Southern Miss. at Arkansas St. Recap
JONESBORO, Ark.(AP) Freshman Austin Davis threw for two touchdowns, and Southern Mississippi handed Arkansas State its first loss of the season, 27-24 Saturday night.
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With the game tied at 17 early in the fourth quarter, Arkansas State lined up for a short field goal, but the snap went through the hands of holder Brett Shrable. The ball bounced all the way back to around midfield, and Southern Miss' C.J. Bailey eventually returned it all the way to the Arkansas State 11.
Justin Estes kicked a 28-yard field goal with 10:47 to play to give Southern Miss (2-1) the lead, and the Golden Eagles later went ahead 27-17 on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Damion Fletcher.
Arkansas State scored with 2:14 to play on Corey Leonard's 5-yard pass to Jeff Blake, and the Red Wolves (2-1) got the ball back. But Leonard was intercepted by Eddie Willingham on a deflection at the Southern Miss 40.
Davis threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Massey to give Southern Miss a 17-3 halftime lead. Arkansas State scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the second half. Leonard found tight end David Johnson unguarded for a 16-yard score, and Reggie Arnold finished a 94-yard, 10-play drive with a 6-yard scoring run.
Arkansas State was coming off two impressive wins. The Red Wolves upset Texas A&M to open the season, then beat Texas Southern 83-10.
Southern Miss beat Arkansas State in the 2005 New Orleans Bowl.