Arkansas State @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2012 ) Memphis 28, Arkansas State 33

Arkansas State is seeking its third consecutive 10-win season, which means avoiding a road stumble at Memphis on Saturday is a necessity. First-year coach Bryan Harsin is building on what former coaches Hugh Freeze (2011) and Gus Malzahn (2012) accomplished and the Red Wolves are rolling up 544.3 yards per game (15th nationally), including 295.7 (ninth) on the ground. Memphis is off to its sixth consecutive 0-2 start but has a 28-24-5 series lead against Arkansas State.

The Tigers opened the season with a loss to Duke and then committed 15 penalties for 145 yards in a two-point defeat against Middle Tennessee. The penalty yardage was the second-most in program history and just two yards shy of the school mark set in 1964. The Red Wolves are coming off a 41-34 victory over Troy and are vying to start 3-1 for the first time since 2008.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Arkansas State -4.

ABOUT ARKANSAS STATE (2-1): While the Red Wolves run the ball well with senior David Oku (246 yards, four touchdowns) and sophomore Michael Gordon (210, three scores), they also throw it effectively. Senior quarterback Adam Kennedy has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 703 yards and 158 of his season-high 282 passing yards against Troy were to senior Allen Muse, who is averaging 22.3 yards on eight receptions. Junior middle linebacker Qushaun Lee has a team-leading 26 tackles and has two forced fumbles, while senior nose tackle Ryan Carrethers (team-best 2.5 sacks) and sophomore defensive end Chris Stone each have four tackles for loss.

ABOUT MEMPHIS (0-2): The Tigers are attempting to develop redshirt freshman quarterback Paxton Lynch for the long term and coach Justin Fuente saw both good and bad things during a 170-yard passing performance against Middle Tennessee that included a touchdown pass and two interceptions. “Once he got settled in, I thought he bounced back and played a tough football game,” Fuente said earlier this week. “That wasn’t an easy game to play. He did some really good things and he did a few things that I think he wishes he had back.” Junior defensive lineman Martin Ifedi has a team-high three sacks, senior outside linebacker Anthony Brown has a team-best 17 tackles while junior cornerbacks Bakari Hollier and Bobby McCain each have an interception.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arkansas State has won four of the last five meetings, including a 33-28 home victory last season.

2. Harsin (36) and Fuente (37) are two of the nine major-college head coaches under the age of 40.

3. The Red Wolves have converted 26-of-47 third-down opportunities (55.3 percent), while Memphis has converted just 30.3 percent (10-of-33).

PREDICTION: Arkansas State 40, Memphis 23