Arkansas State beats Troy to take control of Sun Belt race

Hello and goodbye to the Sun Belt’s first-ever ranked team.

Troy had been flying high this season; they were 8-1. Their only loss was to Clemson in a close game. But, the Trojans’ newly minted No. 25 status left as quickly as it arrived when Arkansas State came to town and defeated the Trojans 35-3 to take control of the Sun Belt race.

Troy started the scoring off with a 43-yard field goal to end the first quarter. For the next two quarters, the Trojans would not score again as the Red Wolves scored 28 unanswered points. Arkansas State’s starting quarterback Justice Hansen was injured during the scoring run, but it mattered not as Pitt transfer Chad Voytik lead the offense for two touchdowns.

Troy played unevenly all game. Representative of Troy’s night, the Trojans first play of the second half resulted in a forced fumble recovered in the end zone for a Red Wolves’ touchdown. The Trojans committed five turnovers in the game and failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. Troy had only committed four turnovers all year.

With first place in the Sun Belt on the line, Thursday’s game was billed as possibly the most important game in the conference’s young history. It may not have lived up to the hype from a competitive standpoint, but both teams appeared worthy of bowls come December.

Oddly enough, Arkansas State began the season 0-4 and are now on a six-game winning streak — all conference wins — and move to 6-4 on the year as they sit atop the conference and have the inside track for a fifth league title in six years. Overall, Arkansas State has won 15 straight Sun Belt games. Such is life in the #FunBelt.

Chris Herbert is a contributor to Dr. Saturday