PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNESAW STATE ATHLETICS

Arkansas State’s first true road game against Kennesaw State ended in disappointing fashion as they fell to the Owls 28-21.

The Red Wolves defense was a non-factor in the first quarter. Kennesaw State quarterback Amari Odom tied multiple program records for yards and completions, and most of those numbers came during this quarter. On the Owls’ first drive, Odom threw a 54-yard touchdown to wide open Owls wide receiver Gabriel Benyard, who practically walked into the endzone untouched. 

A pair of long completions on the Owls’ next drive led to a 7-yard touchdown run from Kennesaw running back Alexander Diggs, once again untouched on his way to the endzone. Odom led the next Owls drive downfield and ran 14 yards for a touchdown. On three consecutive drives the Owls scored three consecutive touchdowns, all in the first quarter. 

The Red Wolves broke up the monotony of their punting routine by fumbling the ball away, but the A-State defense finally showed some life by stopping Kennesaw and forcing a turnover on downs. The Owls later turned over the ball on a fumble of their own. On both of these turnovers the Red Wolves offense failed to capitalize with a score. The Red Wolves would force another fumble and this time the offense hit paydirt when QB Jaylen Raynor threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to WR Hunter Summers with 0:02 left in the first half.

The Owls turnover problem continued when Odom coughed up the ball into the arms of cornerback Trenton Alan Yowe. Raynor found the endzone again after powering over Kennesaw defenders for a 1-yard touchdown. Kennesaw responded with a touchdown of their own when Owls RB Coleman Bennett got a 10-yard rushing touchdown.

The Red Wolves opened the fourth quarter with a 16-play drive that ended in a touchdown. After getting to the red zone, the Red Wolves found themselves in a fourth down situation. Raynor threw his third touchdown pass on 4th and 5 to RB Kenyon Clay to make the score 28-21.

This would be the last scoring drive of the game. A-State punted on their next two drives, including on a 4th and 2 with just over two minutes left. Their last drive ended when Raynor threw an incompletion and the game was sealed.

A-State’s defense gave up nearly 500 yards of offense to the Owls. The Red Wolves have been suspect on defense for the majority of the season and the deficiencies really showed in this game. According to ESPN, A-State currently ranks 121st among the 136 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards allowed. The Red Wolves defense also ranks 133rd in points allowed and allows an abysmal 485.8 yards per game. In the Sun Belt Conference, the Red Wolves are second only to Georgia State in defensive inferiority.

The Red Wolves will look to right the ship against Louisiana-Monroe next Saturday at 2 p.m.

Categories: Sports