USM rallies in fourth quarter to stun Arkansas State

Late collapse haunts Red Wolves again

astateredwolves.com HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Arkansas State’s fourthquarter frustration continued Saturday night.

Leading by 12 points after three quarters, the Red Wolves failed to score in the final period or stop a Southern Mississippi offense led by a backup quarterback. The Golden Eagles mounted touchdown drives of 95 and 45 yards in the fourth quarter to stun the Red Wolves 20-19.

Coach Butch Jones said ASU (2-5, 1-3 Sun Belt) missed earlier opportunities to build a larger lead.

“I think you always look at the fourth quarter, but really it’s a cumulative effect throughout the course of the game. Where I thought we left a lot of points out there was in the third quarter,” Jones said. “They had the ball three times and we forced three three-and-outs, and offensively we were only able to manufacture seven points and then two points on the special teams safety.

“I figured at that point in time we needed one more score to put it away. I thought heading into the fourth, us not doing what we needed to do offensively really kind of hurt us.”

The Red Wolves held a 197 lead and had possession at their 49 at the start of the fourth quarter. They stalled at the USM 36 and picked up a delay of game penalty before they could attempt a field goal, punting instead to pin the Eagles (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) on their 5 with 12:18 to play.

Jake Lange, who took over at quarterback in the third quarter for USM, led a nine-play, 95-yard touchdown drive. With USM facing third and 10, Frank Gore Jr. broke a 30-yard touchdown run as the Golden Eagles pulled within 19-14 with 9:20 to play.

ASU failed to pick up a first down on its next drive and Natrone Brooks’ 30yard punt return put the Eagles on the Red Wolves’ 45 with 8:06 remaining.

The Golden Eagles needed 12 plays to cover the distance, converting on fourth-and-3 at the ASU 7 when Cole Cavallo took Lange’s short pass 4 yards.

Janari Dean scored on a 3yard run on the next play to give USM the lead with 2:12 to play. Lange’s twopoint pass was batted down to keep the margin at one point.

After starting at its 33, ASU reached the USM 42 on James Blackman’s 19yard pass to Jeff Foreman.

The Red Wolves went backwards from there with a false start penalty, first and second-down incompletions, a third-down sack and another false start penalty.

The Eagles knocked down Blackman’s desperation pass on fourth-and-27 with 1:08 to play.

“We didn’t execute in critical moments, critical situations, and they did,” Jones said. “And I give them credit.”

ASU has led in the fourth quarter during three of its five losses. The Red Wolves held double-digit leads in the second half of Sun Belt losses at Old Dominion and USM.

“You look at all our losses and it’s been kind of the same scenario, take away Ohio State,” Jones said. “I think the only thing you can do is try to manufacture those situations in practice, try to create some pressure-type situations in practice, and we have to learn from it. And we have to move forward. You just have to keep learning. You may have one or two games like this a year, but the volume of games that have ended like this, it’s mind boggling. “

ASU has cumulatively outscored its opponents in every quarter but the fourth. In the fourth quarter, opponents have outscored the Red Wolves 72-43.

“I think sometimes when you’ve been in these situations, sometimes you tense up a little bit and that’s why we have to keep practicing them,” Jones said.

“We have to try to manufacture them in practice, but like I said, when somebody steps up and makes a play at the end to win a

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Photo by Justin Manning, Arkansas State A-STATE (cont.)

game, everything will change. All you need is one breakthrough moment, and we have to keep working.”

Blackman completed 25 of 34 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns – both to Foreman, who hauled in three catches for 50 yards.

Eleven different players caught at least one pass for A-State, with Seydou Traore leading the way with five receptions for 50 yards.

Southern Miss outgained the Red Wolves 345-286, passing for 177 yards and rushing for 168 behind a game-high 96 yards from Gore.

A-State put together an efficient opening drive, moving 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass from Blackman to Foreman.

With 8:15 remaining in the first half, Dominic Zvada kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 10-0 and move to 10-of-10 on field goal attempts for the season.

Southern Miss answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Zach Wilcke to Jason Brownlee to make it 10-7 with just over five minutes left in the half.

After A-State’s defense forced a punt to open the second half, Blackman piloted his offense on a 10play scoring drive and hooked up with Foreman again, this time from 9 yards out to make it 17-7.

The Red Wolves’ next drive ended in a Ryan Hanson punt, which was downed at the USM 8. AState’s defense forced a punting situation, but the

ASU travels to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.

Kickoff at Cajun Field is slated for 4 p.m.