Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
UCA overcomes deficit, stuns ASU
JONESBORO — Steve Campbell spotted Greg Stewart trudging up a ramp outside of the visitors locker room Saturday night. The Central Arkansas head coach stopped in his tracks, exchanged a handshake, then a giant bear hug followed by shrieks of celebration with his defensive coordinator.
The jubilation was understood and acceptable. About 40 minutes earlier, Campbell and Stewart had finished off one of the program’s most memorable games, a 28-23 victory over FBS-level Arkansas State in front of a crowd of 28,012 at Centennial Bank Stadium.
Campbell first tried to downplay the victory, saying it was “big because it was the next one.” But then acknowledged it was important for UCA (3-1) considering it
was its first victory over an FBS program since 2009 and the first over the in-state rival since 1937.
“It was a fight,” Campbell said. “I thought a lot of people did a lot to give us a chance to win.”
That includes junior quarterback Hayden Hildebrand, who passed for 270 yards and 1 touchdown, which went 18 yards to Brandon Cox in the south end zone with 6:36 left in the game and served as the winning score.
“Everybody is on cloud nine right now,” said Hildebrand, who charged the north end zone with his teammates when Tremon Smith batted down Justice Hansen’s final desperate heave into the end zone. “That was probably the most hard-fought win I’ve ever been a part of. I don’t have the words for it. I’m just excited and happy.”
It gave ASU (0-4) its first defeat to an FCS team since losing to Nicholls State on Thanksgiving Day in 2001, a loss that led to Joe Hollis’ firing the final day of a 2-9 season. That also was the last year ASU started 0-4.
The Red Wolves are in the same position despite Hansen passing for 424 yards in his first start and ASU holding a 469-382 edge in total yards.
But the Red Wolves also committed four turnovers, all of which led to UCA points. Three of those turnovers came in the second half, all on consecutive possessions and the first two led to UCA’s final two touchdowns.
The first fumble came at midfield when defensive lineman Chris Terrell disrupted an end-around play that led to receiver Sterling Stowers’ mishandling the exchange. ASU Coach Blake Anderson said “that was my call” of a play that was designed to be thrown to Hansen.
“He’s probably still doing jumping jacks down here in the end zone with nobody around him,” Anderson said.
Instead, UCA recovered and Hildebrand went to work on a 50-yard drive, capped by Antwon Wells’ 3-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal to make it 23-22 after the missed extra point.
ASU’s Johnston White then fumbled the ball back to the Bears at the UCA 14, and Hildebrand went to work again. This time he lead an 86-yard drive that ended with him rolling right and finding Cox open in the end zone.
ASU twice had the ball with a chance to win the game, but one series ended with an interception by UCA’s Tyler Williams and the other when Hansen’s pass with no time left was tipped by Smith in the end zone.
It capped a notable upset for UCA, but one the Bears thought was possible.
Hildebrand said he felt that same message all week.
“Sometimes you play a school like that and think ‘It’s going to be tough,’ ” he said. “But we felt like we could beat this team. They’re not unbeatable. They’re not the Dallas Cowboys.”
The Bears did it by holding on to the ball (zero turnovers), taking advantage of Red Wolves’ turnovers and stopping ASU’s running game.
The Red Wolves were held to 45 yards rushing on 34 carries, led by Warren Wand who had 53 yards on 15 carries. Anderson said the lack of a running game might be the biggest reason the Red Wolves will enter October without a victory.
“We’ve got to find an answer because we have to be able to run the ball,” Anderson said. “If you stop the run and run the ball you win games. That’s what we were able to do a year ago.”
ASU entered the game with some optimism in part because of Hansen, who made his first start. The sophomore led three scoring drives in the first quarter, which included touchdown passes to Kendall Sanders and Wand to take a 16-7 lead. But the Red Wolves managed just one other score, a 58-yard pass to Cameron Echols-Luper in the third quarter. Its eight other possessions ended with four punts, two fumbles and two interceptions.
Campbell said the Bears were fine giving up yards in the air, if it meant their safeties positioned near the line of scrimmage could stop the run.
“You can’t stop everything,” Campbell said. “But you can’t be lukewarm. You have to say you’re not going to run it, or they’re going to run it and pass it.”