Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Arkansas State football team (2-4, 0-2 SBC) totaled 516 yards of total offense and posted seven touchdowns in a 56-49 setback versus South Alabama (4-2, 2-0 SBC) on Thursday night inside Centennial Bank Stadium.
Hunter Summers set career highs with nine receptions plus 145 receiving yards and hauled in two touchdowns during the contest. Trey Owens completed 32 of 43 passes and picked up four passing touchdowns alongside one on the ground. Timothy Carter also secured multiple touchdowns in the contest, adding two rushing scores in the first and second quarters.
Joe Drew led the A-State defense with five solo tackles and 12 total stops while AG McGhee totaled three solo tackles and eight overall.
South Alabama used 13 plays to cover 78 yards and capped the second drive of the game with a six-yard touchdown run from PJ Martin. Owens completed five-of-six passes during the ensuing drive, and the Red Wolves crossed the goal line on Carter’s second touchdown of the season to tie the game with 1:44 remaining in the first quarter. A 100-yard kickoff return by running back Keenan Phillips negated the effort, and A-State trailed 14-7 entering the second quarter.
A 29-yard completion from Owens to Summers set the Red Wolves up at the South Alabama 24-yard line and the duo connected again on a 19-yard touchdown pass to even the score two plays later. A three-and-out put the Red Wolves back in possession and the offense made another push into Jaguar territory. Ezell Jolly rushed for 26 yards in two plays while Owens and Carter combined for the final two, with the latter picking up his season-best second rushing touchdown of the contest at the 6:16 mark.
South Alabama surged late in the first half, scoring three touchdowns with less than five minutes remaining to take a 34-21 lead. The Scarlet & Black entered halftime on a high note as Owens found Summers once again for a 20-yard touchdown with 34 seconds on the clock.
The opposition scored on the opening possession of the third quarter, and following a turnover, quarterback Jared Hollins found Rod Gibbs for a seven-yard touchdown to create a margin of 21 points with 4:40 on the clock. A-State created momentum on the ensuing drive with a 22-yard completion from Owens to Bush and the former capped the nine-play stretch with a four-yard touchdown pass to Solomon Baggett. The Jaguars countered on the next drive, scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter with a 42-yard run.
A fumbled snap recovered by TJ Grant breathed new life into the Red Wolves as Owens’ 19-yard touchdown pass to Jabari Bush narrowed the gap to 14 points at the 12:22 mark. The defense answered again with a three-and-out, and the Red Wolves scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper to make the score 56-49. Despite the rally effort, South Alabama picked up three first downs on the final drive to end the game.
Next Up
A-State travels to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to face Southern Miss on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m. inside Renasant Stadium. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+, and the radio broadcast of the game can be heard across the EAB Red Wolves Sports Network.
The Red Wolves return to Jonesboro on Oct. 24 to face Georgia State in a homecoming showdown. Tickets can be purchased by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/tickets
