Texas State Beats Arkansas State: Let's Check In On Rob Lowe

Rob Lowe smiles, because he can.

Rob Lowe can smile, because he ran all over the Red Wolves defense in #FunBelt action.

Everything worked for Rob Lowe against Arkansas State, because "running back X having himself a day against the Red Wolves" is just the new normal-but this was bigger. This was bigger and better, and he felt a jolt similar to the one he does every time that the music starts.

Rob Lowe can smile, but he can't stop. He can't stop, because he won't stop.

You and me both, my brother.

Oh, shut up now!

Alright alright, it's not that Rob Lowe who shredded the Red Wolves run defense to the tune of 244 yards and four touchdowns, but it might as well should have been. With the way that A-State is defending the run, Rob Lowe the actor could probably run all over the Red Wolves. And if it were that Rob Lowe, I would at least have a good story to tell my great-grandchildren.

As always, let's overreact because #Internet.

Seeing Red

I could probably copy and paste what I wrote following the loss against Louisiana or the win against Idaho, or what I could have written following the loss against App. State, but I'll settle on something that's a little more #hotsportstake-like. The A-State run defense is terrible. Blame injuries, blame poor play, or blame the fact that many Sun Belt teams are great at rushing-but also recognize that the unit has been disappointing for at least a month now. You'll complain that I'm the boy who is crying wolf here, but it's false because the unit really has cost the team dearly.

If I'm crying wolf, it's only because I see so red week after week after week. (Mind. Blown.)

I Cried Wolf

I could never bring myself to write anything to throw shade at the excellence of the newly crowned field goal kicker Logan Spry (and to Logan Spry's biceps). But I'm not convinced that the two field goals he did kick, beyond establishing that he was part of the roster regardless of what a website says, helped A-State.

The third quarter isn't when the Red Wolves lost the game, but let's entertain the idea for a moment. Proponents of the idea and concept of momentum will note that the M-word ran to the A-State locker room at halftime after the team had cut into the lead with a touchdown drive. After the break, coach Anderson, he of the cojones of steel and the logic-defying fourth down tries, settled for two chip shot field goals-despite knowing that his run defense couldn't stop Robert Lowe, nor Tyler Jones, and despite knowing that his own offense was feeling it.

Howl Of The Night

On a night where the eyes of a nation were on Bobcat Stadium, and on a day where the defensive unit managed to allow all of 28 first downs and 562 total yards before those very sets of eyes, I can't give the "Howl Of The Night" award to any defensive player.

For that reason, let's recognize once more the efforts of one Fredi Knighten. The offense had its problems, notably with penalties (i.e. 8 for 80 yards) and on third downs (i.e. 7 of 22), but it gained 498 total yards against the immovable object knowns as David Mayo. In San Marcos, Knighten was a good sport-with 406 total yards, he left a full 92 for his teammates.

Looking Ahead

Once upon a time, the Arkansas State Red Wolves were not only expected to compete for a Sun Belt Conference title, but were the favorites. Had that happened, it would have given A-State a fourth straight title with four different coaches, something that seems even more improbable now with the benefit of hindsight. But this was a thing for a while, until the sad run odyssey in Lousiana happened, and things have mostly gone downhill from there. Red Wolves don't have 20/20 vision, but they can tell that this dream is over.

Looking ahead, let's see whether they can stop the bleeding. That's "they" as in the Red Wolves coaches, and "stop the bleeding" as in get a win on homecoming night against the New Mexico State Aggies. Because this could be the last game of the season. A-State has had an ungodly number of key injuries, but so has everyone-and Red Wolves don't use injuries as an excuse. Or they shouldn't.

Which Poutine On The Menu?

Coach Anderson, there's no need to get fancy this week. Stick to the basics and give the boys the original poutine, just cheese curds, fries and gravy. Add nothing else, because the guys need to stick to the basics themselves, before the season finale-why bother with meat sauce if the gravy sucks anyway?

For A-State, it's all gravy, except when the gravy is cooked wrong.