Fort Worth, TX – Contributed – The Arkansas State (1-2, 0-0 SBC) football team cut the deficit to one possession entering halftime, but a second half surge by TCU (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) made the difference in a 31-7 defeat on Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Five Hamilton led the A-State defense with 11 solo tackles and totaled a team best of 12 overall alongside Joe Drew. Kyle Williams accounted for the lone turnover of the contest with his first career interception in the opening quarter.
Trey Owens completed 11 passes on 24 attempts for 133 yards and led the team with 58 yards on the ground. Hunter Summers posted a team-high 47 receiving yards on three receptions while Jabari Bush’s lone catch of the evening resulted in a career-best 46-yard gain.
A three-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Payne capped the opening drive for the Horned Frogs and would be the only score of the opening quarter. The opposition struck again when Jaden Craig connected with Ed Small on a 17-yard touchdown pass with just over five minutes remaining in the second.
A-State cut the deficit in half with a four-play, 84-yard drive that ended on a one-yard run by Ezell Jolly at the 1:05 mark. Neither side scored again in the first half, resulting in a 14-7 deficit at the intermission.
A defensive stalemate dominated the third quarter, but TCU broke through with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Craig to Ka’Morreun Pimpton with 0:17 remaining. The Red Wolves were unable to rally in the fourth, as Nate McCashland’s 29-yard field goal alongside Craig’s final touchdown pass to Kari Ashley were the only scores of the final period.
Next Up
A-State returns to Jonesboro for a matchup against defending CUSA champion Kennesaw State on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. inside Centennial Bank Stadium. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+, and the radio broadcast of the game can be heard across the EAB Red Wolves Sports Network. Tickets can be purchased by visiting AStateRedWolves.com/tickets.