ASU looking for reversal of fortune against Troy

JONESBORO — The storyline is similar, but Arkansas State is seeking a different ending when it plays at Troy on Saturday.

The matchup pits two of the Sun Belt Conference preseason favorites, much like last year, when the teams opened Sun Belt Conference play in Jonesboro.

Troy won 30-27, putting it on the road to a second-place SBC finish and a spot in the GMAC Bowl. ASU, meanwhile, lost six of its next seven en route to a 4-8 season.

Troy scored the winning touchdown with 7:53 to play after ASU rallied from a 23-10 halftime deficit to take a 27-23 lead with 12:17 to play in the game.

“To some degree, they came in and won a game,” ASU Coach Steve Roberts said. “You look for opportunities and we had so many opportunities last year. Thesame can be said for them too though.”

Circumstances are similar this season, only this time the game will be at Troy, Ala., rather than Jonesboro andboth teams will be using firstyear starting quarterbacks - Ryan Aplin (ASU) and Corey Robinson (Troy).

The game is also Troy’s conference opener, while the Red Wolves (1-2, 1-1) will be playing their third Sun Belt Conference game, the second one with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff to be played on the road.

ASU opened Sun Belt play with a 31-24 loss at Louisiana-Lafayette, a game in which the Red Wolves rallied from a 31-7 halftime deficit.

“We learned a lot from that experience,” Roberts said of the game in Louisiana. “The way we played in the second half especially. It doesn’t matter where we play or when we play. We can playin the parking lot, it doesn’t matter where. We have a time and are going to show up and play.”

Roberts said it’s possible that redshirt freshman Phillip Butterfield will replace Aplin in certain situations. Butterfield came into the game last week against Louisiana-Monroe and rushed 8 times for 49 yards and a touchdown but only threw the ball once for completion that was for negative yardage.

“Everyone knows Phillip can throw the football,” Roberts said. “He won’t just be a guy who runs the football. People that haven’t had a chance to see his athletic ability got a glimpse last week.”