The Arkansas State Red Wolves defeated Troy 35-3 to take over sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt conference.
Make no mistake about it: this is an impressive victory for Blake Anderson’s squad. After all, Troy entered this contest ranked 25th in the AP poll with an 8-1 record. The lone blemish on the Trojans’ resume was a respectable 30-24 loss to Clemson in Death Valley early in the season. However, after Troy defeated Appalachian State on Saturday, many college football experts concluded that the Trojans were the team to beat in the Sun Belt.
Apparently, these pundits forgot about the Red Wolves, who are in position to win the conference for the fifth time in the last six years.
It didn’t look like that would be the case early on in this contest. The defenses dominated the game for most of the first half, with Troy mustering just enough offense to grab a 3-0 lead. No one expected that to change when Arkansas State faced a fourth-and-five from the Troy 40-yard line with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.
But ,it did. Receiver and sometimes punter Cameron Echols-Luper took the snap and headed to his right as if to attempt a rugby style punt. However, Echols-Luper – a high school quarterback – threw across the field to a wide-open Chris Humes to pick up the first down. Arkansas State took a 7-3 lead three plays later, when Justice Hansen connected with Kendall Sanders on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
This surprise score fired up the Red Wolf sideline and turned the tide in this contest. Arkansas State’s defense recovered a fumble in the end zone on the first play from scrimmage in the second half to go up 14-3. The Red Wolves broke the game wide open after that, scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions to take a commanding 25-point lead. While Troy threatened to cut into the lead in the fourth quarter, the ASU defense stood tall, recording two interceptions in the final five minutes of the game.
With the victory, Arkansas State takes over sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt conference. That’s quite an accomplishment considering how slowly the Red Wolves started the season. Remember, ASU opened up the 2016 campaign with four straight losses, including a home defeat to Central Arkansas. Yet, instead of giving up, the Red Wolves rebounded by winning six straight conference games. If they win their next two, they’ll earn their fifth Sun Belt title in the last six seasons.
