The Red Wolves provided a deep pool of aggravations for us on their season ending road trip to Huntington. Pick you poison:

• Three special teams penalties in the first quarter.
• Throwing a pick six in the red zone.
• Having that pick-six negated by an early knee on the half yard line, only to watch in horror as the opponent rumbled 99 hards on two plays to get the TD anyway.
• Forgetting that the opposing quarterback is pretty good at running.
• Acquiring a fourth targeting penalty in less than two game.
• Opening the second half with possession and executing a quick three and out.

There are likely more bullet points, but I had dinner reservations and missed most of the second half. Red Wolves lost to the Thundering Herd 35-21 to close out the season, and while many of us (me included) were dismayed by the result, it’s worth noting that Arkansas State was playing with a number of disadvantages.

• The Red Wolves were without Jacob Bayer, the most important member of the offensive line.
• The Red Wolves were without bruising workhorse running back Zac Wallace, who was nursing a bruised tailbone.
• For the first half, the Red Wolves were without starting defensive back fielders Justin Hodges and Travion Thomas (both penalized last week for targeting).
• The Thundering Herd were at home and hungry for a sixth victory – just like the Red Wolves were.
• Starting quarterback Cam Fancher was back and healthy for Marshall, and he looked pretty good.

Sure, these are all excuses that should have been overcome by a deep and experienced team – except the Red Wolves are neither. They are young and still building depth. For a comparison, Marshall bid farewell to 21 players on their Senior Day on Saturday. The Red Wolves paid respects to eleven.

Just excuses? You bet. But if you want to feel bad about a Sun Belt program, look past your own pain and consider the ULM Warhawks, a team that didn’t win a conference game all year and responded by firing legendary head coach Terry Bowden after three seasons.

Want to feel bad for a football program? Feel bad for Sun Belt Georgia; both Georgia State and Georgia Southern earned their sixth wins midway through the season – and didn’t earn a W for the rest of the year. Imagine going into your bowl game having lost five straight, like the Panthers.

Want to feel bad for a Sun Belt program? Check out Southern Miss, just one of two Sun Belt teams denied a bowl game this year. Feel bad for South Alabama and Marshall, who both finished with the same record as Arkansas State despite the projects that had those programs finishing atop their respective divisions. Feel bad for James Madison, who once again claimed the most victories in the Sun Belt East only to watch another team compete for the Sun Belt Championship.

Be happy for your 6-6 Red Wolves. Despite the loss to Marshall, the Red Wolves will likely enter the 2024 seasons as projected contenders for the Sun Belt West. If the NIL monster stays in the closet, the players who flashed so much potential this season will become conference leaders next season. The foundation is set.

Meanwhile, after a four year absence, the Red Wolves are going bowling. It was a milestone many of us demanded for this team, and it’s been delivered. Enjoy it, Red Wolves fans! We’ve earned it.

Photo Credit: Carla Wehmeyer