Tech).
They did drop a 24-23 loss at Georgia Southern, but they’ve won every game since: six straight, to be exact, having bested James Madison, 35-33, in two overtimes last week.
Marshall and Louisiana haven’t played this season.
The Herd have done a lot with a little – as in, they don’t have a lot of offense. Braylon Braxton is their leading passer: 106-of-180 for 1,431 yards, 17 touchdowns and two picks. Stone Earle is 65-of-120 for 673 yards, seven TDs and also has thrown two picks.
Christian Fitzpatrick and Chuck Montgomery are the Herd’s leading receivers: Fitzpatrick has 32 catches for 569 yards and six touchdowns this year, and Montgomery, 28 catches for 343 yards and three scores.
As an offense, the Herd has ran for 2,405 yards and 19 touchdowns this season.
Marshall also has a great kicker: Rece Verhoff: 36-of-36 in extra point tries, 13-of-18 field goals, but 8-of-11 in kicks over 40 yards, including a long of 51.
Defensively, linebacker Jaden Yates leads in tackles (109) and has two fumble recoveries.
