Photo by: Hannah Risker | Photo Editor: A-State wide receiver Omar Bayless hurdles a Louisiana defensive player in the first half. 

The Arkansas State football team fell to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 37-20 on Thursday night. A-State fell behind early but staged a comeback that fell short in the second half.

With the loss, the Red Wolves fell to 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference and 3-4 overall. Louisiana improved to 2-1 in the SBC and 5-2 on the season.

After missing part of the season with injury, A-State’s running back Marcel Murray looked back to full health against Louisiana. If the Red Wolves can take positives from the game, they were definitely Murray and wide receiver Omar Bayless.

“Just glad to be back with my teammates,” Murray said. “You know, been on the sideline for a few weeks. (I was) a hundred percent today, so it felt good.”

The 2018 SBC freshman of the year rushed 35 times for 164 yards, while Bayless continued his amazing season with nine receptions for 150 yards. Bayless still leads the country in reception yards, now with 993 on the year.

Quarterback Layne Hatcher went 23-34 for 303 yards and threw two touchdowns along with one interception.

“We got to get in more third and manageable situations,” Hatcher said. “It was like last week, we get it to three points at one point last week, we get it to four points at one point this week. It sucks to be close. You feel like you’re right there the whole time.”

Louisiana out-gained the Red Wolves 496 yards to the 473 yards and the visitors rushed for 315. The Red Wolves roster has been depleted with injuries all season and that played a part in tonight’s result.

Head coach Blake Anderson talked about not completing the comeback.

“Very, very (frustrating),” Anderson said. “A week ago we’re playing poorly, we get it within a one score game. Today, we’re struggling a little bit, we knew it was going to be a 60 minute game, we get it within four and we can’t finish. Whether it’s the giving out of bodies, whether the fatigue is setting it, wether it’s a mistake, lack of focus, whatever the factor may be, when you get it four, get it seven, after you’ve been down, we got to find a way to finish. That’s a place we got to grow up.”

Game Summary

Fourth Quarter

The Red Wolves looked like they might stage an amazing comeback after their start to the fourth quarter.

On a trick play, Hatcher lined up at wide receiver and eventually, after a few tosses, the ball found its way into the quarterback’s hands.

Hatcher still had work to do and threw a jump ball that Kirk Merritt leapt into the air and caught. After a Grupe extra point, the Red Wolves were behind by a small margin at 24-20.

The comeback looked even more possible when the Red Wolves had Louisiana at third and six around midfield. However, Ragin Cajun quarterback Levi Lewis threw for a first down and later in the drive the visitors punched the ball in on a one-yard touchdown run from Elija Mitchell. After a missed extra point, Louisiana led 30-20.

Louisiana tacked on another touchdown and the game ended 37-20 in favor the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Third Quarter

Louisiana received the ball to start the second half and looked like they were going to score on their first drive. A-State attempted an onside kick to start the third quarter and combined with a fair-catch interference call, the Ragin’ Cajuns started with great field position.

However, Lewis through an interception to Jeremy Smith and momentum swung in favor of A-State.

The Red Wolves managed to score and increase their momentum in a rather uneventful third quarter. Blake Grupe connected on a career-long 46-yard field goal to keep A-State in the game at 24-13.

The sophomore kicker looks like a kicker full of confidence for the Red Wolves this season.

Second Quarter

Louisiana came alive in the second quarter and took it to the Red Wolves to send the game into halftime at a 24-10 scoreline in favor of the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Although the visitors eventually pulled away, A-State actually took a 10-7 lead after a nice opening-quarter drive. The Red Wolves drove the ball 71 yards down the field and Grupe connected on a 25-yard field goal.

After that, things went downhill for the home team. First, Mitchell ran for a 11-yard  Louisiana touchdown before Raymond Calais broke out an 80-yard touchdown run to put the Ragin’ Cajuns ahead 21-10 after an extra point.

Including Trey Ragas’ first half score, touchdowns from each running back in the Ragin’ Cajun trio marked the second time this season that all three Louisiana running backs scored in the same game. This marked the third time in their careers that all three running backs scored in the same game dating back to last season.

Louisiana got the ball back with one minute and 39 seconds left in the half with no timeouts. The visitors drove the ball 56 yards and tacked on a Stevie Artigue field goal to send the teams into the half at a 24-10 scoreline.

First Quarter

The Red Wolves started the game quickly as A-State scored on their first drive of the game. Despite a weird kneel on the opening kickoff that gave the Red Wolves poor field position on the four-yard line, A-State marched down the field without much resistance.

In a drive that took up the opening four minutes and 47 seconds of the game, Hatcher found Brandon Bowling on a 10-yard touchdown pass to put A-State up 7-0 after the extra point.

Louisiana went three-and-out on their first drive of the game but eventually picked up some offensive rhythm. Later, after converting on third down with a 31-yard pass, the Ragin’ Cajuns eventually scored on a one-yard touchdown run by Ragas with 11 seconds left in the quarter.

Murray looked like a man back to full health in the first quarter as the sophomore running back rushed nine times for 64 yards in the opening period.

The first quarter ended 7-7.

Looking Ahead

A-State returns to action on Oct. 26 when the Texas State Bobcats travel to Jonesboro for the Red Wolves’ homecoming game. Kick off is set for 6 p.m.

Categories: Sports