Sucked from the Georgia Dome in a matter of minutes was any of the drama that marked Georgia State’s meeting last season with Arkansas State.
In fact, by the end of the first quarter, the Red Wolves and their up-tempo offense had raced to a 24-point lead, outgaining Georgia State 244 yards to 19 in the process, putting the game out of reach, for all intents and purposes.
From there, Arkansas State sailed to a 52-10 Sun Belt Conference victory Saturday, spoiling the Panthers’ homecoming in front of 10,196.
Georgia State coach Trent Miles put the blame for the performance on himself and his staff for not having his team prepared, but he also said “I never saw this coming.”
“That was not the same football team that I’ve seen for five weeks going into this game,” Miles said of his squad.
With losses only to major conference opponents in Tennessee and Miami, the Red Wolves (4-2, 2-0), who have won at least a share of the Sun Belt title for three consecutive seasons, figured to present a difficult opponent to Georgia State (1-5, 0-3), which lost its fifth straight. However, last season the Panthers, owing to some late-game heroics, lost 35-33 in Jonesboro, Ark., unable to tie the game on a failed two-point conversion after completing a 70-yard touchdown pass.
With its fifth head coach in five years, Blake Anderson, Arkansas State has deservedly earned a reputation for passing on its coaches to the big time, including Gus Malzahn (Auburn), Hugh Freeze (Mississippi) and Bryan Harsin (Boise State). Nonetheless, the program continues to proceed with machine-like efficiency.
Arkansas State outgained Georgia State in yards 618-269. Running back Michael Gordon rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and quarterback Fredi Knighten rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Knighten also completed 20 of 26 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns. In piling up the yards, the Red Wolves converted 10 of 13 third downs.
“We couldn’t stop them,” Miles said.
When Georgia State made mistakes early, the Red Wolves pounced. On the game’s opening drive, Panthers tight end Joel Ruiz, with no Arkansas State defenders behind him, dropped a would-be touchdown pass on third-and-8 from the Red Wolves’ 48. Georgia State ended up punting, and Arkansas State scored on a nine-play, 85-yard drive that lasted 3:14 and ended with the Wolves leading 7-0.
The Panthers’ turned the ball over on their second drive, as the Wolves’ Dexter Blackmon rocked Panthers running back Marcus Caffey with a hard hit, dislodging the ball. Arkansas State recovered and turned the possession into a 26-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 8:17 left in the quarter. It was a rough day for Caffey, the Grady High product who last week set school records for rushing touchdowns (three) and carries (27). Earlier in the week, Miles announced Caffey would not start after Caffey was late to a meeting. Caffey entered the game on the fourth play from scrimmage and finished with three carries for seven yards.
In all, Arkansas State scored on its first four possessions to build that 24-0 lead. That forced Georgia State to get one-dimensional and the Red Wolves’ pass rush teed off on Panthers quarterback Nick Arbuckle (18-for-36 for 162 yards). Arbuckle was sacked four times in the first three quarters and was replaced by Ben McLane (Brookwood High) with 13:40 left in the game. Miles said he did not want to get Arbuckle hurt.
Arbuckle also said he did not see the poor showing coming.
“If you were to say the final score was going to be 52-10, I would have guessed it would have been us with the 52 points,” he said.
Miles said he was disappointed with the team’s leadership. Linebacker Joseph Peterson, a preseason all-conference pick, tried to take ownership of that.
“We have to do a better job of preparing during the week,” Peterson said. “… I put that on me.”
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