2013 Week 14

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The Arkansas State offense has been less than spectacular for most of 2013, but it was hard to not lend blame to that side of the Red Wolves' ball Saturday at Western Kentucky.

Despite the ASU defense holding WKU to just 205 total yards, a 2-for-9 performance on 3rd down and collecting eight sacks on the day, the offense still only managed to score two touchdowns and had the clock run out on it inside the 5-yard line, as Arkansas State fell in its regular season finale, 16-15, at L.T. Stadium.

The Red Wolves' defense forced five punts Saturday, but the offense also left itself with punting situations on five occasions. Twice in the first half alone the ASU offense responded to the defense forcing WKU to punt with a 3-and-out of its own.

They did it again in the third quarter after the defense held the fresh lead that the offense had just grabbed, failing to capitalize on an opportunity to grow the lead.

That would prove to be costly, as Western Kentucky finally got into the endzone to take a one-point, 16-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Arkansas State offense answered the way it had all game long -- with its fifth 3-and-out of the afternoon.

The defense made one final stand and gave the offense the ball back trailing by just one points with 1:56 left on the clock and all 3 timeouts.

Senior QB Phillip Butterfield aired a 3rd-down 40-yard pass to get the ball across the 50, then converted a 4th-down 33-yard pass to Julian Jones to put the Red Wolves inside the 10-yard line with 1:19 left.

But Arkansas State couldn't seal the deal on its ninth win of the regular season, instead taking a 10-yard penalty on first down to push themselves out of the red zone, then with no timeouts left, watching the time run out as Butterfield threw a 15-yard pass and David Oku rushed for 4 yards and 6 yards (I dont see how the math works that that didn't score, but wtvr).

Six different players recorded sacks for the Red Wolves, Chris Stone and ROLB Qushaun Lee with two each.

The Red Wolves now await their Bowl Game fate as they finish the regular season 8-4, 5-2 Sun Belt. WKU finishes 7-5, 4-3 Sun Belt.