Nonconference futility plagues ASU

Coach Blake Anderson (left) and Arkansas State are 1-9 against nonconference FBS teams, including a 1-4 mark against Group of Five conferences, in Anderson’s three years at the school. The only victory came against tonight’s opponent, Utah State, in 2014.
Coach Blake Anderson (left) and Arkansas State are 1-9 against nonconference FBS teams, including a 1-4 mark against Group of Five conferences, in Anderson’s three years at the school. The only victory came against tonight’s opponent, Utah State, in 2014.

LOGAN, Utah -- Blake Anderson said he still thinks Arkansas State got lucky during his fourth game as ASU's football coach two years ago.

photo

AP

Auburn wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers (3) is tackled by Arkansas State defensive backs Cody Brown (21) and defensive back Justin Clifton (10) during the second half of Saturday’s game in Auburn,Ala. Auburn won 51-14 and held ASU to 326 yards of offense.

The Red Wolves hosted Utah State on Sept. 20, 2014, and Anderson's new offense was still taking hold.

Today’s game

ARKANSAS STATE AT UTAH STATE

WHEN 8 p.m. Central

WHERE Maverik Stadium, Logan, Utah

LINE Utah State by 9½

COACHES Blake Anderson (16-12 in third season at ASU and overall); Matt Wells (26-17 in fourth season at Utah State and overall)

SERIES Tied 3-3

TV CBS Sports Network

RADIO KASR-FM, 92.7, in Little Rock/Conway; KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro

INTERNET astateredwolves.com

ASU didn't score until midway through the third quarter, committed four turnovers and was held to 316 yards of offense. The Red Wolves had to block a Utah State field goal as time expired to force overtime on their home field.

Fredi Knighten's overtime touchdown pass to Dijon Paschal allowed ASU to escape with a 21-14 victory.

"It was a hard-fought, physical, well-executed game by both," Anderson recalled this week.

The return trip in the home-and-home series comes tonight in northern Utah, where ASU (0-2) will try to break a string of disappointing performances against nonconference opponents from the Football Bowl Subdivision.

ASU is 1-9 against nonconference FBS teams since Anderson was hired -- it has beaten FCS teams Montana State and Missouri State -- and is 1-4 against teams from the Group of Five conferences, the collection of programs against which ASU tries to measure itself.

Three of the losses have come to Toledo, and one to Louisiana Tech, since the victory over Utah State. The beatings by Toledo have been consistently sound, losing 63-44, 37-7 and 31-10. The loss to Louisiana Tech in last year's New Orleans Bowl was tied 20-20 in the third quarter before the Bulldogs pulled away 47-28. The four losses came by an average of 22.0 points per game.

ASU has performed better in some games against Power Five teams, losing last year to Missouri 27-20, and to Tennessee 34-19 and Miami 41-20 in 2014.

Anderson said the record against Group of Five teams is difficult to assess considering three of the games have come against the same team.

But Anderson wasn't willing to discuss big-picture implications of tonight's game in the aftermath of last week's 51-14 loss at Auburn, when ASU gave up 706 total yards and 462 on the ground.

"It's not something we've talked about as a team," he said. "I think you look at those things when you look at your schedule in the preseason, and you look at it afterward. For us, it's just getting better one week at a time."

Players have maintained the same mindset, fueled by the two losses this season and not necessarily by those in the past two seasons.

"I think the past two losses kind of make guys realize that we really don't like losing," linebacker Xavier Woodson-Luster said.

Defensive end Chris Odom is curious to see what ASU has learned about itself after two weeks that have produced more questions than answers.

"We're facing new challenges with these new teams each year," he said. "It's just helping us be a better team -- expect the unexpected."

Anderson said he thinks tonight's matchup is more favorable for his team than the recent games against Toledo and Louisiana Tech. Utah State doesn't have four offensive linemen standing 6-6 or taller like Toledo did two weeks ago, or three players likely to be taken in the next NFL Draft like Louisiana Tech last year. Nor does it have three quarterbacks for which to prepare like Auburn presented last week.

He said he hopes the work ASU has done to improve recruiting begins to reveal itself, too.

"I think our out-of-conference matchups get better the more we recruit and build the football team to be physical," he said.

Anderson also said Utah State, coached by his longtime friend Matt Wells, is the team's first opponent that "looks like us."

The Aggies (1-1), like the Red Wolves, have reached bowl games in each of the past five seasons.

Wells said his players understand that.

"They know it's a competitive team and a very skillful team," Well said, regarding ASU.

Anderson said he hopes ASU can start showing some of that skill and competitiveness.

"We need to get in the win column regardless of who it is," Anderson said. "We've got to play better and find our best football team. We haven't done that yet."

Sports on 09/16/2016

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