A-State hosts key match-up with Georgia State

A-State hosts key match-up with Georgia State

Red Wolves looking to get in the Sun Belt Conference win column

Arkansas State University Arkansas State remains home for the second consecutive week as it continues Sun Belt Conference play, hosting Georgia State Thursday night at Centennial Bank Stadium in a 6:30 p.m. game that will be televised on ESPNU. Every Red Wolves’ football game can be heard live on 107.9 FM in the Northeast Arkansas area. The live radio broadcast can also be accessed on the official AState Athletics web site (AStateRedWolves.com) and the A-State Athletics app.

While the Red Wolves secured a winning record against non-conference opponents for the first time since 1995, they are still looking for their first Sun Belt Conference victory of the season. A-State’s third attempt to notch its first league win of the season will come against a Georgia State team that holds a 2-4 overall record and 1-1 mark in Sun Belt action.

Despite A-State being just halfway through its 2018 regular season, head coach Blake Anderson is already the only head coach in Arkansas State history to win 34 or more games over his first five seasons at the school. Additionally, he is one of just three head coaches at A-State to ever direct the program to at least 34 wins in 57 or fewer games — Bennie Ellender also collected 34 victories in his first 57 games between 1963-69, as did Bill Davidson between 1971-76. Arkansas State holds a 4-0 all-time record against Georgia State in the series that dates back to just 2013. The Red Wolves and Panthers met four consecutive years from 2013-16, but didn’t play each other last season. While A-State claimed a narrows 35-33 victory in Jonesboro in the initial meeting, the last three games have all been decided by at least 14 points. The Red Wolves picked up a 5210 road win in 2014 followed by 48-24 victory in 2014 at Centennial Bank Stadium and a 31-16 win in 2016 in Atlanta.

Arkansas State is the only FBS program in the nation to win five conference championships over the last seven years. The Red Wolves most recently claimed the 2016 Sun Belt Conference championship, giving it back-to-back titles with a combined 15-1 league record over that span. A-State also won the league title 2011-13, making it one of just two programs in league history with at least five all-time SBC titles.

Dating back to the 2010 season, Arkansas State holds a 22-3 record over its last 25 games played in the month of October. The Red Wolves had won their last 11 games in the month before falling to Appalachian State last week.

Arkansas State has dropped back-to-back Sun Belt Conference games in the same season for the first time since 2014, but have not lost three consecutive league games since the 2009 campaign.

Last Tuesday’s game against Appalachian State marked the 1,000th game in the history of the Arkansas State football program. AState’s program is currently in its 104th season, has played in 15 bowl games and won 12 conference titles. The program’s first season was played in 1911, but A-State did not field a team from 1942-44 due to World War II and also in 1918 as World War I was ending.

An A-State victory would make it 4-3 or better after seven games for the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Blake Anderson (2018, 2017, 2015, 2014), move its record to 23-3 over its last 26 games played in October, give the Red Wolves nine victories over its last 10 midweek games (Tue.-Thur.) and make them 20-7 in all midweek games played since it joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2001, move its all-time record against Georgia State to 5-0, would tie Blake Anderson for the fifth most wins ever by a head coach at A-State, and give it 79 alltime Sun Belt Conference wins and give it 47 victories over its last 58 conference games.

With a 3-1 record, Arkansas State secured a winning record this season against non-conference opponents for the first time since 1995 when it went 3-2. Additionally, with wins against Tulsa and UNLV, the Red Wolves won backto- back non-conference games against FBS opponents for the first time ever since moving to FBS status in 1992.

Arkansas State has obtained bowl-eligible status each of the last seven years (201117) and 10 times over the last 13 seasons. Since joining the FBS in 1992, Arkansas State has become bowl eligible in nine games or less five times (2011, ‘12, ‘14, ‘15, ‘17). The earliest A-State ever became bowl eligible was in 2011 when it was 6-2 through eight games.

Based on gains of at least 15 yards passing and 12 rushing, Arkansas State has recorded at least nine explosive plays in all but one game this season and is averaging 9.8 per contest. The Red Wolves recorded a season-high 15 explosive plays against SEMO, followed by 11 versus UNLV, 10 at Georgia Southern and nine against both Tulsa and Alabama. A-State has recorded 59 total explosive plays, including 30 covering at least 20 yards.

Arkansas State has already rushed for at least 170 yards in four games, which matched its total for all of last season. A-State reached the mark in four consecutive outings (first four games) for the first time since doing so in five straight during the 2015 season. A-State has also posted at least 100 rushing yards in every game this year, marking the first time it has reached the century mark in six consecutive games since the 2015 season as well (nine straight).

Senior quarterback Justice Hansen was named on Oct. 5 as a “top 30” candidate for the 2018 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The senior from Edmond, Okla., was named a “top 20” candidate for the award last season as a junior.

Senior quarterback Justice Hansen was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 3, recognizing his recordsetting performance against Southeast Missouri State. He set a school record with six touchdown passes and finished the night 26-of-36 passing with 423 yards. All six touchdowns went to different receivers, and he became the first Sun Belt quarterback to toss six or more touchdown passes since Giovanni Vizza of North Texas had eight against Navy on Nov. 10, 2007.

Hansen has thrown at least one passing touchdown in 21 of his last 23 games and two or more touchdown passes in 15 of his last 20 outings. He has thrown multiple scoring passes in 20 career games. The former Oklahoma transfer has thrown for at least 200 yards 22 times, 300 11 times and 400 five times during his three-year career at A-State. Dating back to the 2015 season, Hansen has passed for at least 200 yards in 20 of his last 25 games.

A-State has ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation in sacks three of the last five years, posting a combined 157 sacks over that span. The Red Wolves have recorded at least one sack in 30 consecutive games dating back to the 2016 season.

Arkansas State held five opponents under 300 yards total offense each of the previous two years (2016-17), matching its combined total for the two seasons prior to that (2014-15). Dating back to the 2016 campaign, the Red Wolves have held 10 of their last 22 opponents to under 300 yards total offense.

Sophomore defensive end William Bradley-King was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week after his dominating performance in the Red Wolves’ 27-20 victory over UNLV. He recorded his second career forced fumble while setting career highs with nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. With the Red Wolves leading 27-20, Bradley-King recorded a strip-sack on fourth down that ended UNLV’s final possession and secured the victory for Arkansas State. The Kansas City, Mo., native also posted a sack on the final play of the first half, helping preserve a six-point A-State lead by not allowing UNLV quarterback Armani Rogers to get off a pass to the end zone. He additionally came up with tackles on two third-down plays that forced UNLV punts during the game.

Arkansas State’s punt and kickoff coverage units have been successful early this season as both rank among the top 16 in the nation. In fact, the Red Wolves are ranked first in the nation in punt coverage by allowing 2.8 yards per return by its opponents. The kickoff coverage team is allowing just 16.6 yards per return, which is a significant improvement over its 21.4 average and No. 74 ranking a year ago.

Since taking over place kicking duties in the third game (Tulsa) of the season, redshirt freshman Blake Grupe has made seven of his eight field goal attempts. He made a career-high three against Appalachian State, including a career-long covering 47 yards.

Photo by Ralph Hardin

The West Junior High Blue Imps Seventh Grade squad capped their 2018 season with a straight-set win over the Marion Junior Lady Pats 7th Grade team last Tuesday. This was the first season for the Blue Imps under new coach Blair Rogers.

TBlue Imps Cap Season with Win

Photo courtesy of Arkansas State

By Jerry Scott