MOBILE, Ala. — Arkansas State arrived at Ladd-Peebles Stadium trying to reverse two trends Tuesday night: Its recent inability to win midweek Sun Belt Conference games and its struggles with most games away from home.
The Red Wolves did that thanks to a four-touchdown outburst in just over five minutes of the fourth quarter, which they used to rally from 11 points down for a 49-31 victory over South Alabama in front of a nationally-televised crowd.
ASU trailed 31-20 with less than 13 minutes left when Fredi Knighten threw up a fade pass to the end zone. Tres Houston came down with it for a 39-yard touchdown and sparked the Red Wolves' comeback in which they scored the game's final 29 points.
It was followed by safety Cody Brown intercepting a pass on the next drive and Johnston White capping the short field with a 1-yard plunge to spark the quick comeback. Chris Stone then fell on a fumble in the end zone and Justin Clifton returned an interception for a touchdown to complete the flurry, which helped the Red Wolves (3-3, 2-0) to their third consecutive 2-0 start in the Sun Belt.
It was ASU's first victory in a midweek game since beating Louisiana-Lafayette in 2012 — the Red Wolves had lost their last three — and it improved ASU's road record under Anderson to 3-7.
See Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.