Category: Football

Razorbacks open season with Win over Portland State

August 31, 2019

By ARKANSAS SPORTS INFORMATION

FAYETTEVILLE — The Razorbacks (1-0) beat Portland State (0-1), 20-13, at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium Saturday. Touchdowns on the ground from Devwah Whaley and Rakeem Boyd, along with three Hog interceptions, were enough to grab a win in the season opener.

Big Plays

Arkansas 3 – Portland State 3

Following a six-play, 42-yard drive, senior K Connor Limpert knocked through a 34-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 with 9:40 left in the first quarter.

Arkansas 10 – Portland State 3

​Senior RB Devwah Whaley scored Arkansas’ first touchdown of the 2019 season, punching it in from one yard out with 3:19 left to play in the first quarter. It was Whaley’s 13th-career touchdown, and his first since Arkansas played at Colorado State (9/8/18) last season.

Arkansas 10 – Portland State 6

On third and long, Arkansas forced its first turnover on the young season, as junior SS Kamren Curl continued his excellent day by nabbing his first-career interception. Curl also had two sacks in the first half. ​​

Arkansas 10 – Portland State 6

Junior QB Nick Starkel connects with ​​freshman WR Trey Knox for 38 yards, the Razorbacks longest reception of the game. It was also the longest reception by a true freshman since Devwah Whaley hauled in a 43-yard pass against Florida back in 2016.

Arkansas 10 – Portland State 6

Sophomore CB Jarques McClellion nabbed his first-career interception playing with 7:25 to go in the third period. The second INT of the day for the Hogs shifted second half momentum back to the Razorbacks.

Arkansas 10 – Portland State 6

Sophomore WR Mike Woods put him on SKATES! The 15-yard reception was the long on the day for the second-year player, and drew quite the reaction from the Razorback faithful.

Arkansas 17 – Portland State 6

Junior RB Rakeem Boyd scored Arkansas’ second touchdown on the day, breaking through from two yards out with 2:20 left to go in the third quarter. The score would give the Hogs an 11-point cushion over Portland State as the two teams headed down the stretch.

Arkansas 20 – Portland State 13

Sophomore FS Joe Foucha sealed Arkansas’ opening day win, intercepting Portland State for the third time in the game. It was Arkansas’ first three interception performance since 2014, when they picked off Ole Miss three times.

For more information on Arkansas football, including in-game updates, follow @Razorbackfb on Twitter.

10 Things to know About Portland State

August 31, 2019

By MICHAEL MINSHEW/ARKANSAS SPORTS INFORMATION

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas opens the 2019 campaign and year two under head coach Chad Morris against Portland State on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 3 p.m., at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network, as well as the ESPN app. Here are 10 things to know about the game before kick off.

  1. Saturday will be the first meeting between Arkansas and Portland State on the football field. It will also be the first of three “first-time” games for the Razorbacks this season. Arkansas will also host San Jose State (Sept. 21) and Western Kentucky (Nov. 9) later this year.
  2. The Razorbacks return 68 players from last year’s squad, welcoming in 53 newcomers. Arkansas has 53 freshmen on this year’s roster, including 36 true freshmen. Arkansas brings back its leading rusher (Rakeem Boyd), receiver (Cheyenne O’Grady), tackler (De’Jon Harris), tackler for loss (McTelvin Agim) and kicker (Connor Limpert) from the 2018 season. Forty-six student-athletes on the 2019 roster are from inside the state’s borders, with four from Fayetteville – Ty Clary, Elias Hale, Ty Clary and Cheyenne O’Grady.
  3. On Monday, Aug. 26, coach Morris named Ben Hicks the starting quarterback for the Razorbacks. A native of Waco, Texas, and graduate of SMU, Hicks made the decision to finish his collegiate career with a few familiar faces on the Hill. Hicks was with head coach Chad Morris & offensive coordinator Joe Craddock from the beginning of their tenure in Dallas, as Hicks redshirted in 2015, then became the starting quarterback after his first game as a Mustang in 2016. During their time together, Hicks became an Honorable Mention Freshman All-American (Campus Insiders), an Athlon Sports All-AAC fourth team member, earned various weekly awards and set the school’s single-season & career touchdowns records. Hicks left SMU as the all-time leader in passing yards (9,081), total offense (8,977), touchdown passes (71), touchdowns responsible for (74), completions (718) and 300-yard passing games (12).
  4. Senior linebacker De’Jon “Scoota” Harris returns for his senior season to help lead the Arkansas defense. Harris has led the team in tackles in each of the last two years, with 115 in 2017 & 118 in 2018, the first since Jerry Franklin (2010-11) to do so in consecutive seasons. He has also recorded seven double-digit tackle games in each of the last two years, the first since Ken Hamlin (2001-02). Harris takes over as the conference active leader in career tackles with 270 heading into his senior year. He finished 2018 fifth behind senior teammate Dre Greenlaw & three others, playing between five & 17 fewer games than those in front of him.
  5. Another senior who came back for his senior year is defensive tackle McTelvin “Sosa” Agim, who will anchor the defensive front for the Razorbacks in 2019. Last season, Agim started all 12 games and posted 45 tackles, 19 solo and a team-high 10 for loss (44 yards), along with 4.5 sacks (25 yards). He also forced a team-best three fumbles and recovered another, while getting credit for 11 quarterback hurries. Agim is the only Razorback on the roster to have forced multiple fumbles in two different games, doing so at Colorado State last year and Mississippi State in 2017.
  6. The Razorbacks return 82 percent of their yards on the ground from a year ago, including the top three rushers in Rakeem Boyd (734), Devwah Whaley (368) and Chase Hayden (251). All three have recorded at least one 100-yard rushing game in their collegiate careers, as Boyd led the team with three last year while Whaley has four over his time at Arkansas. The trio has also been effective catching passes out of the backfield, combining for 42 receptions and 313 yards. Boyd finished the 2018 campaign ranked third in receiving with 23 receptions for 165 yards.
  7. Senior kicker Connor Limpert had an unforgettable 2018 season, writing his name in the Arkansas record books and positioning himself to land among the preseason favorites for the Lou Groza Award in 2019. A seminfinalist for the award last year and a watch list member heading into this season, Limpert put together a 19-for-24 line in field goal attempts, hitting multiple 50-yard kicks, including the seventh-longest in school history at 55 yards against Vanderbilt on Oct. 27. He enters the 2019 campaign with a career 81.8 field goal percentage, which currently leads all Arkansas kickers. His clip was aided last year by a streak of 10-straight over a five-week stretch, which ended on a 60-yard attempt against Vanderbilt that would’ve been the third-longest in Arkansas history.
  8. At a recent team meeting, head coach Chad Morris unveiled a new honor to be given to a senior every year on the third Saturday of fall camp. The award is named after legendary Arkansas coach & athletic director Frank Broyles and is presented to the player who best exemplifies what Coach Broyles stood for. It was a no-brainer for the first recipient of the award, as T.J. Smith was recognized on Aug. 17 to be this year’s honoree. Smith will wear a decal on the back of his helmet during the 2019 season that represents Coach Broyles.
  9. When the Razorbacks take the field this season, they’ll be sporting a new look that gives a nod back to a special era of Arkansas football. Back in July, the Razorback Football Twitter account posted photos of the “throwback” uniforms the team will wear this season as a call-back to an era of one of its greatest players in school history, Darren McFadden. With the word “ARKANSAS” emblazoned across the front of the jerseys and the two solid red stripes that will run down both sides of the pants, the Razorbacks will be donning a look that dates back to 2006 and 2007, McFadden’s final two years as a Hog.
  10. The 2019 season also marks the return to natural grass at DWRRS. The Tahoma 31 derives its name from the Native American word, Tahoma, which means frozen water. In test after test, Tahoma 31 shows its exceptional winter hardiness, tested up to 75 percent more cold tolerant than other bermuda grass varieties. With the additional characteristics of both improved wear tolerance and drought resistance, Tahoma 31 is ideal for sports turf, golf courses and high-quality lawns in the Mid-Atlantic & Transition Zone. The approximately 1800-pound rolls of Matrix turf feature an interwoven mesh support layer that provides strength and stability to the sod without compromise to drainage. The game lines seen on the field were painted by a self-propelled robot. New to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the first time in program history will be the introduction of painted-red endzones on the new natural grass. The north endzone will feaure the “Arkansas” wordmark, while the south endzone will brandish the “Razorbacks” across its borders.

Flyover scheduled for Saturday’s Football Opener

August 31, 2019

By ARKANSAS SPORTS INFORMATION

FAYETTEVILLE – The 1st of the 114th Aviation Regiment, part of the 77th Combat Aviation Brigade in the Arkansas National Guard, will perform a flyover prior to Arkansas’ game against Portland State on Saturday.

Two UH-72A Lakota and one UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters will fly past the stadium immediately following the national anthem just prior to the 3 p.m. kickoff.

The 1-114th Aviation Regiment provides airlift, MEDEVAC, search and rescue, as well as reconnaissance capabilities to the citizens of Arkansas and to the Nation. The battalion is a premier unit in the 77th Combat Aviation Brigade and is often called to action by the Governor for state active duty. These Guardsmen, from all across our great state, quickly respond to aid the state of Arkansas and other locations around the nation as needed.

Hendrix looks to Rebound in 2019

August 17, 2019

By HENDRIX SPORTS INFORMATION

CONWAY – After guiding Hendrix to a 2015 Southern Athletic Association Championship and leading the Warriors to an impressive 8-2 record in 2017, head coach Buck Buchanan looks to continue to revitalize the Hendrix football program following a 2-8 effort in 2018.

Buchanan, who was hired immediately after Hendrix football ended its 52-year hiatus, enters his seventh season as the head man for the Warriors. Buchanan currently holds a 34-27 (.557) mark while at Hendrix with a 23-21 (.522) record in SAA play and also has guided Hendrix to finishing in the top three in the SAA three different seasons in his six years here.

Returners
After an injury sidelines him for over 75 percent of the 2018 season, one of the top quarterbacks that Hendrix has seen is back and will be wearing the black and orange this fall. After being one of the top quarterbacks, statistically, in the entire country in 2017, Miles Thompson played just more than one full game before getting injured and missed the rest of the 2018 season. Thompson, who has throw for more than 4,400 yards and 46 touchdowns, will be one of several Warrior players who bring back several years of collegiate experience.

Offensively, Thompson is joined again by Kip VanHoose. VanHoose, who led the entire SAA in rushing yards a season ago, is looking to build off a season in which the Kansas City, Mo., product rushed for 860 yards and three scores.

On the offensive line and returning for this season year is Xavion Gardner. Gardner is a two-time All-SAA First Team selection and was part of the offensive line that led the NCAA with 600 yards of total offense per game.

Defensively, Ronnie McShan, Tanner Hartsfield and Jared Bazley return for the Warriors. All three obtained All-SAA Honorable Mention honors a year ago while Hartsfield led the team in tackles with 31 solo and 70 total tackles and Bazley earned D3football.com National Team of the Week honors once. On the special teams side of things, kicker Sandy Burks returns for his senior year. A native of North Little Rock, Burks has successfully made 14 field goals, 70 PATs and has logged 56 kickoffs for 2,973 yards as a Warrior and earned D3football.com National Team of the Week honors once, as well, last season.

Newcomers
Coach Buchanan was able to welcome in more than 25 new Warriors to the Hendrix football program. Of those 25-plus newcomers, one of those names should be familiar to Conway residents.

Multi-sport sport athlete Jacob Wood shined as the star quarterback for Conway Christian, a guard for the men’s basketball team and also played baseball for the Eagles.

Wood, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound quarterback who holds several school records, led the Eagles to a 10-3 record on the 2018 season that ended in a two-point loss in the state quarterfinals to Mount Ida.

Other notable newcomers who could have a sensational freshman campaign include: wide receiver Tyler Rodriguez who earned Texas 3A Player of the Year honors and recorded 42 touchdowns at quarterback from Bonham, Texas; Thayne Garnett who is an all-around half back, tight end and running back and is a Weatherford, Texas, native running with the first-team offense; and also freshman wide receiver Harrison Campbell a native of Bentonville. Wood and Campbell both played in the Arkansas All-Star Game in June at University of Central Arkansas. Defensively, notable players to look for include defensive back’s Canon Roeder of Frisco Wakeland, Texas; Gus Asle from Frisco Reedy, Texas; and Riley Strey of Flower Mound, Texas.

Schedule
Hendrix opens the 2019 season Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. with another nonconference contest against Lyon College in Conway in a classic “Battle for ScotZilla” rivalry; looking for its third victory over the Scots in Conway in three attempts. The Warriors will hit the road for the next two games; taking on Texas Lutheran in Seguin, Texas and battling Birmingham-Southern in Birmingham, Ala., to open up SAA play. Hendrix returns back to Conway Oct. 5 to look for another victory against SAA rival Rhodes. Other notable games include the annual Hendrix College Sports Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony Nov. 2 versus Trinity and Senior Day Nov. 16 against the Sewanee Tigers from Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.

OBU Ranked Fifth in AFCA DII Coaches’ Top 25

August 28, 2019

By OBU SPORTS INFORMATION

ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Tigers Football are ranked fifth in American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches’ Top 25 to start the season.

The Tigers earn the ranking after going 12-1 last season which included making it to the NCAA Division II Playoff semifinals. The Tigers also were the number one rated defense in 2018 during the regular season returning many starters this season.

Ouachita is one of two Great American Conference teams selected to the Top 25. The other team chosen is 18th ranked Harding University, who the Tigers face week one in the NCAA Division II Showcase on the ESPN App.

Ranked first in the polls is reigning Division II National Champions, Valdosta State. After them are the runner ups for the National Championship, Ferris State, who defeated Ouachita in the semifinals last season. The Tigers then trail Minnesota State and Notre Dame (Ohio) rounding out the top five.

Ouachita starts their season on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:05 at Cliff Harris Stadium.

Former Golden Lion takes step to making NFL Roster

August 29, 2019

By UAPB SPORTS INFORMATION

PINE BLUFF – Former University of Arkansas At Pine Bluff football star Terron Armstead and the key starters for the New Orleans Saints had the night off, while Jamie Gillan took another step toward making the Cleveland Browns’ roster on the final night of the NFL Preseason schedule.

Armstead, Drew Brees and other top players did not play in the Saints’ 16-13 home loss to Miami. New Orleans opens the season on Monday, Sept. 9 hosting Houston.

Gillan handled all punting duties for the second straight game, averaging 44.3 yards on six punts, including a 50-yard punt and one downed inside the 20. Gillan also continued to display his all-around skill with two special teams tackles while also serving as the holder on all four scoring kicks in the Browns’ 20-16 win over Detroit.

Gillan had punts of 38, 42, and 48 yards in the first quarter, as he made the tackle on his punt of the opening stanza.  Gillan had a 45-yard punt in the second quarter, a 43-yard punt in the third quarter, and a 50-yard punt in the fourth quarter.

Following a safety, Gillan booted the free kick 67 yards and also made the tackle on the return.

In four preseason games, Gillan averaged 46.6 yards on 17 punts, with an NFL-long of 74 yards with six downed inside the 20.

Gillan will learn his status soon as final cuts of the NFL Preseason must be made by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday.

UAPB opens season at TCU

August 31, 2019

By UAPB SPORTS INFORMATION

FORT WORTH – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team as the Golden Lions will play at TCU Saturday.

HOW TO WATCH, LISTEN, ATTEND:

The Golden Lions held their final walkthrough Friday morning and will now finalize preparations through meetings and rest prior to kickoff.

“I think the guys are really focused,” said UAPB head coach Cedric Thomas. “In looking at them based on the walkthrough and the pertinent information in I’s being dotting and t’s being crossed, they have a good wherewithal of what this high-powered team is going to give them. We’ll just continue to iron out the small details between now and Saturday night.”

Both teams are coming in off winning finishes to the 2018 season. UAPB won in the Lone Star State with a 15-10 at Texas Southern on November 17. TCU won its final two games to earn a bowl bid and ended 2018 on a three-game win streak with an overtime victory in the Cheez-It-Bowl on December 26.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve hit someone else other than ourselves and get the chance to compete against another opponent,” Thomas said. “Competitors love to compete, and Saturday presents another opportunity to do so. For these seniors, we’re on this countdown to their journey be done as college players. We’re going to celebrate each gameday opportunity and it starts in a couple of hours.”

SEASON TICKETS STILL ON SALE FOR UAPB HOME GAMES: Season tickets for the six-game Golden Lion home football schedule are on sale o Season tickets are on sale now for the six-game home schedule. General admission tickets can be purchased online at uapblionsroar.com/tickets starting at only $60.

Reserved chairback and benchback seats, as well as the five-game family pack and first responders’ discounts can be purchased in person at the UAPB ticket office at Simmons Bank Field Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Single game tickets go on sale Monday, Sept. 9.

For more information, call 870-575-8601 or email Brenda Jones at jonesb@uapb.edu.

Arkansas State-SMU Game Notes

By ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

GAME 1: Arkansas State (0-0) hosts SMU (0-0)

Aug. 31, 2019 | Allison Field at Centennial Bank Stadium Jonesboro | 6 p.m.

Radio: EAB Red Wolves Sports Network (107.9 FM, flagship)Matt Stolz (pxp), Tim Allison (analyst), Brad Bobo (sideline)

Television: ESPN+Roger Twibell (pxp), Pete Cordelli (analyst), Rich Zvosec (sideline)

Live Stats: AStateStats.com

Live Game Notes: twitter.com/AStateGameDay

ON TAP: Arkansas State will open its season at home for the fifth time over the last seven seasons, hosting SMU at Centennial Bank Stadium this Saturday, Aug. 31.  The game will appear on ESPN+, and every Red Wolves football game can be heard live on 107.9 FM in the Northeast Arkansas area.  The live radio broadcast can also be accessed on the official A-State Athletics web site (AStateRedWolves.com) and the A-State Athletics app.

THE PRINCIPALS:  The Red Wolves play both their home and season opener Saturday against American Athletic Conference member SMU.  A-State was picked in the Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches’ poll to finish second in the league’s west division.  SMU, coming off a 5-7 season, was picked to finish fourth in the AAC’s west division in the league’s preseason media poll.

HEAD COACH BLAKE ANDERSON: Blake Anderson, a 19-year coaching veteran at the NCAA FBS level who also coached in an NJCAA National Championship game, was named the Red Wolves’ 30th all-time head coach on Dec. 19, 2013.  Anderson led the Red Wolves to Sun Belt Conference championships in 2015 and 2016, as well as five consecutive winning seasons and five bowl-game appearances (2018 Arizona Bowl, 2017 Camellia Bowl, 2016 Cure Bowl, 2015 New Orleans Bowl, 2014 GoDaddy Bowl) during his first five seasons leading the program.  Under his direction, the Red Wolves have set nine new single-season records, including average yards total offense (494.8 ypg in 2017), total offense (6,174 yards in 2014) and points scored (520 in 2015).

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS: The Arkansas State Athletics Department family was saddened to learn of the passing late Monday night, Aug. 19, of Wendy Anderson, wife of sixth-year head football coach Blake Anderson.  Wendy’s courageous battle with cancer will continue to serve as an inspiration to many across the nation, and the outpouring of support far and wide for the Andersons and the A-State family has been overwhelming.  Coach Anderson has taken a leave of absence to be with his family during this difficult time.

DUGGAN NAMED INTERIM HEAD COACH: Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator David Duggan was named A-State’s interim head coach on Monday, Aug. 19, until Blake Anderson decides to resume his activities as head coach.  A-State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Terry Mohajir remains in communication with Coach Anderson both on a personal and professional level and has stated that A-State “will obviously respect and honor any amount of time he needs before he feels he can return.”

INTERIM HEAD COACH DAVID DUGGAN: Currently serving in the interim head coach role at A-State, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator David Duggan is in his first season with the Red Wolves.  While he holds a 10-9 all-time record as a head coach in NFL Europe and possesses 26 years of collegiate coaching experience, he will be the acting head coach in a college football game for the first time when A-State plays SMU Aug. 31 in its season opener.  He came to the Red Wolves after spending the previous three seasons at Western Michigan, where he helped lead the program to a pair of bowl games, a Mid-American Conference championship and a combined 26-13 record.  His initial year saw the Broncos post an undefeated 13-0 regular-season record, a final No. 12 ranking and a berth in the Cotton Bowl, where it dropped a narrow 24-16 decision to Wisconsin.

THE ARKANSAS STATE-SMU SERIES: The Red Wolves and Mustangs have met just three times before, playing a home-and-home series in 2006 and 2007 as well as the first contest of the current home-and-home arrangement in 2017.  SMU leads the series 2-1 after claiming 55-9 and 44-21 victories in Dallas in 2006 and 2017, respectively.  The Red Wolves’ picked up their lone win in the series in 2007, when it defeated the Mustangs 45-28 in Jonesboro.

A-STATE vs AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: Arkansas State holds an all-time 29-37-5 record against current members of the American Athletic Conference. While the Red Wolves are set to face a team competing as a member of the league at the time of the game for just the fifth time in school history, this will be third consecutive season they have played an AAC foe.  Their four previous games against the AAC came in 2013 when they fell 31-7 at Memphis, 2016 when they defeated UCF 31-13 in the Cure Bowl, 2017 when they dropped a 44-21 decision at SMU and last season when they topped Tulsa 29-20 on the road.  A-State has also played the following current AAC teams, although they weren’t members of the league at the time of the games:  Cincinnati (1-1), East Carolina (0-2) and Navy (0-1).  The Red Wolves hold an all-time 3-2 record versus Tulsa and 23-29-5 record against Memphis.

FOR STARTERS: A-State snapped a three-year skid in season openers last year when they defeated Southeast Missouri State 48-21.    Since moving to FBS status in 1992, the Red Wolves have posted just a 6-21 record in season openers.  In addition to its 2018 season-opening win, A-State began the 2014 (37-10 vs Montana State), 2013 (62-11 vs. UAPB), 2008 (18-14 at Texas A&M), 2006 (14-6 vs. Army) and 1995 (21-17 vs. Utah State) campaigns with wins.

HOME OPENERS: Arkansas State claimed a 48-21 win over Southeast Missouri State last season in its home opener and has won its first game at Centennial Bank Stadium in 12 of the last 14 seasons dating back to 2005.  The Red Wolves stand 32-13 all-time in home openers at the stadium and are also 18-8 in such games since moving to FBS status in 1992.

HOME SWEET HOME: Arkansas State has strung together 14 consecutive years (2005-18) with a winning record at Centennial Bank Stadium dating back to 2005.  The Red Wolves are now 64-15 (.810 winning percentage) since the 2005 season and have won 39 of their last 47 home outings.  The Red Wolves actual on-field record all-time at Centennial Bank Stadium is 156-78-1 since it opened in 1974.  A-State’s six home wins in 2011 were its most since 1985.  The 2011 season also marked the last time the Red Wolves went undefeated at Centennial Bank Stadium.

AN A-STATE VICTORY WOULD . . . :  even its all-time record vs. SMU to 2-2 . . . mark the 13th time over the last 15 seasons it has won its home opener . . . give the Red Wolves a win in their season opener in back-to-back years for the first time since 2013 and 2014 . . . move its all-time record vs the American Athletic Conference to 3-2 . . . give David Duggan his first collegiate victory as a head coach.

PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT: Including five first-team and six second-team selections, the Arkansas State placed a league-high 11 different players on the 2019 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team.  Representing Arkansas State on the first team were senior wide receiver Kirk Merritt, junior tight end Javonis Isaac, junior defensive end William Bradley-King, junior defensive lineman Forrest Merrill and junior cornerback Jerry Jacobs.  Earning a spot on the second team for the Red Wolves were senior wideout Omar Bayless, junior center Jacob Still, senior defensive lineman Kevin Thurmon, senior safeties Darreon Jackson and B.J. Edmonds and senior punter Cody Grace.  A-State’s 11 selections tied Appalachian State, which had 10 players comprise its 11 picks, for the most in the conference.  The Red Wolves’ 11 players on the preseason all-conference team are their most since 2016, when they also had 11.  They have now earned at least 11 selections four of the last six seasons as well.

WATCH ME, WATCH ME: A-State has 10 players on at least one major watch list for the 2019 season, including six who play on the offensive side of the ball (Logan Bonner, Dahu Green, Javonis Isaac, Kirk Merritt, Marcel Murray, Jacob Still), three on the defensive (Tajhea Chambers, Darreon Jackson, Jerry Jacobs) and one on special teams (Cody Grace).  The Red Wolves have at least one player on 11 different watch lists.

EIGHT STRAIGHT: Arkansas State has secured a winning record in a school-record eight consecutive seasons (2011-18).  The next longest streak was six straight seasons from 1912-17.  The Red Wolves have piled up 67 victories from 2011-18 for its most over an eight-year span in the program’s 105-year history.

ELITE COMPANY: Arkansas State is one of just four teams in the nation to win five conference titles and appear in eight bowl games since 2011, joining Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma.  The Red Wolves won the Sun Belt title in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 and hold the 15th longest active streak in the nation for bowl game appearances with eight.

105TH SEASON: Arkansas State will kick off its 105th season of football Aug. 31 at home against SMU.  A-State holds a 473-487-37 record since the inaugural season and has played in 16 bowl games.  A-State did not field a team from 1942-44 due to World War II.  Arkansas State also didn’t have a team in 1918 as World War I was ending.

A-STATE vs THE SUN BELT: Arkansas State has won 51 of its last 63 Sun Belt Conference games (.810 winning percentage) to run its all-time record in the league to 83-48.  The Red Wolves hold their most all-time victories against ULM with 26.  A-State has defeated every team in the conference since the football league was formed in 2001.  Along with ULM and Louisiana, A-State is one of three teams that have been a part of the conference since its inaugural football season.

SUN BELT CHAMPS (5 of 8): While Arkansas State last won the Sun Belt in 2016, it is still the only Group of 5 program and one of just four FBS programs in the nation to win five conference championships over the last eight years (2011-18).  The only other teams to do so are Alabama (SEC), Clemson (ACC) and Oklahoma (Big 12).  The Red Wolves most recently won back-to-back Sun Belt titles in 2015 and 2016, compiling a 15-1 league record over that span.  A-State also won the league title 2011-13, making it one of just two programs in league history with at least five SBC titles.

BOWL ELIGIBLE: Arkansas State has obtained bowl eligibility status each of the last eight years (2011-18) and 11 times over the last 14 seasons.  Arkansas State has become bowl eligible in 10 games or less each of those seasons.  Since moving to FBS status in 1992, the earliest A-State ever became bowl eligible was in 2011 when it was 6-2 through eight games.

BOWL STREAK: Arkansas State has made a school-record eight consecutive bowl-game appearances (2011-18), which is the third longest streak in the Group of 5 and ranks 15th in the nation among all FBS programs.

A LOOK BACK: With a 3-1 record, Arkansas State secured a winning record last season against non-conference opponents for the first time since 1995, when it went 3-2.  Additional, with wins against Tulsa and UNLV, the Red Wolves won back-to-back non-conference games against FBS opponents for the first time ever since moving to FBS status in 1992.300-PLUS:  Dating back to the 2010 season, Arkansas State has posted at least 300 yards total offense in 104 of its last 115 games (.904 percentage).  A-State has produced 300 yards in 59 of 64 games during the Blake Anderson era, including the last 25 in a row.400-PLUS:  Arkansas State has hit the 400-yard total offense mark 43 times over its last 64 games (67 percent) since 2014, which was Blake Anderson’s first season as head coach.  The Red Wolves have posted 400 or more yards total offense in each of their last seven games.

LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD: Including 20 of their last 39 contests, the Red Wolves have posted at least 30 points in 61 of their last 94 regular-season games (65 percent) dating back to the 2011 season.  The Red Wolves have won 48 of their last 54 games when scoring at least 30 points.

A LOSS ON THE PLAY: Dating back to the 2015 season, the Red Wolves have posted at least five stops behind the line of scrimmage in 39 of their last 42 games.  A-State has ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation each of the last three seasons in tackles for loss.

GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: A-State has ranked among the top 27 teams in the nation in sacks four of the last five years, posting a combined 177 sacks over that span.  The Red Wolves have recorded at least one sack in 36 of their last 37 games dating back to the 2016 season.