Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

No. Illinois 38, Arkansas State 20

Why ASU Lost
After falling behind 13-0, Northern Illinois scored 31 unanswered points to take control of the game. Arkansas State (10-3) started fast, but couldn’t keep the momentum going and seemed slow in countering once the Huskies (11-3) made early adjustments. ASU had a nine-game winning streak end, turning the ball over five times. Quarterback Ryan Aplin had an off night, throwing three interceptions while completing 30 of 58 passes for 352 yards and a touchdown. Aplin was sacked three times for a loss of 17 yards, a stat that factored into the team netting only 28 rushing yards.

Turning Point
Trailing 13-0 late in the first quarter, the Huskies needed some sort of spark. Northern Illinois found it on a fake field goal from the Arkansas State 14. A pass — and favorable spot — resulted in a first down and kept the drive alive. Moments later Perez Ashford hauled in a nine-yard pass from Chandler Harnish to give NIU a touchdown and begin the momentum shift in the game. From that point the Huskies scored 21 unanswered to close the half and take a 21-13 lead into halftime.

Player Of The Game
ASU simply had no answer for Northern Illinois wide receiver Martel Moore. He caught eight passes for 224 yards and a touchdown. Moore had a 43-yard catch in the third quarter to push the Huskies up 28-13. He was the favorite target for Chandler Harnish, who finished with 274 yards passing and two touchdowns.

Wasted Opportunity
Arkansas State sure could have used touchdowns on its first two possessions. After marching the ball down the field on both, the Red Wolves were left to settle for field goals.

Kicker Brian Davis hit from 32 and 36 yards, giving ASU a 6-0 lead. Had the offense not gotten bogged down inside the red zone, the Red Wolves’ lead could have been 14-0.

Great Catch
Statistically, Taylor Stockemer was the Red Wolves’ top receiver. He finished with 185 yards and one touchdown on 11 catches.

Stockemer’s night would have been memorable even if the only thing he recorded was that 16-yard touchdown. Sandwiched between two Northern Illinois defenders, Stockemer showed off a great vertical and strength in fighting them off for a jump ball in the end zone.

Plenty Of Head Coaches
David Gunn handled interim coaching duties for Arkansas State in the bowl. He, of course, was on hand for the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

But he wasn’t the only guy in Ladd Peebles Stadium to hold the title of Red Wolves head coach this season.

Also at the game was future Red Wolves Coach Gus Malzahn and former head coach Hugh Freeze. Malzahn was announced to replace Freeze, who left after the regular season for Ole Miss.

Incoming offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee was also at the game.