JONESBORO, Ark.– The ULM football team fell in a back-and-forth battle against Arkansas State, 28-21 in the penultimate game of the regular season at Centennial Bank Stadium on Saturday (Nov. 23) afternoon.
“Our kids played their tails off,” said ULM head coach Bryant Vincent. “We had opportunities. We took the lead 7-0 and were down seven at half. We answered back and tied it up twice. A lot of guys rose to the occasion and made a lot of big plays. It always comes down to 4-to-6 plays, and we did not make them.”
The Warhawks have lost five games in a row as their road record drops to 1-5 this season. Arkansas State won its fifth game of the season by eight points or less and extended its winning streak versus ULM to 15 straight.
The Red Wolves have won seven consecutive home games and improved to 6-0 this season when scoring 20 points or more.
ULM (5-6, 3-4 in Sun Belt Conference play) outgained the Red Wolves 393-357 including 256-187 on the ground. Arkansas State (7-4, 5-2) had 21 first downs compared to the 19 times the Warhawks moved the chains. Both teams had similar success on third down with ULM converting four out of 11 times and Arkansas State was 4-12 on third down. Penalties were similar as well with ULM committing eight penalties for 71 yards while A-State had seven infractions worth 80 yards.
Ahmad Hardy broke the season 1,000 yards rushing barrier while collecting his second game of the season with over 200 rushing yards taking the ball 30 times for 204 yards, just two yards shy of his career high. Aidan Armenta finished 11-for-22 through the air with 137 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jake Godfrey hauled in five receptions for 58 yards and a score.
Travor Randle was the leading tackler for Warhawks with nine solo tackles and one tackle for loss. Carl Glass Jr. and Billy Pullen each recorded a sack.
Zak Wallace carried the ball 18 times for 130 yards and a touchdown. Jaylen Raynor connected on 18 of 26 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns. Linebacker Charles Willekes broke into the backfield for nine total tackles (six solo), a sack and a quarterback hurry.
The Warhawks marched down the field confidently on their opening drive, only needing five plays to accumulate 75 yards. The scoring opened when quarterback Armenta lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to Godfrey into the back right corner of the end zone. ULM snagged an early 7-0 lead with 12:27 on the clock.
Arkansas State responded with a methodical 14-play, 74-yard drive capped with a two-yard touchdown plunge by Wallace to even up the scoring at the 6:50 mark of the first frame. The score was deadlocked 7-7 after one quarter.
ULM moved the ball effectively in the second frame down to the Arkansas State 26-yard line where the Warhawks went for it on fourth down and three. Godfrey was open but he slipped on the turf as Armenta’s pass fell incomplete resulting in a turnover on downs.
The Red Wolves grabbed a 14-7 lead with 7:52 to play in the first half after Raynor found Corey Rucker Jr. on a crossing pattern over the middle, who zig-zagged into the end zone on the 32-yard strike.
Poised to respond, the Warhawks positioned themselves in the A-State red zone. Hardy gained 14 yards to the four-yard line when he fumbled the ball and the Red Wolves came away with a crucial turnover with only 3:16 remaining before halftime. Going into the halftime break, Arkansas State controlled a 14-7 lead.
Three minutes into the third quarter, Hardy broke loose up the right sideline for a 72-yard touchdown run to tie the contest at 14 all.
Both teams exchanged punts until Arkansas State put together another extensive drive that resulted in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Raynor to Summers within the final minute of the third quarter.
Arkansas State entered the fourth quarter with a 21-14 advantage, but the seesaw battle continued. Armenta fired the ball to Tyler Griffin, who hauled in the pass along the left side of the field and lunged to the one-yard line. Hardy did the rest and finished the drive with his second touchdown rush of the ballgame from a yard away.
The score did not stay 21-21 for long. It only took four plays for the Red Wolves to regain the lead with a 44-yard pass over the middle to Courtney Jackson serving as the go-ahead score with 8:03 left in regulation.
ULM got the ball back with 4:34 still ticking on the clock, but Armenta was intercepted by Trevian Thomas on a deep ball down the field. A-State took over with 1:53 to go and a first down run sealed the deal for the Red Wolves.
The Warhawks will seek bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018 at Malone Stadium against the Ragin’ Cajuns on Saturday, Nov. 30 for an 11 a.m. Senior Day/Military Appreciation kickoff televised on ESPNU.
“We’ve got one game left at home against a really good football team,” said Vincent. “It’s tough to see your kids continue to pour everything into it and come up short. We are moving to next week.”
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