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Arkansas State Football Playing with Sun Belt West Division On the Line.

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Story by DDNS Reporter Jared Burton

On November 8th, 2025, the Sun Belt West Division will be on the line as the Southern Miss Golden Eagles will travel to Jonesboro to take on a red-hot Arkansas State Red Wolves. The Golden Eagles of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, enters the matchup coming off its bye week, while the Red Wolves of Jonesboro, Arkansas, are coming off a dominant defense performance with a 23-10 victory over Troy last week. This game has West Division title implications as the teams are currently 1st and 2nd in the West Division. If Southern Miss wins this game, it will win the West. If Arkansas State wins this game, they will win the West Division as they would have the head-to-head tie breakers with both Troy and Southern Miss.

Arkansas State head coach butch jones and Southern Miss head coach Charles Huff were asked about the Sun Belt West Division showdown on Monday during the Sun Belt weekly Zoom press conference.

“Well, just, you know, not giving up explosive plays, and they force you to execute. They force you to play in space. They force you to tackle a quarterback who is a dynamic player, deserving of all his honors, deserving of all the expectations in terms of preseason conference Player of the Year. They do a great job in terms of getting their skill players, their hands on the ball, and creating space, and really putting the ball in play. I think that the whole key is the ability of the quarterback to put the ball in play, and they’re big up front. So again, they’re extremely talented, and then defensively, you know, as good a defense that we’ve faced all year. Therefore, it will be a challenge,” said Arkansas state head coach Butch Jones.

“We have to go play a really good Arkansas State football team, you know, arguably the hottest team in the country over the last month. And that’s a fact. I mean, they’ve been able to go on the road and win games. They’ve been able to win close games, and that’s what good teams do: good teams find a way to win games, bad teams find a way to lose them. Obviously, they’re playing at a really high level with a lot of confidence. I have known Coach Jones for a long time. His process is set up for them to be playing well at the back end of the season, you know, at this level, sometimes our schedule doesn’t allow, you know, for the miraculous runs in the beginning of the season with the P4s that you have to play and those types of things. But people remember what you do in November, and they are setting themselves up for a really good run. Planned a really high level. I think their quarterback is arguably the best in the conference. I can’t judge my guy cause I see him every day, but as an opponent, he creates a lot of issues. Defensively, they give you a lot of looks. We’re going to an environment that’ll be different than the environment we went to, we plant at a different time as far as kickoff. We play a completely different team. I think we have learned throughout the course of the season, the key to all of it is preparation and mental disposition, whether you’re playing at home or away. I think when you play on the road, you’ve got to have a little more intentional focus. When the game time adjusts and you are adjusting, you have to have a little bit of awareness of that. We anticipate a really good game day environment. You know, you got a team that’s playing really well with a community and fan base that truly supports. So, we’re expecting a very hostile environment, obviously, with the kick time and location and all those things, we’ve got to make some adjustments in our schedule,” said Southern Miss head coach Charles Huff.

Both Coach Jones and Coach  Huff were asked about the Sun Belt West Division showdown on Tuesday during their weekly press conferences.

“And now we’ve got to get prepared for a really good Arkansas State football team that’s playing extremely well, arguably, the hottest team in the conference right now on the four-game win streak. Doing a really good job of finding ways to have gritty wins. I truly believe good teams find ways to win games; bad teams find ways to lose them. Over the last month, Arkansas State has done a really good job of finding ways to win games. Coach Butch Jones does a phenomenal job. You can see the culture, you can see the process that they have, how they go about it. I think they play extremely hard on both sides of the ball. I think their quarterback is arguably the best in the conference. I can’t rate hours because obviously I’m a little bit biased, but the kid’s dangerous. He can make all the throws. Obviously, he can activate his legs. I think he’s taking a step in growth from last year to this year, or from when he was a freshman and we played him at the other place. He’s not just pulling the ball down to run now. He’s pulling it down and still keeping his eyes downfield, which creates another whole set of issues. I think their O-line does a really good job of finishing blocks. Probably the best group of receivers as a cord that we faced all year. Offensively, they stress you with different formations, and they play with tempo. You always have to have a quarterback player with eyes on the quarterback, probably two quarterback players because of his ability, which takes guys out of coverage or out of your run fits, or they have dual responsibilities. They got to run fit and a quarterback responsibility, which is extremely tough defensively; they’re defensive line probably plays as hard as any group we’ve seen. They play with a high motor, a lot of effort. The back end stresses you with a lot of different coverages. I think you’re doing a really good job of mixing up different looks to formations. So, it’s going to be a challenge. I expect a really hostile environment. Their fans do a really good job of supporting. So, I expect you know the 11 o’clock kickoff to be rocking down there in their stadium. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s one of the nicer stadiums and setups in the conference. They’ve done a really good job over the history of their time in this league of improving facilities and improving their profile. So, it’s going to be a challenge for us by no means, are we overlooking them? Truly, the word appropriate fear comes into play, probably for the head coach here. It’s a little bit more of true fear. 
When you watch these guys play, even when you watch games in the beginning of the season, when they were, battling the schedule of P4 teams and those type of teams, they were in the games, and one or two plays here didn’t go their way the last four games, those plays have gone their way, but they’ve never been out of a game. They’ve never been blown out, if that makes sense. Arkansas is probably the biggest score differential that they’ve had, even against Iowa State. 
They’re in the game. They’re competing. A couple plays here or there, even games where they get behind Texas State, Georgia Southern. Kennesaw State, even though they lost that game, battled back. At the very end. So, they’re definitely a scary team. We’ve got a lot of work to do to focus on what we can control and how we play. 
It starts with how we prepare. I thought we had a really good day yesterday, even over the break, you know, our leaders had guys watching film, Braylon, Chris Jones, those guys were in the group text, making sure guys were watching the game, even though we were off that week. When they came on Sunday, they came in with a really good knowledge base, a little bit further ahead than some of our opponents. So, we’ve got a chance to rest this week, and then we’ve got to go play really well. Does it matter how much attention you put on the team if you don’t go out and execute? So, our players are fully understanding what we’re walking into,” said Coach Huff

“This is as good a team that’s been in the Sun Belt since we’ve been here. And I know Coach Huff, you know, tries to play the game and God love him, but they’re a really talented football team, you know, and it’s the age of college football. We’re playing the defending champion. You look at their starting defense, seven of those 11 came from Marshall. And then the quarterback, who is as good a quarterback as I’ve seen. And I think the thing about him is he can throw the deep ball exceptionally well. He’s big, he’s physical, he can make all the throws. He’s impressive. The receiving core is probably as good a receiving core as anybody in the group of six. You know, they have tall guys, they have mid-range guys, they all can run, they all have good ranges that catch the football. I think their tight ends are really, really talented. Running backs are hard to bring down offensive line is big and imposing. I mean, there’s a reason other record is the way they are, and they know how to win, and then defensively, their defensive front is violent. They’re physical, probably the best back end of any team we’ve faced all year. 
Their break and drive, their ability to drive routes is really, really impressive. Special teams. So when you really look at this football team, they’re the defending champion. Their players know how to win. I think it’s. Kind of the circumstances that surround college football. Who would ever have thought that four or five years ago, you would take a championship team on their coach, and be displaced, and go to another school in your conference, and everybody follows, and they kind of pick up where they left off at their previous school? I think, you know, that’s if there’s ever an indication or a definition of where we’re at in the profession, and, you know, Coach Huff has done a great job there. But they’re as talented a team as we’ll face. I definitely have my respect. The more videos I watch, the more impressive they are, and then, you know, every game is about the style, you know, the Style of fights dictates how you’re going to play, and you know, they play differently. They do a really good job offensively. They go really fast. 
They do a great job with their cadence. They get a lot of gimmes and a lot of free plays because they’re such good at what they do in their cadence, they control the tempo, they can run the ball, they can push the ball down the field. So that style of play is going to be different, very similar to summer, regards to Kennesaw, but there are a lot of differences as well, and then defensively, really, really good at all three levels of their defense. 
Like I said, there’s the secondaries elite. Their defense is elite. So it’s going to take a great effort of complimentary football, and it’s going to take winning the process and you know, how do we prepare day in and day out and just working to win the day and then just stack days and, you know, these games are always great to see and kind of roll the ball out and play at 11 a.m. and kind of see how you how you face off and try to give your players, you know, every competitive advantage you can. And you have to search for them because they have no weaknesses. They’re a really good football team. And, you know, I’ve been up here and told you like it is, I’ve been very complimentary of our opponents, but I don’t think you’ve ever heard me this complimentary of a football team before, because they’re really a complete team in all three phases,” said Coach Jones.

New for the 2025 season, the Sun Belt Conference announced that they are doing weekly football availability reports for all 14 teams that are playing conference games. It is similar to the NFL’s injury report, but the availability reports don’t say what kind of injury the player has, unlike the NFL’s injury report. The report will have players listed as available, questionable, doubtful, probable, or out, and will have the same say game time decision on the reports that are listed on gamedays. The first initial report will be announced three days before each conference game, which will be on Wednesday. Another update to the availability reports will happen on gamedays at 10:30 EST/9:30 CST. Both Arkansas State and Southern Miss submitted their availability reports on Wednesday night. The players on the list for Southern Miss are OL Jahmir Davis (out) and DB Ishmael Ibraheem (out). The players on the list for Arkansas state are WR  Nazeviah Burris (out), TE Jabari Bush (out), RB JaQuez Cross (out), DB Malik McConnico (out), OL Tristan Smith (out), DL Quincey Wright(out), TE Tyler Little (questionable), and DB Brandon Greil (questionable).

Historic Football Game Saturday in Little Rock

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Story by DDNS Reporter Jared Burton

On September 6th, 2025, for the first time, the Arkansas Razorbacks will take on the Arkansas State Red Wolves at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, with kickoff scheduled for 4:00 pm. This is a historic matchup as it is the first time that the FBS schools in the state of Arkansas will finally play each other. Many people would not have thought it would happen because of a statement made by the previous Arkansas Razorbacks Athletic Director John Barnhill, who said that the hogs would not play against in-state schools like A-State, UCA, UALR, and UAPB. This policy was continued by his successors, Frank Broyles and Jeff Long.

But Jeff Long’s successor, Hunter Yurachek, broke this policy in 2018 by having Arkansas play against in-state schools for the first time in Arkansas Athletics history. Still, those games were scheduled for sports outside of football and basketball. However, on February 3, 2021, a jaw-dropping announcement was made, stating that hogs and red wolves would play a football game against each other on September 6, 2025, in Little Rock. Finally, the game that everyone has been waiting for in the entire state of Arkansas has a date. Fans of both programs were split on this, as A-State fans wanted this game to happen in the early 2010s when both Arkansas and Arkansas State were doing really well in football, with the hogs ranking inside the top 25, while the Red Wolves were winning conference titles and going to bowl games with a new head coach every single season.

Coach of the University of Arkansas Sam Pittman (left) and Coach of the Arkansas State Butch Jones (right) will coach the Arkansas-Arkansas State game.

Butch Jones and his players, Jaylon Raynor and Brandon Barnes, were asked about this matchup at the 2025 Sun Belt media days in New Orleans, LA.

“ Being able to go play in our state capital against the University of Arkansas, and you look at the excitement, you look at the revenue that it’s going to bring to the entire state comes to one place for a weekend, it is going to be a great challenge for us, but I think it is a great opportunity for us, and it’s truly a great opportunity for the entire state of Arkansas” said Coach Jones.

Junior Quarterback Jaylon Raynor said,” Definitely, it is a great opportunity for us to play Arkansas.” Sophomore safety Brandon Barnes said,” I would say that there is some excitement about being able to play a team like Arkansas.” Both players are excited for the game, but are focused on the fall camp and the first game against Southeast Missouri. Coach Jones was asked again about this matchup at the Sun Belt media day with the host of the Locked-on Sun Belt podcast, Dave Schultz.

“I will say it is in the world of college football expansion and conference expansion and coast to coast for two in-state schools to come together at a neutral site in Little Rock or the state capitol and play. That’s as big for our players or their players, it is for the entire state and the fan bases, but also the economic value that it brings to the state in Little Rock, AR.

Before the Sun Belt Media Days this year, Coach Jones was asked about the game between the Hogs and the Red Wolves back in March of this year on the Coaches and the Mouth Show with hosts Jeff Williams and Brey Cook.

“Obviously it’s a great challenge for us and it’s an uphill battle for us, but have so much respect uh, you know for everyone in that program, but when you look at what it does to the entire state of Arkansas, the excitement, the economy, you know, everybody going to Little Rock for the weekend, I think it’s really going to be a unique atmosphere and it’ll be a great experience for really both of our players, but especially our players playing a program and a team that’s, you know, been very, very competitive in the Southeastern Conference in terms of our program.” Said Coach Butch Jones.

Fans, players, and coaches of either team are not the only ones excited about this game; media members are excited about this game as well. One of the media members who is excited about this game is Chris Hudgison of Kait8 Sports, where he covers both the Razorbacks and the Red Wolves. Chris was asked about this matchup on Aug. 6 on the Chuck and Bo show with hosts Chuck Barrett and Bo Mattingly.

“It’s been fascinating, I think it was 2021 when the game first got announced, and it has been kind of like a snowball that slowly kind of getting down the hill, and then once it got closer, okay, now it’s 2025, now it’s actually happening, it’s been a combination of things.” Said Chris Hudgison of Kait8 Sports. Later in the show, Chris was asked about the matchup and whether could A-State pull off the upset against Arkansas. “It is possible, yes, because in college football, anything could happen. I think matchup wise, I think a-state has a decent chance offensively against the Razorback defense just because of all the experience coming back, obviously there is a big question mark at offensive line, but in terms of the skill position, there’s a lot of depth there, and having a essentially a 3-year quarterback, which doesn’t happen very often in the sunbelt with Jaylon Raynor, having experience in these type of settings against power 4 is gonna help. What I’m gonna be interested to see is the matchup between the very new A-State defense goes up against the Razorback offense, and special teams has been an ace in the hole for A-State, so if the game is close on the sixth, A-State has a definite more than a puncher’s chance to pull it off.” Said Chris Hudgison.

War Memorial Stadium will be the site of this first-ever game between the hogs and red wolves.

War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock will be the site of this first-ever meeting between the hogs and red wolves. Both teams have a history of playing in this stadium. Razorbacks have played at War Memorial more often than the Red Wolves, which has led fans to call the stadium the Razorbacks’ second home stadium, with Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville being the primary home stadium for the Hogs. The Red Wolves have not played at War Memorial Stadium since 2006, and have played their home games at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro. The game on September 6th will be the first Red Wolves game at War Memorial Stadium in 19 years.

Everyone in the state of Arkansas is excited about this game. Fans of both programs will be divided when the game kicks off on September 6th, but they can all agree that September 6th will be a historic day for college football in the Natural State.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Bowl-Eligible after Georgia State Win

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Photos and story courtesy of Cooper Melder and Tristan Harlen/ASU-TV Red Wolf Roundtable

The Arkansas State Red Wolves secured bowl eligibility for the second-consecutive season by defeating the Georgia State Panthers this past Saturday, 27-20, behind a dominate performance by the Red Wolves’ run game. The Red Wolves’ running game would account for 261 total yards of offense and three touchdowns against the Panthers at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

With the win, Arkansas State moves to 6-4 on the season with their final two games of the season at home against Louisiana-Monroe and Old Dominion.

A-State quarterback Jaylon Raynor lead the Red Wolves with 97 passing yards and 114 rushing yards on the night.  Red Wolves’ running back Zak Wallace lead the team with two touchdowns, while running the ball for 62 yards.

The first half did not start well for A-State as the Red Wolves could not capitalize on a 10-play, 40-yard opening drive as they were stopped on a forth and short distance down to come up empty-handed on their first possession of the game. Georgia State would then take the ball on the ensuing possession and score the game’s first touchdown on a 24-yard pass from Zach Gibson to Ted Hurst, giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead. A-State quarterback Jaylen Raynor would lead the Red Wolves with the ground game late in the first quarter, putting up 58 yards on the ground in leading Arkansas State to tie the game at 7-7 when running back Zak Wallace would also use his running abilities on a 13-yard touchdown with 3:34 left in the first quarter.

 A Red Wolves’ interception by Justin Parks would halt an 11-play, 45-yard drive by Georgia State in the second quarter. Parks’ second interception of the season would keep the score at 7-7.

At halftime with the score 7-7, Arkansas State’s offense would only account for 176 yards of total offense and 29 passing yards. Before halftime, Georgia State starting quarterback Gibson would suffer a leg injury and would be replaced by backup quarterback Christian Veilleux.

Arkansas State’s defense made key stops to secure the win.

The second half started with Arkansas State’s defense keeping Georgia State from scoring on the opening drive, highlighted by a key stop by Charles Willekes on a fourth and short to halt the Panthers. The Red Wolves would capitalize on the turnover on downs with a Zak Wallace one-yard touchdown to give A-State a 14-7 left with 9:32 left in the third.

The Red Wolves’ offense would be in sync all throughout the second half, outscoring Georgia State, 20-13 in the third and fourth quarters, to secure the win. Touchdowns by running backs Wallace and Ja’Quez Cross would end up putting the Red Wolves in the win column in Atlanta.

Arkansas State running back Ja’Quez cross on the move.
Ja’Quez Cross celebrates after a key touchdown for the Red Wolves.

While Georgia State outgained the Red Wolves in total offensive yards, 419-336, the Red Wolves would out rush the Panthers, 261-73. The A-State defense would sack Georgia State quarterbacks twice and force two interceptions in the win.

The Red Wolves will be back in action on Saturday, November 23, as they take on the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at 2 PM at Centennial Bank Stadium.