JONESBORO -- For the past month, Arkansas State University sought to make Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe meaningful.
The Warhawks have resided comfortably in first place of the Sun Belt Conference's West Division since October while ASU and Louisiana-Lafayette held on with three conference losses apiece.
Louisiana-Monroe is not comfortable anymore.
Arkansas State toppled the Warhawks 31-17 on Saturday at Centennial Bank Stadium, ASU's ninth consecutive victory against Louisiana-Monroe. The surging Red Wolves need one more victory and some help from the Warhawks to clinch a spot in the league's first-ever championship game Dec. 1.
"I keep telling the guys, a lot of people on the outside gave up on us a long time ago," ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. "But [we] never did."
ASU (7-4, 4-3 Sun Belt) must defeat Texas State on Saturday and have Louisiana-Lafayette lose at Louisiana-Monroe (6-5, 4-3) to win the division. If Louisiana-Lafayette (6-5, 4-3) wins, the Ragin' Cajuns win the division. If Louisiana-Monroe wins and ASU loses, the Warhawks earn the Sun Belt title game shot.
The Red Wolves' first quarter Saturday was ideal as they bolted out to a 7-0 lead.
Senior quarterback Justice Hansen started 7-of-7 passing for 100 yards and 1 touchdown. In his final game in Jonesboro, Hansen -- who went 21-of-27 passing for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns -- hit junior Kirk Merritt in stride for a 49-yard touchdown with 4:41 remaining in the opening quarter.
Down 10-0, Louisiana-Monroe's first touchdown -- a 34-yard pass from junior quarterback Caleb Evans to sophomore tight end Josh Pederson -- was set up by chaos.
Minutes before, ASU senior nickel back Justin Clifton stripped the ball from Pederson on the 2 to halt a touchdown attempt. However, an inadvertent whistle was blown when Louisiana-Monroe's completed pass crossed ASU's 34. The play was ruled dead there with 5:25 left in the first half, and the Warhawks' next play was the 34-yard touchdown.
"That was kind of crazy," Clifton said.
The sequence did not take much shine away from ASU's defense. The Red Wolves held Louisiana-Monroe to 58 rushing yards and 218 passing yards on the day. They also forced Evans, the Sun Belt's second-leading passer this season behind Hansen, into three interceptions.
They also held senior receiver Marcus Green -- whom ASU defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen labeled last week as the most explosive player in the Sun Belt -- to 69 receiving yards and no touchdowns. They collected 3 sacks and sent the Warhawks backward 35 yards with 7 tackles for loss.
"They're tired of being raked over the coals and told how bad they are," Anderson said of his defense.
The Red Wolves took a 17-7 lead 31 seconds before halftime thanks to a second touchdown between Hansen and Merritt. Hansen's favorite target recently reeled in 6 balls for 89 yards and 2 scores, including this 7-yard snag.
"Justice doesn't mind getting it to anybody," Anderson said. "We're going to push it to anybody. But he does have a tendency for that No. 13."
Clifton, who grabbed two of Evans' three interceptions, returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown with 11:58 remaining in the third for a 24-7 edge. The senior's return was ASU's third defensive touchdown of the season and second pick-six.
Louisiana-Monroe responded with the next 10 points. Evans barrelled in for a 1-yard score, then a 37-yard field goal from senior kicker Craig Ford cut ASU's lead to 24-17 with 5:31 left in the third quarter.
Hansen found senior wideout Justin McInnis for a 10-yard touchdown with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter. A 31-17 lead was enough after a scoreless fourth quarter.
Evans threw his second and third interceptions in the fourth, and the Red Wolves burned the clock.
The realization of a renewed season has fully set in.
"It's perfect," Merritt said. "Obviously, we still have some work to get done."
Freshman running back Marcel Murray lead the Red Wolves with 94 yards on the ground in 17 attempts.
Sports on 11/18/2018