Arkansas State vs. Central Arkansas Football Highlights (08-31-2024)

[Music] very warm Saturday evening in Jonesboro Arkansas the sun Bel conference on ESPN Butch Jones and a fourth year as head coach at Arkansas State and they play host to Central Arkansas from Centennial Bank Stadium here in Jones girl Arkansas it has been very humid today the breeze is starting to pick up that's going to help but both of these coaches talked about heat and how that played a role in their preparation for this game this past week it's been very warm in the mids sou Jake Ward to kick off for central Arkansas and cross to the 20 still going to the 30 and Ja cross cross up to the 34 yd line before he's finally tackled there return of 31 yds Jackson In Motion got the football across Midfield down to the 47 yd line Courtney Jackson First and 10 Harden The Man in Motion will play action across the middle the catch made by Cory Rucker and he's down to the 25 yd line where he's tackled by Jace Benes let's call it 43 yds on the attempt for Van [Applause] andle that's a confidence Builder and that's good that's a big confidence that's a great start isn't it you run out onto the field for the first time as a college football player and you score 65 320 lbs Jamal Maul he is the guy who protects will m backside and his FR [Music] side hand off pal across the 35 to the 37 yd line and that's a first for Central arkans on Nate beard or Nate Brown was very nervous about his kicking game in the pting game specifically he said it was a game time decision and clearly beard had the best pregame Jackson back inside the 20 he eludes one he eludes two can he get to the outside and he falls down at the 20 sometimes that 20 yd line jumps up and bites you second and [Applause] two once again across the 30 and to the 32 yd line Zach Wallace third down and seven oh nice throw right there by Rainer and across Midfield as Cory Rucker makes the catch and TD Williams was there to make the tackle third down and [Music] five rers got some room to run Dives forward looks like he's got enough for the first down near the 40 yd line and such an impact player especially after that Breakout game against Texas State you saw his maturity level go up 10 notes after that football game on Third and three quick toss out to The Far Side catch made out there and the first down for Arkansas State Central Arkansas trying to get some new players on the field and a little bit of confusion there as Rainer will go near sideline and a penalty marker is down the intended receiver was Cory Rucker Defense number six 15 yd penalty that results in a first down Arkansas stayed with a three- nothing lead and rer is going to take it rer is still on his feet and rainer's got the first down all the way down to the one yd Line This Too is an important kick he needs it 22 yards and it's good that was solid with a lot of authority right there Darius hail checks into the game number four senior out of Pand Texas and he gets the football 225 pounds but a great job right there by that Arkansas State front third down and 10 just underway second quarter got some time got a receiver and Rucker can't hold on to it that brings up a third down and six wow going nowhere as Nate Marty was right there to make the stop let's see if he knows how a one-step kick going to have to gets off a very low kick Jackson takes it got some space still going still going but brought down at the 30 yd line and so that's going to bring up a fourth down or two they're going for it Greer throws it to Jackson he's got the first down now the ball's been taken away I think it's a dead ball let's see how they call it number 15 over there Dylan Lan dalan Lan excuse me came up with the [Applause] football try running for it willus was there to make the Stop and I think the forward progress is good going to be enough there for pal you get central Arkansas that first down we just haven't seen Mel game Throw it that much he did hit pal out of the back field here just a couple plays ago so they've got it first and 10 now little shovel pass inside and oh that's a face mask it looks like yes yeah personal foul face mask Defense number zero 15 yd penalty automatic first down mlan slipped and he is smothered nowhere to go boy a host of Arkansas State players all the way back at the 41 yd [Applause] line rer wants to throw it got his receiver over in the far side and making the catch is Tyler [Applause] little Rainer has that pass knocked down 353 left to go first half from Jonesboro quick little swing pass and some space and a first down and still going way to the outside and a great job right there by shindere pal Big Time play 35 yds on the pickup three receivers to the near side mlan yeah he got some pressure that time he skipped it and that'll bring up a fourth down situation they got it second and six with two minutes left to go in the first half Rainer got to move out of trouble he does exactly that he's still going and he makes it up to Midfield where he's brought down by Wilson 145 left to go first half Rainer plenty of time could just send it over the middle and cross the 40 to about the 38 Jack Les cross Arkansas State five of 10 in third down situations Rainer downfield man wide open and inside the 10 down to the six you got it Courtney Jackson Rainer hands it off and Wallace touchdown Zack Wallace here it is Wallace makes it look easy but man he's got some beef up front Noah Smith EJ and dooga the right side of that offensive line for Arkansas state made the push so we've completed the first half of play here from Jones Pearl Arkansas State got a couple early field goals and then uh the touchdown right before halftime and so they lead Central Arkansas 13 to nothing hiker to kick off for Arkansas State he's done a nice job tonight Nanny Smith one of the guys back deep for central Arkansas he wears number [Applause] 28 and that's Smith moving and groovin and still going Smith finally brought down at the 45 yd line can get going here straight drop going to go deep contact and the penalty flag Bridges the intended receiver and back on the coverage was Justin Hodes pass interference Defense number zero 15 yd penalty automatic first down well I think there was some movement up front there couple of the blockers on the end on each side wanted to get uh situated [Applause] properly and that kick is [Applause] good and just a little bit High out to the near side the intended receiver there was Courtney Jackson uca's last two drives have started in Arkansas State territory that's a good pass out to the side here first and 10 little play fake lot of pressure Miss tackle still going across the 25 down to about the 22 yd line going to try to run the football again right up the middle and breaking tackles and driving into the end zone touchdown shindere pal 23 yards [Music] as we go to the replay you got to give credit to the big guys up front you saw that was big Jamal mul mul turned his man Inside It's A Hard Road when it's third and seven all [Applause] night and the throw and the catch and that's going to be close to the first down by Courtney Jackson first and 10 catch is made and Gore Rucker nice move there and he able to get a few more yards Wallace is the running back Rainer man wide open on the outside and all the way down and a late hit there the reception made over there by Reagan elely there's a flag down ball on the two shift over to the right side with little the tight end 87 now motion man and Wallace gets it and Wallace gets another [Applause] touchdown how important was that for Arkansas state to come back and answer after Central Arkansas puts points on the board in two consecutive drives much with much help from Arkansas State as far as penalties in field position for Arkansas state to take a kickoff come back and answer will m call him the super senior that the super super senior yeah super super duper senior and that up to the 24 yd line 27 yd line mlane looking near side now he's got a man right there at the 39 yd line the reception made by Malachi Henry Oh What A Catch down at the 40 yd line goodness sakes Bridges went up and got it oh that's what they're going to do rolling rolling rolling rolling and down at the one yd line quick throw Rucker Cory Rucker 4035 and he's finally brought down crosses in there at running back quick pitch to the outside got the first down and a little bit more as he finally driven Out of Bounds at about the 26th he knew exactly what he was going to do as soon as he got the snap he made a simple pre- snap read and took off but the lookoff to the linebackers froze everybody and probably gave him five extra yards cross he's got the first down he's got more inside the 10 down to the eight yd line Rainer GNA keep it and in touchdown Arkansas State Jaylen rer all right watch the read on David Walker runs right at him fakes the pitch cuts to his inside shoulder he froze the 63 260lb allamerican for central Arkansas to Di into the end zone Rainer was going to have to have to have an even keeled consistent night and that's what he's been hiker kick down to the 10 football is dropped finally recovered and nowhere to [Applause] go on second and two look out look out sherek pal and five touchdown [Applause] wow 81 [Applause] yards Roger there was nothing special about this play exception Derek PO he only had to break one tackle at the line of scrimmage that was an arm flail he hit the flat and he was gone it's been pow elely one of the players back to return the kick but this will be fielded back at the 5 yd [Music] line cross good job there as Jack West Cross gets across the 35 up to about the 39 yd line straight drop by rer oh he throws it into traffic coverage was there the intended receiver was Manny Stevenson quarterback trying to bring his team back decide to run the football and it was a good call because they got a first down and a lot more and finally driven out of bounds is that man shander pow so the shootout we anticipated has turned into a slug fist hail still going watch this Darius hail all the way down to the 25 yd [Applause] line mlane throws it near side couple of Miss tackles right there strael into the end zone touchdown tylon Barry 23 yd touchdown pass from [Music] [Applause] mlan you can't Miss tackles Roger especially when you don't have any help over the top you've got will mlan really waking up striding into this throw throwing a strike two guys not one two guys for Arkansas State missed the tackle he strides in easily Rainer and across the 40 he's got the first down Rainer in trouble he's dropped at the 35 yd line by David Walker they don't have a great pting game as they've proven so far they give Arkansas State good field position you can see another swinging momentum pass right down the middle and the receiver never looked back he hit him in the back so fourth and 12 Trace beard inside the 10 to punt it end over end kick Courtney Jackson to the outside Courtney Jackson one guy to beat and he is tackled and brought down at the 35 yd line in the play going to go back down to that corner and incomplete he gets the football and he gets the first down they can spread the FI of which they're doing with full wide hail is in there at running back and and mlan now he's got some room to go and he slides Out of Bounds at the 24 yd Line This is a slightly important play for Arkansas State understatement I thought so oh good throw and Rucker makes the catch for the first [Applause] down Rainer pressure pressure the ball's knocked loose at the 35 yd line David Walker knocked it Loose he's got the football he's going to throw it wide open Out of Bounds down at the 2yd line hail was the running back he's got the football and he's got the touchdown Central Arkansas has taken the lead with 55 seconds remaining I said it was a gut [Music] check and here it is hail again waits for it to develop fourth and four from their own 36 Raider going deep right side looking for Rucker and he makes the catch has interference defense penalties declined by rule clock will start on the snap Rainer throws it underneath cross and they get a timeout inside the 10 yd line with 6 seconds remaining 7 Seconds remain Rucker split to the near side going to Rucker and no oh he couldn't get his incomplete with three seconds remaining you go to the guy you have the most conf on the field was an incomplete pass previous plays under further review let's see let's take a look at it I I didn't think he did because he leapt off the left foot or the right foot right [Applause] there the bang bang says he's out of bounds but if you slow it down maybe we can take a look at it one more time oh wait a minute wait a minute they're looking at the Arkansas state bench is watching it on the big board and they say it's a touchdown let's look at it one more time from this angle catch wow that angle that that that angle changes things right there is that the catch point if that's your catch Point that's a touchdown after review it is a touchdown it's a touchdown got one foot down in bounds and may take control oh wow so 3 seconds left Arkansas State the touchdown pass from Jaylen rer to Cory Rucker so that's will mlan number two and he's going to throw it down the middle they're going to hand it off ladder and driven out of bounds over at the 48 yd line and that will do it and Arkansas State defeats Central Arkansas on 34 to 31 what a game