ARKANSAS STATE 51, COASTAL CAROLINA 17
JONESBORO -- Justice Hansen is making a routine of closing in on Arkansas State University quarterback records.
On Saturday night, he threw five touchdown passes to four different receivers in a 51-17 victory over Sun Belt Conference-newcomer Coastal Carolina at Centennial Bank Stadium.
The redshirt junior tied the single-game school touchdown pass record against CCU (1-5, 0-3) before an announced crowd of 25,916 -- a record he had already tied against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff during the second week of the season.
"He obviously doesn't want to break the record, he just wants to tie it," quipped ASU Coach Blake Anderson, who sent in backup Logan Bonner with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter and a 44-17 lead.
Hansen has matched his touchdown pass total from last season (19) through just five games, and he is five touchdowns away from the record Fredi Knighten set in 2014.
He was announced completely healthy this week from the lower back strain he suffered in the 44-21 loss to Southern Methodist on Sept. 23.
"Especially compared to last week, I'm a lot healthier than I was," said Hansen, who was 24 of 37 for 286 yards. "I'm taking a lot of strides lately."
Anderson said the Red Wolves (3-2, 2-0) took strides in every aspect of a dominating game, which included punt returns of 28 and 50 yards by senior cornerback Blaise Taylor.
Taylor, who had a 63-yard punt return touchdown against Nebraska, nearly scored on his 50-yard return against CCU during the third quarter, but was tripped up by punter Evan Rabon at the CCU 25.
It was two bad CCU punts that led to ASU's 17-7 halftime lead.
The game was tied with 9:36 left in the second quarter when Rabon rolled a low punt 27 yards that bounced out of bounds at the ASU 34.
ASU earned the go-ahead lead on the following possession, capping a 9-play, 66-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hansen to senior tight end Blake Mack, who was wide open over the middle on the play-action pass.
Rabon shanked another punt on the next drive, and the ball traveled 15 yards before landing out of bounds at the ASU 15.
The Red Wolves ran nearly three minutes off the clock before Sawyer Williams made a 17-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the half to give ASU a two-score halftime lead.
Rabon also missed field goals of 25 and 49 yards in the game.
The ASU lead could have been more at the half, were it not for a penalty and a few missed opportunities on deep passes.
A 50-yard run by senior running back Johnston White would have set the Red Wolves at the CCU, but it was called back on an illegal formation penalty.
Three plays later, ASU punted.
Hansen was also unable to complete two deep pass attempts to redshirt sophomore Omar Bayless. One of them grazed Bayless' outstretched fingertips near the CCU 45.
"We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times where we should have gotten points," Anderson said. "I thought we responded well."
On the first drive of the second half, Hansen finally connected on a 32-yard pass to junior Justin McInnis, who stretched out in tight coverage and was tackled at the CCU 37.
Hansen hit McInnis again for 18 yards, then threw to senior Dijon Paschal, who scored his first touchdown of the season on a 17-yard reception where he sidestepped a defender on the left sideline to give ASU a 24-7 lead with 13:11 left in the third quarter.
"I've been hungry," said Paschal, who had 4 catches for 45 yards. "I've been patient. It felt amazing. The guys kept me up. Told me to just stay in the game, that it was coming. And it came. We're all ecstatic for each other. Everyone's scoring, so it's just a good feeling."
CCU was outgained 475-428 yards in total offense and did not convert on third down until the third quarter, finishing 3 of 11 (.273).
The Chanticleers used three quarterbacks during the game and were most effective with senior Tyler Keane, who was 4 of 5 for 60 yards on the team's third drive of the game.
Senior Dalton Demos, the run specialist, finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.
ASU had 7 tackles for loss, and senior defensive end Ja'Von Rolland-Jones had a sack to increase his career total to 33.5 -- a total that is tied eighth all time in the NCAA.
Junior defensive back Darreon Jackson, who transferred from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, had a 28-yard fumble touchdown return for the game's final score.
It was ASU's first defensive touchdown of the season.
"A lot of guys give [Jackson] a hard time, saying we didn't know he was that fast to score," Taylor said. "We get very excited when those things happen."
The Red Wolves have started 2-0 in Sun Belt play for the fourth consecutive season and will next host Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday.
Sports on 10/15/2017