ARKANSAS STATE
Arkansas State had a chance Saturday to set up a showdown against Sun Belt Conference leader LouisianaMonroe.
All it had to do was defeat North Texas in Denton, Texas. No problem. After a sputtering start, the Red Wolves’ offense turned a two-point first-quarter deficit into an 18-point halftime lead and rolled up 476 yards in a 37-19 victory at Apogee Stadium.
Trailing 9-7 late in the first quarter, Brian Davis kicked a 39-yard field goal to spark the Red Wolves (6-3, 4-1), who secured bowl eligibility and moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Sun Belt with Middle Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe, which was upset 40-34 by Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.
Quarterback Ryan Aplin completed 25 of 32 passes for 328 yards and 2 touchdowns and directed a second-quarter blitz that left Arkansas State in control.
It started with Aplin weaving 5 yards for a touchdown and a 16-9 lead with 13:38 left in the first half — a score set up by two throws to wide receiver Josh Jarboe that accounted for the first 74 yards of the drive.
North Texas (3-6, 2-3) tried to muster a response, reaching the ASU 34 on quarterback Derek Thompson’s 35yard pass down the sideline to Chris Vines. But the Red Wolves defense, which gave up 400 total yards, stopped the drive when linebacker Nathan Herrold dragged down running back Antoinne Jimmerson for a 1-yard loss at the ASU 27 on third-and-1.
The Mean Green had to settle for Zach Olen’s 43-yard field goal and a 16-12 deficit with 10:18 remaining in the first half, and they never pulled any closer.
Aplin needed slightly less than three minutes to move ASU 79 yards for a 23-10 lead. The drive was helped by a 34-yard completion to wide receiver J.D. McKissic that moved Arkansas State to the North Texas 10. Running back David Oku, who had 71 yards on 17 carries, scored three plays later on a 1-yard run at 7:18.
Two drives later, North Texas running back Jeremy Brown was stripped of the ball at his own 48 and ASU safety Sterling Young scooped it up and returned it 17 yards.
Aplin found an uncovered Kedric Murray in the end zone four plays later on a play-action pass to give ASU a 30-12 lead with 2:12 left in the half.
The throw was among the easiest of the day for Aplin, who completed passes to eight receivers. McKissic led the way with 96 yards on 10 receptions, and Jarboe added 93 yards on five catches.
Thompson, who missed the final two minutes of the first half with an undisclosed injury, completed 28 of 42 passes for 316 yards and 1 touchdown, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jimmerson that trimmed the lead to 30-19 with 6:11 left in the third quarter.
Arkansas State bottled up the Sun Belt’s second-best rushing attack, allowing only 84 yards and holding the Mean Green more than 100 below their per-game average for the season.
Jimmerson managed only 35 yards on 13 carries, while Brandin Byrd gained 17 on 11 carries. North Texas’ longest run was 14 yards.
The victory puts Arkansas State in position to take control of the Sun Belt race.
The Red Wolves play host to Louisiana-Monroe at 6 p.m. Thursday at Liberty Bank Stadium in Jonesboro and go to Troy, Ala., on Nov. 17 before they close out the regular season by hosting Middle Tennessee on Dec. 1.