Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Jaylen Bonelli and Nana Burris fueled the passing attack as the Arkansas State football team (4-4, 2-2 SBC) secured a homecoming win over Georgia State (4-3, 1-2 SBC) by a score of 38-32 on Saturday night inside Centennial Bank Stadium.
Bonelli and Burris set new career highs in receiving yards and recorded one touchdown apiece. The former totaled 150 receiving yards on seven catches while the latter registered 114 on six. Trey Owens finished 21-of-31 passing for 309 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, two passing and two on the ground. Kenyon Clay spearheaded the rushing attack with 77 yards on 11 carries, and Owens added 36 yards across eight carries.
Brandon Greil and Makai Shahid snagged interceptions, marking the fourth time the Red Wolves have recorded multiple interceptions in a game this season. Joe Drew led the team with 10 total tackles, including three solo, while Shahid and Tre Stevens had eight apiece.
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A six-yard loss on the opening play plus a sack forced a three-and-out, and Bonelli’s 22-yard punt return allowed A-State to begin the opening drive at the opposition’s 40-yard line. The fourth-year receiver added a 24-yard gain through the air, and after a four-yard run by Kenyon Clay, picked up his third receiving touchdown of the season at the 11:48 mark. The Red Wolves’ defense blanked the Panthers in the first quarter, the fifth time holding an opponent scoreless in the first 15 minutes this season, and limited Georgia State to 37 yards of total offense.
The Panthers tied the contest at 7-7 on a three-yard completion from quarterback Cameran Brown to DJ Riles. The Scarlet & Black regained possession with 7:38 to go and marched 73 yards on seven plays before Owens reached the endzone on a quarterback sneak. The opposition countered the score with another passing touchdown, this time from quarterback Ayden Pereira, and made the score 14-14 entering intermission.
Greil’s interception ended Georgia State’s first drive of the second half, and A-State capitalized on the next play with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Owens to Bonelli. Two plays preceded the opposition’s response, a 77-yard touchdown run by running back Qwantavius Rush, that tied the contest at 21-21 with 9:14 remaining in the third quarter. The Red Wolves entered Panther territory when Owens found Bonelli again for 35 yards and used two runs to reach the goal line.
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Owens scored on another quarterback sneak to make the score 28-21 and the A-State defense forced a three-and-out to set up the next drive.
The offense moved the ball 68 yards on 12 plays and scored on the opening play of the fourth quarter, as Carter’s two-yard rush created a 35-21 gap. Clune Van Andel extended the lead to 17 points with a 26-yard field goal at the 10:59 mark, but the Panthers used four plays to cover 75 yards and added a touchdown plus a two-point conversion on the ensuing drive. The Red Wolves were forced to punt, and Georgia State added another field goal as a result to make the score 38-32 entering the final stretch.
A-State picked up two first downs and ran the clock down to the two-minute timeout but could not advance further as the opposition regained possession at their own 13-yard line with 1:55 remaining. The Panthers moved into A-State territory with 21 seconds left, but Shahid’s first career interception stonewalled the comeback bid and secured the victory.
After a bye week, A-State returns to action against ULM on Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. inside Centennial Bank 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. Tickets can be purchased by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/tickets.
A-State Athletics is offering special ticket deals for the Red Wolves’ Nov. 7 Ag Day matchup against ULM. Fans can purchase four lower-level bleacher tickets for $87, two chairback seats for $87, or individual general admission tickets for just $8.70. To take advantage of these discounted offers, use promo code AGDAY when purchasing tickets at this link.
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