PHOTO COURTESY OF A-STATE ATHLETICS

Arkansas State had the opportunity to secure its sixth win of the season and clinch a bowl game in its matchup against the 5-0 in conference play Southern Miss Golden Eagles, but six turnovers resulted in a Red Wolves loss. 

Head coach Butch Jones, however, said he was more disappointed in the turnout than the outcome of the game. 

“What more could you want? You have a team that’s coming in that’s in first place, you’re playing the defending champion, going to be a great challenge, underdogs at home, national television. I’m really appreciative of everyone’s efforts for getting here and coming out, but I’ll be very transparent with you, I’m disappointed in our student body,” Jones said. “We built a college football program here that we’re the fourth-winningest program in the group of five over the last two years. How can you not be proud of the effort that this football team continues to give week in and week out?”

The game started with a fumble on the first play of the game by wide receiver Chauncy Cobb. While Southern Miss was held to a field goal by the A-State defense, this first play fumble would set the tone for the rest of the game. 

Thankfully for Red Wolves fans, Jaylen Raynor started their second drive of the game with a 55-yard pass to WR Corey Rucker and followed it up with a pass to running back Kenyon Clay for a touchdown. 

This was the only touchdown the Red Wolves scored in the first half of the game. 

A-State would get in field goal range late into the first quarter thanks to a 34-yard return by Cobb, followed by some well-placed passes. Raynor would be sacked for 11 yards, taking the Red Wolves all the way to the 40 and out of field goal range. 

The Red Wolves would have to punt, but they’d get an interception on Southern Miss’ first play by safety Brandon Barnes. A-State would immediately punt after a three-and-out. 

The Golden Eagles’ very next drive would result in a 76-yard screen pass for a touchdown on their first play.

“You have to be able to react. You have to be able to see the lineman pull. If you see a little, you see a lot,” Jones said. “When you play a team like this, your margin of error is very small, and if you’re a count late, they’re going to expose you, because they have really good players, and that’s exactly what they were able to do.”

The Red Wolves got the ball back and made it to the Golden Eagles’ 34-yard line. Raynor threw to the end zone for his second interception of the game. Raynor would end the half by throwing a deep ball from the 41 to the Golden Eagles’ 2-yard line for his third interception of the night.

Jones defended Raynor’s performance and status as the starting quarterback.

“I will live and die with Jaylen Raynor. He means everything to our football program, and how about he willed his way to give us an opportunity to win at the end of the game against the team that is leading our division,” Jones said. “He’s invested his heart and soul into this football program, just like everybody has. If there’s anybody who has sweat equity in our football program, it’s Jaylen Raynor.”

The third quarter was mostly punting. Arkansas State would be the one to break the chain of punts when QB Josh Flowers, who was put in after Raynor got hurt, would throw the fourth interception of the day in the end zone. The Golden Eagles were the only team to score during the quarter on a field goal 2:05 left. 

The fourth quarter would start with A-State’s first touchdown since the beginning of the game. With Flowers still in as quarterback, he would make a short pass to Tyler Little who stretched out across the line for the touchdown.

The Golden Eagles would respond soon after but so would the Red Wolves, scoring after Raynor returned to the game and sent WR Jaylen Bonelli a short pass for the touchdown.

“I felt I was good enough to go and give my best to give my team a chance to win,” Raynor said. 

Still down 27-21, A-State would have the ball with 1:09 to play. At Southern Miss’ 36 yard line, Raynor and the offense had five seconds left to play. 

Raynor threw it deep to the end zone and the game ended in a fifth interception, the sixth turnover of the game for the Red Wolves. 

A-State falls to 5-5 on the season. The Red Wolves will take on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns next Thursday.

Categories: Sports