Tre Odom interception vs. Arkansas State 2020
15
ULM ULM 0-10 , 0-7
48
Winner Arkansas State ASU 4-7 , 2-6
ULM ULM
0-10 , 0-7
15
Final
48
Arkansas State ASU
4-7 , 2-6
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ULM ULM 7 0 8 0 15
ASU Arkansas State 14 14 7 13 48

Game Recap: Football |

ULM Can’t Match A-State’s Big Plays in 48-15 Loss

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

JONESBORO, Ark. – Outmanned and outgunned, ULM was no match for Arkansas State's aerial attack on Saturday at Centennial Bank Stadium.

Freshman receiver Corey Rucker set a school record with nine catches for 310 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-15 win over the Warhawks, who lost an 11th- straight game to their Sun Belt Conference foes.

ULM slipped to 0-10, 0-7 in the Sun Belt while Arkansas State improved to 4-7, 2-6.

"I thought we came out and played really hard," ULM coach Matt Viator said. "We competed hard. I'm disappointed in what we were doing offensively. We had chance after chance after chance. We moved the ball but we just couldn't convert enough times."

Senior running back Josh Johnson returned to the starting lineup for the first time since injuring his hamstring on Oct. 31 against Appalachian State and rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Viator said Johnson worked relentlessly to get back on the field.

"I can't say enough about him," Viator said. "He's had a tough year. Everybody has, but he's had a really tough year. It was great to have him back."

In his second start, quarterback Jeremy Hunt completed 20-of-34 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown. Arkansas State sacked Hunt three times.

Against a ULM team that dressed 59 players and a defense dwindled to 20, the Red Wolves outgained the Warhawks in total yardage 589 to 323.

The Red Wolves alternated quarterbacks Logan Hatcher (326 yards, five TDs) and Logan Bonner (185 yards, 1 TD), who combined for 511 passing yards. Rucker, who tied Omar Bayless' Arkansas State record for most TD catches in a game, had just seven catches for 143 yards and one touchdown coming into the contest. He also set an NCAA record for a freshman receiver with his breakout performance.

ULM followed a season-long script for trouble by falling behind early. After going three-and-out on its first possession this season for the eighth time in 10 games, the Warhawks surrendered a 55-yard touchdown pass from Bonner to Rucker and trailed 7-0.

The Warhawks tied the score at 7-7 on Johnson's 4-yard touchdown run. A 34-yard kickoff return by Perry Carter to the ULM 44 helped launch the four play, 56-yard touchdown sequence. Through 10 games, ULM has not led this season.

Arkansas State regained the edge at 14-7 as Hatcher came in and also targeted Rucker for a 30-yard touchdown strike to cap an eight-play, 98-yard drive.

Big plays hurt the defense, but the ULM offense missed on several opportunities to keep pace.

"Obviously, Arkansas State was hitting balls and moving the ball," Viator said. "I thought we were kind of moving with them for a while, but we couldn't finish things."

Near the end of the first quarter, ULM squandered good field position after Arkansas State misfired on a fake punt attempt. The Warhawks took over at midfield but went three-and-out before punting back to the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State retaliated with swift four-play, 81-yard scoring drive and led 21-7 early in the second quarter after Hatcher's 15-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Foreman. Rucker's 69-yard reception on the first play of the series flipped the field for the Red Wolves.

ULM freshman Tre Odom made his first career interception off Hatcher in the second quarter and returned it 32 yards to the ULM 43. The pick was the fourth of the season for the Warhawks, who couldn't convert the turnover into points as the drive ended with Davis Hughes missing a field-goal attempt from 35 yards.

From there, the Red Wolves were headed back to the end zone again. Hatcher tossed a 46-yard touchdown to Foreman to culminate a five-play, 80-yard drive and give his team a 28-7 advantage with 6:21 left in the half.

ULM maneuvered into scoring position near the end of the second quarter but turned the ball over on downs when tight Josh Pederson couldn't haul in a fourth-and-7 pass in the end zone.

Arkansas State outgained ULM, 349-166, in the first half while building the 21-point cushion.

Rucker's monster day continued in the second half as he corralled a 66-yard touchdown catch from Hatcher on the third play of the third quarter as Arkansas State went up 35-7.

ULM's defense contributed to the scoring column with a safety in the third quarter. Jabari Johnson's pressure on Bonner caused an intentional grounding call from the end zone and earned the Warhawk defender a sack.

From the ensuing free kick, Carter's 52-yard return to the ASU 18 led to six more points for the Warhawks. Five plays later, Hunt linked up with Malik Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 7:45 remaining in the third. Johnson's 2-point conversion run failed as ULM narrowed the score to 35-15.

The Warhawks could have cut the deficit to two scores with 1:01 showing in the third but couldn't convert on fourth down from the Arkansas State 5.

Instead, the Red Wolves drove 71 yards in five plays into kicking range to add a 41-yard field goal by Blake Drupe and led 38-15 with 14:50 left in the game.

Arkansas State blocked a Daniel Sparks punt and recovered at the ULM 31, which set up Rucker's fourth touchdown catch on a pass from Hatcher.

Grupe kicked a 42-yard field goal with 7:12 left in the game, stretching the lead to 48-15. Rucker's 30-yard catch on the drive punctuated his record-smashing day.

Up next: ULM's 2020 season finale is scheduled at Troy on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Tail feathers: Game captains were wide receiver Perry Carter Jr., quarterback Jeremy Hunt and defensive tackle Kevin Pointer. … The Red Wolves now lead the all-time series 28-14, including a 17-5 record in games played in Jonesboro, Ark. ULM's last win in the series came on Oct. 13, 2009, 16-10, in Malone Stadium. The Warhawks have lost eight-straight games in Jonesboro, with their last victory coming on Nov. 17, 2001, 16-7. … Tight end Josh Pederson made his team-leading 26th consecutive start.
 
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