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Undisputed: Red Wolves Are The Sun Belt Champs

Focused on securing sole possession of the Sun Belt title, Blake Anderson and a host of Arkansas State senior players hammered Texas State 55-17.

By AStateFanRules
The Red Wolves are Champs of the Belt.
The Red Wolves are Champs of the Belt.
Jeremy Harper

It was Senior Day at Centennial Bank Stadium, so it was appropriate that so many Red Wolves seniors participated in the utter dismantling of the Texas State Bobcats. The Red Wolves scored on the team's first two possessions, never leaving the outcome of the game in question.

Texas State was not without its moments. Wideout C.J, Best was a beast, tallying eight receptions for 95 yards, and tacking on a rushing TD. But the Bobcats were without their leading rusher, Robert Lowe. Without him, Texas State totaled only 154 yards on the ground. It wasn't nearly enough to stop the Red Wolves, who treated the A-State faithful to glimpses of the future – including a 58 yard scamper from freshman RB Logan Moragne. Bu it was the Seniors were the stars who shined, setting the tone and the pace.

Senior QB Fredi Knighten: 192 yards and two TDs, plus running one in for good measure
Senior TE Darion Griswold: Two TDs, including a surprise rushing TD from four yards out
Senior WR J.D. McKissic: TD grab, his 11th of his career, 7th most in school history
Senior DE Chris Stone: Third blocked field goal of the year
Senior RB Michael Gordon: 148 rushing yards and a TD (for his second 1,000 yard season)
Senior DB Rocky Hayes: Snagged the team's 26th INT, setting a Sun Belt Record
Senior WR Tres Houston: Sixty-two spectacular yards
Senior K Luke Ferguson: Booted a 67 yard punt that put the Bobcats on the two yard line
Senior LB Aaron Copland: One sack and three tacks for a loss

There was more, of course. Far more. Warren Wand and Johnston White added TD runs of their own. And dynamic defensive back Money Hunter picked off a Tyler Jones floater at the one yard line and ran it in for a 99-yard Pick Six, which impressed at least one superstar:

With about a minute and a half left to play, Chris Stone and Co. rewarded Blake Anderson with a double Gatorade dunking, and why not? Anderson had only accomplished what the great Gus Malzahn and Hugh Freeze had achieved: undisputed Sun Belt titles.

Arkansas State finished the regular season undefeated in the Sun Belt and winners of four of the last five conference championships. Sadly, no officials from the Sun Belt were on hand to present the Sun Belt trophy.

Whatevs. The night belonged to the Red Wolves, whose fans stormed the field for the first time since Ryan Aplin and Gus Malzahn destroyed Middle Tennessee for the Sun Belt title in 2012. In case you're wondering, this is what a Red Wolves victory celebration looks like

Mineral water, no doubt?

Yeah, we're gonna go with mineral water. Drink deeply from the chalice of victory, Red Wolves For it was well earned. I will see y'all in New Orleans.

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