SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 23, 2013
Arkansas State 35, Georgia State 33: Adam Kennedy tossed a pair of touchdown passes and the Red Wolves registered second-half scores on defense and special teams as they rallied past the visiting Panthers.
Kennedy completed 14-of-19 passes for 152 yards, including scoring strikes to Darion Griswold and J.D. McKissic. Kennedy also led Arkansas State (7-4, 5-1 Sun Belt) with 77 rushing yards, while Michael Gordon chipped in 46 yards and a score.
Ronnie Bell and wide receiver Kelton Hill each threw a touchdown pass for Georgia State (0-11, 0-6), which has lost 15 straight games and 21 of its last 22, with all of those defeats coming by at least six points prior to this one. Albert Wilson led the Panthers with seven catches for 149 yards, including a late 70-yard score, and also added an 80-yard TD run to help Georgia State to a 17-7 halftime lead.
Sterling Young's 21-yard fumble return for a touchdown drew the Red Wolves within 17-14 just 54 seconds into the third quarter, and Raziel Valgis recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to put Arkansas State ahead about three minutes later. Bell responded with a 17-yard TD pass to Hill to regain the lead for Georgia State, but Gordon's 5-yard TD run late in the third quarter gave the Red Wolves the lead for good.
Arkansas State led 35-27 when Hill took an end-around pitch and found Wilson open behind the Red Wolves secondary to draw Georgia State within 35-33 with 2:13 remaining. However, the Panthers' two-point conversion pass fell incomplete and Arkansas State recovered the onside kick before running out the clock.