There was a moment in the early seconds of the fourth quarter when the excellent Red Wolves hype man Brandon Baxter took the microphone during a timeout and attempted to resurrect the crowd’s enthusiasm, which had received a momentary stay of execution when Arkansas State hammered the ball downfield for a touchdown score, drawing to within 49-35 on South Alabama. However, after a dubiously called personal foul, the Jaguars were once again in Red Wolves territory, deepening the death-mood that gripped those who remained in attendance.

“There’s still plenty of time left in this game!” shouted Baxter. “We still believe in these Red Wolves!”

The time out ended, and South Alabama immediately ran the ball into the end zone for a 42-yard score.

The breakdown in defense was one of many lost opportunities for Arkansas State to reclaim momentum. Another inglorious moment: with six minutes left in the opening half, the Red Wolves were up 21-14 when a pass interference call on third down ultimately led to South Alabama tying the score. But there was still time to take the retake the lead before the close of the half!

Two plays into the next possession, Trey Owens falls victim to the strip sack deep in Jaguars territory. South Alabama punches in for another touchdown. One play into the subsequent Red Wolves possession, Owens throws and interceptions, and South Alabama parlays the turnover into another score. Six minutes before halftime, the Red Wolves were up by a TD. Five minutes later, the Jaguars were up by two touchdowns. Arkansas State would finish the half with a score of their own (which makes for compelling television), but the momentum was sapped.

Was it the Turnovers or the Defense?

It’s difficult to ignore either one. The Red Wolves surrendered three turnovers (two deep in Jags’ territory). But Arkansas State’s inability to prevent South Alabama from moving the ball at will is troubling – the Jags converted all three turnovers into touchdowns.

The Jaguars’ closing possession is the most dismaying. For the second week in a row, the Red Wolves had an opportunity to at least tie the game and push for overtime. In both instances, the Arkansas State defense failed to provide a stop, with both the Jags and the Cajuns simply running the ball – and running out the clock. The result is two one-score losses within the division.

We knew in the preseason that the Red Wolves would be challenged on defense. Once again, defensive coordinator Griff McCarley would be asked to spin gold from straw, and for the majority of the young season, the defense managed to keep victories reasonably attainable.

It was evident that South Alabama’s offense was far more physical than Arkansas State’s defense. The Jaguars’ offense constantly pushed Arkansas State around, especially in the red zone. The Red Wolves defense would record zero sacks on the day and only three tackles-for-a-loss. Most alarmingly, the Jaguars never failed to convert on fourth down, humbling the Red Wolves four times in this sad regard. South Alabama rushed for 296 yards against A-State.

But There Was Some Good Stuff, Too

Despite, well, everything, there we believe there were a number of positives to take away from the loss. For weeks, Red Wolves fans have yearned for some offensive fireworks, and (perhaps triggered out of necessity) Arkansas State obliged for seven touchdowns. Hunter Summers was emerged as the receiving workhorse, and both he and Chauncy Cobb delivered incredible receptions that kept the team in the game. Overall, the Red Wolves put 516 yards of offense on South Alabama, which gave fans something to chew on.

It’s noteworthy that, despite the defensive collapse and the turnovers, Arkansas State had a good chance to at least tie the game in the closing minutes. While many Red Wolves fans gave up by mid-third quarter, the team was still clawing. There isn’t a college football fan in the world who hasn’t witnessed their team give-up on a game. The Red Wolves always believed that a win over South Alabama was possible.

Looking Ahead

The Red Wolves visit our old friend Blake Anderson in Hattiesburg next week, and the outcome will likely hold symbolic meaning for many Red Wolves fans. For some, Anderson represents the last of A-State’s glory years. For others, he was emblematic of the program’s decline. Whichever view you may hold, to lose to Anderson’s Golden Eagles would have fans bypassing the Rolaids for the hemlock.

At the Monday presser, Butch Jones called the failures on fourth down unacceptable said the defense needed to find more way to make stops. How McCarley makes those brick without straw is up to him, but you can rest assured that Southern Miss took note of Arkansas State’s inability to stop the run and will plan accordingly.

IMAGES belong to Arkansas State University