EL PASO, Texas — The 2025 Sun Bowl, a contest defined by Arizona State’s physical defensive play, has become the subject of national scrutiny following an unsportsmanlike incident involving Sun Devils defensive lineman C.J. Fite. During the fourth quarter of Arizona State’s victory over Duke, high-definition broadcast footage captured Fite delivering a punch to the groin area of Blue Devils offensive lineman Justin Pickett.
The incident occurred during a standard line-of-scrimmage engagement. As the play concluded, Fite was seen extending his arm and making forceful contact with Pickett, who immediately collapsed to the turf in visible distress. Despite the clarity of the contact on the replay, game officials did not see the live action, and no penalty was assessed at the time of the foul.
The footage, which quickly circulated across social media platforms under “4K” clarity, has prompted a wave of criticism regarding the lack of an ejection. Under NCAA football rules, “striking with the fist” is classified as a personal foul and often carries the mandate of an automatic disqualification if deemed flagrant. Because the play was not reviewed for a targeting-style foul or a dead-ball personal foul during the game, Fite remained in the contest to help the Sun Devils secure their bowl win.
“We hold our players to a high standard of conduct and sportsmanship,” an Arizona State athletic spokesperson stated in a brief release on Wednesday. “The coaching staff is aware of the video circulating from the Sun Bowl and is reviewing the matter internally. We will have no further comment until that review is complete.”
The incident marks a sour note for an Arizona State defense that had otherwise been praised for its discipline and turnaround under the current coaching staff. For Duke, the lack of an on-field call added frustration to a game that saw them struggle to find offensive rhythm against the Sun Devils’ front four.
While the bowl season has concluded for both programs, the Big 12 Conference has the authority to issue post-game reprimands or suspensions that could carry over into the 2026 regular season. Fite, a key contributor to the Sun Devils’ interior rotation, could face a multi-game suspension to start his next campaign depending on the league’s assessment of the “flagrant” nature of the strike.
