Week 5 Preview: Arkansas State at ULM

After winning their opening game of the season, Arkansas State is looking to snap a three-game losing streak this weekend on the road against ULM. The Red Wolves lost their final non-conference game on the road against Kennesaw State, finishing their four-game stretch outside of the Sun Belt with a 1-3 record.

ULM enters the matchup with a 2-1 record. Last weekend, the Warhawks earned a road win against UTEP by the score of 31-25. They will look to carry the momentum of the victory into their first Sun Belt contest.

This will be the 47th meeting between the two teams, but the rivalry will have some extra flavor this season. The game has been dubbed the ‘Rice Bowl Rivalry’ in a partnership with USA Rice. The two schools are separated by swaths of rice fields which produce a sizable portion of the nation’s rice.

Arkansas State

In the loss to Kennesaw State, Arkansas State’s first quarter struggles continued. They trailed 21-0 after 15 minutes and have been outscored 65-21 in the opening frame this season. The Red Wolves entered the second quarter of their Week one win against Southeast Missouri tied, but have fallen behind by multiple scores in the first quarter of each game during their skid.

Despite the early deficit, the Red Wolves clawed their way back into the game. Wide receiver Hunter Summers was the star of the comeback effort, hauling in eight receptions for 114 yards and the team’s first score of the evening. Arkansas State would draw within seven points in the third quarter. Kennesaw State scored a touchdown on their next drive, extending their lead to 28-14.

Quarterback Jaylen Raynor found running back Kenyon Clay in the end zone for six, to once again bring his team within a score. Arkansas State would get the ball back three more times over the final five minutes, but could not score. The loss marked the program’s first three-game slide since 2022.

If the Red Wolves are to find their first win since Aug. 30, they will need to have a stronger start to the game on both sides of the ball. The trench battle will also be key to Arkansas State’s success. They have averaged 3.8 yards per carry while allowing 5.4. ULM has dominated the ground game through their opening three games, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and allowing just 3.6 defensively.

ULM

The Warhawks earned a wire-to-wire win over UTEP in El Paso on Saturday. It took only three plays for them to find the end zone. Wide receiver Jake Godfrey caught a pass from quarterback Aidan Armenta to give ULM a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Hunter Herring’s one-yard plunge into the endzone marked 24 unanswered points for the Warhawks, giving them a 31-10 lead entering the fourth quarter. They allowed 15 unanswered points before an interception from defensive back David Godsey Jr. slammed the door.

ULM had a prolific day on the ground. Five players averaged over four yards-per-carry, with the team averaging six overall. Braylon McReynolds carried the ball 18 times, accumulating 113 yards and a touchdown. Dorian Lewis added 79 yards on his five carries, with 72 of them coming on one play. This rushing attack profiles well in a matchup with an Arkansas State team that has allowed teams to have success running the football.

During the game against UTEP, the Miners racked up 409 passing yards against the ULM defense. While the run defense is stout, they do appear vulnerable through the air. UTEP had six different receivers record catches of 20 yards or more, with wide receiver Trevon Tate’s 73-yard score being the longest. Raynor has found success through the air in the second half of games. ULM will need to exploit Arkansas State’s early-game issues to put the game away early. It could get interesting if they allow the Red Wolves to hang around like the Miners did over the weekend.

Both teams will be looking to earn their first Sun Belt win of the season. Arkansas State won last season’s matchup 28-21 in Jonesboro.