# 2018 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team

The 2018 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represented Arkansas State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Red Wolves played their home games at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and competed in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by fifth-year head coach Blake Anderson.

## Preseason
### Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
| Maxwell Award | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |
| Davey O'Brien Award | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |
| Doak Walker Award | Warren Wand | RB | SR |
| Jim Thorpe Award | Justin Clifton | DB | SR |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy | Justin Clifton | DB | SR |
| Outland Trophy | Lanard Bonner | OL | SR |
| Ray Guy Award | Cody Grace | P | JR |
| Wuerffel Trophy | Justin Clifton | DB | SR |
| Wuerffel Trophy | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |
| Walter Camp Award | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |
| Manning Award | Justice Hansen | QB | SR |

### Sun Belt coaches poll

On July 19, 2018, the Sun Belt released their preseason coaches poll with the Red Wolves predicted to finish as champions of the West Division. They were also predicted to win the Sun Belt Championship game.
West Division :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Arkansas State | 49 (9) |
| 2 | Louisiana–Monroe | 37 |
| 3 | South Alabama | 26 (1) |
| 4 | Louisiana | 25 |
| 5 | Texas State | 13 |

### Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams

The Red Wolves had nine players selected to the preseason all-Sun Belt teams. Quarterback Justice Hansen was selected as the preseason offensive player of the year.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Southeast Missouri State* | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN+ | W 48–21 | 20,184 |
| September 8 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 1 Alabama* | Bryant–Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL | ESPN2 | L 7–57 | 100,495 |
| September 15 | 6:00 p.m. | at Tulsa* | Chapman StadiumTulsa, OK | CBSSN | W 29–20 | 17,349 |
| September 22 | 6:00 p.m. | UNLV* | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | W 27–20 | 18,537 |
| September 29 | 5:00 p.m. | at Georgia Southern | Paulson StadiumStatesboro, GA | ESPN+ | L 21–28 | 17,320 |
| October 9 | 6:00 p.m. | Appalachian State | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN2 | L 9–35 | 21,421 |
| October 18 | 6:30 p.m. | Georgia State | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPNU | W 51–35 | 18,176 |
| October 27 | 6:00 p.m. | at Louisiana | Cajun FieldLafayette, LA | ESPN+ | L 43–47 | 17,068 |
| November 3 | 2:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN+ | W 38–14 | 20,671 |
| November 10 | 4:00 p.m. | at Coastal Carolina | Brooks StadiumConway, SC | ESPN+ | W 44–16 | 8,141 |
| November 17 | 2:00 p.m. | Louisiana–Monroe | Centennial Bank StadiumJonesboro, AR | ESPN+ | W 31–17 | 20,012 |
| November 24 | 3:00 p.m. | at Texas State | Bobcat StadiumSan Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | W 33–7 | 10,115 |
| December 29 | 12:15 p.m. | vs. Nevada* | Arizona StadiumTucson, AZ (Arizona Bowl) | CBSSN | L 13–16 $^{OT}$ | 32,368 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
    Schedule Source:

## Game summaries
### Southeast Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redhawks | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Red Wolves | 7 | 14 | 27 | 0 | 48 |

### At Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 1 Crimson Tide | 19 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 57 |

### At Tulsa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 3 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 29 |
| Golden Hurricane | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 20 |

### UNLV

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rebels | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| Red Wolves | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 27 |

### At Georgia Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 0 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 21 |
| Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |

### Appalachian State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mountaineers | 0 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Red Wolves | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 |

### Georgia State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
| Red Wolves | 20 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 51 |

### At Louisiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 14 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 43 |
| Ragin' Cajuns | 21 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 47 |

### South Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jaguars | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Red Wolves | 0 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 38 |

### At Coastal Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 14 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 44 |
| Chanticleers | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 |

### Louisiana–Monroe

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Warhawks | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
| Red Wolves | 7 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
at Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas
* Date: November 17
* Game time: 2:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 66° · Sunny · S – 9 mph.
* Game attendance: 20,012
* Referee: Jeremy Parker
* TV: ESPN+
Game information :
First quarter
ARST - Kirk Merritt 49-yard TD pass from Justice Hansen, Blake Grupe kick good, 4:41 (ARST 7-0)
Second quarter
ARST - Blake Grupe 26-yard field goal, 7:58 (ARST 10-0)
ULM - Josh Pederson 34-yard TD pass from Caleb Evans, Craig Ford kick good, 5:25 (ARST 10-7)
ARST - Merritt 7-yard TD pass from Hansen, Blake Grupe kick good, 0:31 (ARST 17-7)
Third quarter
ARST - Justin Clifton 43-yard interception returned for TD, Blake Grupe kick good, 11:58 (ARST 24-7)
ULM - Caleb Evans 1-yard TD run, Craig Ford kick good, 9:31 (ARST 24-14)
ULM - Craig Ford 37-yard field goal, 5:23 (ARST 24-17)
ARST - Justin McInnis 10-yard TD pass from Hansen, Blake Grupe kick good, 0:40 (ARST 31-17)
Leading Passers
ARST - Justice Hansen - 21/27, 246 yards, 3 TD
ULM - Caleb Evans - 17/28, 218 yards, TD, 3 INT
Leading Rushers
ARST - Marcel Murray - 17 carries, 94 yards
ULM - Caleb Evans - 14 carries, 34 yards, TD
Leading Receivers
ARST - Kirk Merritt - 6 receptions, 89 yards, 3 TD
ULM - Marcus Green - 5 receptions, 69 yards :

### At Texas State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Red Wolves | 7 | 0 | 21 | 5 | 33 |
| Bobcats | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |

### Vs. Nevada (Arizona Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Wolf Pack | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| Red Wolves | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |