ASU fails to deliver in critical moments

JONESBORO — Te’Vailance Hunt pulled down the 4-yard touchdown pass with ease. Dominic Zvada split the uprights on the extra point.

With 10:21 remaining, Arkansas State was within eight points at 28-20 of undefeated James Madison.

Yet, Centennial Bank Stadium lacked the vibe of a one-possession game.

Perhaps it was because over the past 30 minutes the Red Wolves provided no answer, the Dukes’ offense marching downfield time and time again with little resistance. James Madison had scored touchdowns on four of five series — the other, a 17-play, 74-yard drive ended at the ASU 15-yard line with an ugly missed field goal.

No matter. A stop and the Red Wolves would get the ball with a chance to tie in the waning minutes.

That chance vanished in a span of eight snaps.

“We have to force a threeand-out. We have to control vertical position. We’ve got to get off the field,” ASU Coach Butch Jones said. “All those things are critical, and how do you beat a team like James Madison [and] start winning games? We need plays in critical moments that change the game.”

The Red Wolves had twice taken care of business when as much was expected of them, once against a far inferior FCS opponent and then again last week as a touchdown favorite against Louisiana-Monroe.

Back up a month to ASU’s loss at Ohio State. The Red Wolves left Columbus, Ohio, believing they were capable of winning against a better team, even if it didn’t happen that day against a top-five foe.

All three of the Red Wolves’ remaining opponents that entered the weekend with winning records — James Madison, South Alabama and Troy — would travel to Jonesboro ripe for an upset.

But accomplishing that requires making plays.

With no sacks, no takeaways, two red-zone trips that ended in field goals rather than touchdowns and nine failed conversions on 13 third downs, the Red Wolves failed to answer the bell.

“The mood is that we’re hungry,” quarterback James Blackman said. “We’re confident in Coach Jones and his blueprint that he’s got laid out for us. … We’ve just got to keep going and grinding it out. It’s not going to be easy.”

Although the Red Wolves are 4-14 through their first season and a half under Jones, a reasonable path to bowl eligibility in Year 2 remains.

An early betting line has ASU as a four-point underdog at Southern Mississippi on Saturday. Louisiana-Lafayette will likely be a slight favorite two weeks from now, but the Ragin’ Cajuns have lost three straight games. And Massachusetts — with its only win against FCS Stony Brook — has lost by a combined 187-57 against five FBS opponents.

If ASU can win those three games, that would get it to five victories. That unexpected sixth win would have to come from somewhere.

“It’s our job as coaches to put them in positions to make plays,” Jones said. “And then when their opportunity comes, they’ve got to make the most of it.”