Red Wolves crush homecoming foe

JONESBORO — Arkansas State authored a textbook homecoming game here Saturday night with lots of scoring and a victory for alumni to savor.

Justice Hansen threw five touchdown passes for the second consecutive home game as the Red Wolves crushed Coastal Carolina 51-17 at Centennial Bank Stadium.

Tying the school record for passing touchdowns, Hansen completed 24 of 37 passes for 286 yards. Black Mack had six catches for

63 yards and two touchdowns while three other targets had scoring receptions. Hansen totaled 354 yards from scrimmage, leading the Red Wolves in rushing with nine carries for 68 yards.

Kyle Wilson had nine tackles and B.J. Edmonds five stops for A-State, which recorded seven tackles for loss (three sacks included).

It was 7-7 after Coastal Carolina’s Dalton Demos went over from one yard out and Evan Rabon kicked the extra point with 14:54 left in the first half. Mack caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hansen and Sawyer Williams kicked a short field goal for a 17-7 Red Wol halftime lead.

Hansen had third-quarter touchdown passes of 17 yards to Dijon Paschal and 4 yards to Kendrick Edwards, then connected with Mack for 23 yards in the fourth quarter. Darren Jackson returned a fumble

28 yards with 1:46 left to set the final margin.

Arkansas State, 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Sun Belt Conference, plays its second midweek game of the season Thursday against visiting Louisiana-Lafayette. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Coastal Carolina, 1-5 and 0-3, plays Arkansas Nov. 4 in Fayetteville.