ATLANTA — On Saturday night, Arkansas State triumphed over Georgia State with a score of 27-20. Zak Wallace shone brightly, scoring two touchdowns, while Ja’Quez Cross’s 15-yard touchdown run became pivotal in sealing the Red Wolves’ victory.

Currently, Arkansas State holds a record of 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, placing them second in the West Division. They trail Louisiana-Lafayette by two games with only two contests remaining in the regular season.

The game kicked off with Georgia State striking first, as Zach Gibson connected with Ted Hurst for a 24-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter’s middle. However, the Red Wolves quickly responded with consecutive scoring drives. The first covered 75 yards over seven plays, finished off by Wallace’s 13-yard touchdown run, and the second was a six-play, 54-yard drive resulting in a one-yard touchdown run by Wallace.

As the half wound down, Christian Veilleaux helped Georgia State level the score with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Michel Dukes, just 2:03 before halftime. Arkansas State regained the lead with a 44-yard field goal from Clune Van Andel, giving them a 17-14 advantage heading into the second half.

With 14:03 remaining in the game, Cross’s touchdown run enlarged the Red Wolves’ lead to 24-14. Van Andel later added to the score with a career-best 52-yard field goal with under eight minutes left on the clock, providing Arkansas State with a significant cushion.

Despite only managing 97 passing yards, the Red Wolves showcased a strong ground game, racking up 261 rushing yards. Jaylen Raynor led the charge with 114 yards on 16 carries, while Cross contributed 76 yards on 14 carries and Wallace added 62 yards from 14 carries.

For Georgia State, quarterback Veilleux completed 17 of his 35 attempts for 245 yards, accompanied by one touchdown and an interception. Dukes was responsible for 32 yards on six carries, but collectively, Georgia State struggled on the ground, finishing with only 65 yards from 23 attempts.