Anderson says '20 records misleading

Arkansas State University Coach Blake Anderson believes last weekend's setback to Texas State served as a microcosm for the Red Wolves' season.

A couple of key dropped passes, a handful of missed opportunities at turnovers and the inability to come up with game-changing stops contributed to a 45-43 defeat -- the Red Wolves' fourth in a row.

The rationale for why his team walked away from Bobcat Stadium with a loss is simple.

"When it came down to it, [Texas State] had some opportunities to make plays that could impact the outcome of the game, and they made them," he said. "We had the same opportunities to do that, and we just didn't. In a game that's close in our league ... when you're looking at a two-point game, it doesn't come down to much.

"We played hard, had balanced football on offense and got the ball in the end zone. But we just couldn't come up with the defensive stop, and we had the one turnover that led to points for them. In a game like that against a team that's better than their record indicates, that's all it took."

Outside of a winless Louisiana-Monroe team that's had to either cancel or reschedule its past two games because of covid-19, Texas State arguably was struggling more than any other team in the Sun Belt Conference prior to facing ASU (3-6, 1-5).

The Bobcats had lost seven games in a row, but Anderson warned beforehand that Texas State's unimpressive record wasn't indicative of its ability, especially with six of the nine losses coming by 10 points or less.

Anderson isn't put much stock into anybody's record in 2020.

"I don't know that records are even worthy of looking at this particular year," he said. "We're not a 3-6 team, we're better than that. The early two games that we played this year would tell you that. Kansas State would surely tell you that. But you just don't know what people are going through with covid and where they're at physically.

"And I think just this league in general has gotten so competitive from top to bottom. Honestly, it doesn't matter about somebody's record. Everybody is plenty capable."

Anderson used Coastal Carolina as an example of how quickly things can shift. The Chanticleers were 5-7 last season, but only two of their eight conference games were decided by more than 10 points. This year, Coastal Carolina is 8-0 and ranked in the top 20.

"What Coastal is doing this year, I think they're benefiting from a veteran team, and they've probably benefited a little bit from some folks dealing with covid and catching teams at the right time," Anderson said. "They haven't dramatically changed from a year ago, but they're finding ways to win. It's that close in our league now.

"Almost every win we had last year was a one-possession, one-score game. Even our losses were pretty close to that, but that's just the nature of what this league has turned in to. You want that competitiveness, but that also brings about a tough road."

The Red Wolves are expecting another stern test Saturday when they take on South Alabama (3-6, 2-4), which also has dropped its past four games. The game will be the first one played in Jonesboro since ASU lost to Troy 38-10 on Oct. 21.

With three games left at home to close the season, Anderson said his players are in a good place mentally.

"They're not out," he mentioned. "They still know that we've got a chance to win our next three and be bowl eligible. And they know that we're close. They've haven't given in, and their effort level on the field shows that."