OFFICIAL 2018 BOWL GUIDE 8 CONSECUTIVE BOWL GAMES | 2011-18 ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES vs. NEVADA WOLF PACK DECEMBER 29, 2018 | TUCSON, ARIZ. | ARIZONA STADIUM | 11:15 AM (MT)/12:15 PM (CT) 2018 ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR JUSTICE HANSEN, SR. QB RONHEEN BINGHAM, SR. DE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR KIRK MERRITT, JR. WR MARCEL MURRAY, FR. RB ARKANSAS STATE ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS MAIN PHONE NUMBER: 870-972-2541 FAX: 870-972-3367 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1000, State University, AR 72467 OVERNIGHT ADDRESS: 217 Olympic Dr., Jonesboro, AR 72401 Assoc. AD/Sports Information Dir.: Jerry Scott | [email protected] | 870-972-3405 (office) | 870-243-6021 (cell) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 & 2016 SUN BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS ‘18 Arizona Bowl | ‘17 Camellia Bowl | ‘16 Cure Bowl | ‘05 & ‘15 New Orleans Bowl | 2012-15 GoDaddy Bowl ARIZONA BOWL: Arkansas State (8-4) vs. Nevada (7-5) December 29, 2018 | Arizona Stadium Tucson, Ariz. | 12:15 p.m. CT Radio: EAB Red Wolves Sports Network (107.9 FM, flagship) Television: CBS Sports Network ARKANSAS STATE QUICK FACTS Live Stats: AStateStats.com Location: Jonesboro, Ark. (74,489) | Enrollment: 13,930 Live Game Notes: twitter.com/AStateGameDay Nickname: Red Wolves | Colors: Scarlet and Black Stadium: Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382) | Playing Surface: ON TAP: Set to play its eighth consecutive bowl game, Arkansas State will face Nevada at Arizona Stadium on GEO Surfaces Field Turf | Conference: Sun Belt Saturday, Dec. 29, at 12:15 p.m. (CT) in the 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The game will be televised Head Coach: Blake Anderson (Sam Houston St., ‘92) by CBS Sports Network, and every Red Wolves football game can be heard live on 107.9 FM in the Northeast Record at A-State: 39-24 (5th year) Arkansas area. The live radio broadcast can also be accessed on the official A-State Athletics web site Overall Record: Same Assistant Coaches: (AStateRedWolves.com) and the A-State Athletics app. Asst. HC/Cornerbacks. Trooper Taylor Baylor, 1992 (5th year at Arkansas State) BY THE NUMBERS . Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers . Joe Cauthen -15 punt return yards allowed are currently the fewest in NCAA history. Stephen F. Austin, 1990 (5th year at Arkansas State) 0 games ever played by the Red Wolves in the state of Arizona. Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends. Buster Faulkner 1 or more turnovers gained by A-State in 51 of 63 games (81%) under defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen. Valdosta State, 2005 (3rd year at Arkansas State) 1 of just two programs in league history owning at least five Sun Belt Conference championships. Running Backs/Special Teams Coord. Norval McKenzie 1 or more touchdown passes by Justice Hansen in 27 of the last 29 games. Vanderbilt, 2005 (3rd year at A-State) 1 touchback and just 12 opponent return attempts (11%) in 107 career punts byC ody Grace. Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator. Brian Early Arkansas-Monticello, 1994 (5th year at Arkansas State 3 interceptions byJ erry Jacobs are tied for the 4th most in the SBC, while he ranks T5th in passes defended. Safeties/Pass Game Coordinator . Allen Johnson 3 years (1993-95) that A-State and Nevada shared the Big West Conference together. Texas A&M-Commerce, 1999 (5th year at Arkansas St.) 4 different A-State players named 1 of the Sun Belt’s 5 major individual award winners - 1st time by any SBC member. Outside Wide Receivers. Chris Buckner 4 fumble recoveries by Tajhea Chambers are tied for the second most in the nation. New Mexico State, 2009 (1st year at Arkansas State) 5 players named a SBC Player of the Week a combined 6 times H( ansen, Bradley-King, Chambers, Clifton, McInnis). Inside Wide Receivers . Kyle Cefalo 5 punt returns this season by A-State’s opponents for -15 yards (No. 1 punt return defense in the nation). Colorado, 2012 (2nd year at Arkansas State) 5 Sun Belt Conference championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016) over the last eight seasons (2011-18). Outside Linebackers . Nick Paremski Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2003 (1st year at Arkansas State) 5 Sun Belt guaranteed bowl games that A-State has played in -- the only program to ever play in all five. Offensive Line. Allen Rudolph 6 A-State players on a combined 16 college football award watch lists. Southern Mississippi, 1995 (3rd year at Arkansas State) 7 or more victories each of the last eight seasons (2011-18) -- first time in school history. 7 points or less allowed in the first half by the A-State defense in eight of its last 10 games. ARKANSAS STATE SCHEDULE/RESULTS 7 players in school history, including Warren Wand, who have rushed for over 2,900 yards in a career. SEPT. 1 SE MISSOURI STATE (ESPN+) W, 48-21 8 wins are A-State’s third highest total during a regular season since moving to FBS status in 1992. Sept. 8 at No. 1 Alabama (ESPN2) L, 7-57 8 straight bowl game appearance (2011-18) -- a school record & the 15th longest current streak in the nation. Sept. 15 at Tulsa (CBS Sports Network) W, 29-20 SEPT. 22 UNLV (ESPN3) W, 27-20 8 consecutive winning seasons (2011-18) by A-State for the first time in school history. Sept. 29 at Georgia Southern* (ESPN+) L, 21-28 9 all-time Sun Belt Conference Team Academic Awards. OCT. 9 APPALACHIAN STATE* (ESPN2) L, 9-35 10 explosive plays (15+ pass/12+ rush) per game this season by the A-State offense. OCT. 18GEORGIA STATE* (ESPNU) W, 51-35 11 of the last 14 seasons (2005-18) have seen A-State reach bowl eligibility, including the last eight in a row. Oct. 27 at Louisiana* (ESPN+) L, 43-47 14 consecutive seasons with a winning record at Centennial Bank Stadium (2005-18). NOV. 3 SOUTH ALABAMA*^ (ESPN+) W, 38-14 16 current A-State players have already earned their degree. Nov. 10 at Coastal Carolina* (ESPN+) W, 44-16 16 all-time bowl game appearances by Arkansas State, including the 2018 Arizona Bowl. NOV. 17 ULM* (ESPN+) W, 31-17 Nov. 24 at Texas State* (ESPN3) W, 33-7 16 consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards by A-State. Dec. 29 vs. Nevada# (CBS Sports Network)# 12:15 p.m. 16.4 kickoff return defense average ranks No. 7 in the nation, one year after allowing a 21.4 avg. & ranking No. .74 *Sun Belt Conf. game | ^Homecoming | #Arizona Bowl All CT 17 All-Sun Belt Conference selections were the second most in school history. 19 points for A-State in the Coaches’ Poll tied Troy for the most ever by an SBC program in a preseason poll. NEVADA SCHEDULE/RESULTS 22 defensive touchdowns between 2014-18 under DC Joe Cauthen. AUG. 31 PORTLAND STATE W, 72-19 25 consecutive games with a reception byJ ustin McInnis, including the last 15 in a row with multiple catches. Sept. 8 at Vanderbilt (SEC Network) L, 10-41 30 or more points scored by A-State in 61 of its last 94 regular-season games (65 percent). SEPT. 15 OREGON STATE (ESPNU) W, 37-35 Sept. 22 at Toledo (CBS Sports Network) L, 44-63 30 or more sacks in five straight seasons (2014-18) for the first time in school history. Sept. 29 at Air Force* (ESPN News) W, 28-25 35 out of the last 36 games the A-State defense has recorded at least one sack. OCT. 6 FRESNO STATE* (ESPNU) L, 3-21 35 of A-State’s 39 victories under HC Blake Anderson have come by a double-figure margin. OCT. 13 BOISE STATE* (CBS Sports Network) L, 27-31 38 of the last 41 games with at least 5.0 tackles for loss by the A-State defense. Oct. 20 at Hawaii* (Nevada Sports Net) W, 40-22 39 victories under Blake Anderson are the most by any A-State head coach over his first five seasons. OCT. 27 SAN DIEGO STATE* (ESPNU) W, 28-24 51 Sun Belt Conference victories over the last eight (2011-18) seasons (51-14 league record). NOV. 10 COLORADO STATE* (ESPNU) W, 49-10 61 tackles by Kevin Thurmon are the most in the Sun Belt Conference among interior defensive linemen. Nov. 17 at San Jose State* (ESPN3) W, 21-12 Nov. 24 at UNLV* (CBS Sports Network) L, 29-34 67 victories by A-State over the last eight seasons ranks tied for the 24th most in the nation. Dec. 29 vs. Arkansas State# (CBSSN) 11:15 a.m. 75 catches by Kirk Merritt lead the Sun Belt and are the fourth most in school history. *Mountain West Conference game | #Arizona Bowl All MT 77 interceptions by the A-State defense over the last five seasons are the 7th most in the nation. 83 all-time Sun Belt victories by A-State, which are the most in the history of the league by any program. EAB RED WOLVES SPORTS NETWORK 100 or more rushing yards in 12 straight games for the first time since 2012. Matt Stolz (play-by-play), Tim Allison (analyst), 128 consecutive games played without A-State being shutout. Brad Bobo (sideline) 300 or more yds total off. in 103 of last 114 games (90%), including all but 5 games under Blake Anderson. CBS SPORTS NETWORK 400 or more yards total offense in 42 of 63 games (67%) under Blake Anderson. Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), 463.5 yards per game by the A-State offense is the 21st highest in the nation.