JONESBORO -- The last round of the playoffs is this week, at least according to an analogy Arkansas State Coach Blake Anderson used at the Sun Belt Conference media day in July.
Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson had just stated the conference's goal was for one of its teams to earn the automatic spot in a New Year's Six Bowl, given to the highest ranked Group of 5 conference champion. Anderson said that goal required a team to play well in its nonconference schedule.
Saturday’s game
ARKANSAS STATE AT SMU
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas
RECORDS Arkansas State 1-1, SMU 2-1
INTERNET ESPN 3
"The NFL plays playoffs at the end of a season, and it's almost like we play them at the beginning," Anderson said. "Those games really matter because without some signature wins early -- without playing 3-1, 4-0 in nonconference -- you don't have that opportunity at the end of the year to be ranked and be in the conversation."
Essentially, Arkansas State University faced a double-elimination playoff in its nonconference schedule; two losses would make it highly improbable for a Sun Belt team to be ranked among the nation's best at the end of the season.
This Saturday -- after a narrow loss at Nebraska, No. 14 Miami's cancellation of a game in Jonesboro because of Hurricane Irma, and a home victory against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff -- the Red Wolves will play their final nonconference game at SMU (2-1), a member of the American Athletic Conference.
The AAC -- which had Houston represent the Group of 5 in a 2015 Peach Bowl victory over Florida State -- considers itself a power conference (the logo "P6", Power 6, was used during its summer media day). Conference member and No. 21 South Florida (3-0) is the current Group of 5 front-runner.
ASU beat AAC member Central Florida 31-13 in last season's Cure Bowl, and a victory over SMU would be a notch for the Sun Belt.
The stakes are similar for SMU, which led No. 16 TCU 19-6 before eventually losing 56-36 on Saturday.
"This is that 50-50 game," Anderson said Monday at ASU's weekly news conference. "It could go either way, and it would benefit both of us to win it."
Both teams possess explosive offenses.
ASU ranks 22nd in the nation in points per game (42), and redshirt junior quarterback Justice Hansen ranks sixth in passing yards per game (375.5), 16th in completion percentage (70.7 percent) and 11th in passing touchdowns (8).
SMU ranks sixth in the nation in ppg (49.3) and has scored seven touchdowns on plays of more than 40 yards.
Anderson was both complimentary and critical of Hansen's performance Saturday, when he tied the school record with five touchdown passes in a game while also overthrowing a wide-open Kendrick Edwards in the end zone.
"He missed some layups that in a game like Saturday's were not a big deal," Anderson said. "It's the difference between scoring 48 and scoring 68. The problem is in a game like Saturday [against SMU], those are critical."
Anderson announced senior wide receiver Dijon Paschal (7 catches, 52 yards) is day to day after he bruised his upper sternum and shoulder when he dropped a pass against UAPB and fell on top of the football. Edwards (11 catches, 119 yards, 1 touchdown) and freshman Jonathan Adams (2 catches, 33 yards, 1 touchdown) would play in Paschal's place.
Anderson also said that senior defensive tackle Dee Liner (6-3, 325 pounds) is "back to full strength" from the groin injury that limited his play during the Nebraska game and kept him out completely against UAPB.
"I hope that he is," ASU defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen said Monday. "I'll believe it when I see it on Saturday. But we're expecting him to come back today and start practicing with us. We're expecting him to play some on Saturday."
Liner's return could bolster Cauthen's aggressive defense that forced five turnovers against UAPB after not forcing any against Nebraska.
"I hope it becomes a fever," Cauthen said. "I hope we catch it and keep running with it. That's how we've been living the past couple of years. It's been very productive for us. It's helped us as a team. Not just as a defense, it's helped us win football games."
SMU has scored two defensive touchdowns this season, both by junior defensive back Jordan Wyatt (interception, fumble recovery).
"I just think it's going to be a really evenly matched, hard-fought, very physical football game between two teams that look a lot alike in a lot of ways," Anderson said.
Under Anderson, ASU is 1-3 against Group of 5 teams during the regular-season nonconference schedule.
Sports on 09/19/2017