DENTON, Texas?Antonio Warren returned from a second quarter injury to score the game winning touchdown with 30 seconds remaining in the game as Arkansas State defeated North Texas, 31-24, and claimed a spot in the New Orleans Bowl.
ASU (6-5, 5-2) had to wait around for the invite to be official since Louisiana-Monroe had to lose to Louisiana-Lafayette to make the invite complete, but the Ragin' Cajuns made quick work of their neighbors from the North. The bowl game invitation will be the first time the Indians have played in any type of postseason football since 1986 during the 1-AA powerhouse days.
The game seemed bound for overtime after the Mean Green (2-9, 2-5) knotted the score at 24 with just 5:24 left to play. Matt Phillips found James Mitchell alone in the endzone for a four yard touchdown toss to seemingly take the steam out of the Indians.
But Warren and company found a way to move the ball 63 yards in seven plays in just 1:53.
Warren ended the day with 19 carries for 105 yards. Those totals put the senior from Wynne over 1,000 yards for the season and over 3,000 for his career. Shermar Bracey added another 100 yard effort as well, scampering 139 yards on just 14 carries, highlighted by an 80 yard touchdown run on the first offensive play of the second half helped the Indians set a positive tone after a disappointing first half.
On defense, Tyrell Johnson's 25 tackles on the day is the second-most in school history. Only the legendary Bill Bergey's 33 total tackles against Eastern Michigan in 1968 ranks higher at ASU. The total is also a SBC record.
ASU finishes the regular season with a winning record, the first since 1995 when the team went an identical 6-5, but three of those victories were against 1-AA teams.
The Indians still do not know for certain who they will face in the school's first trip ever to a bowl as a member of 1-A. A representative from Conference USA will be chosen by the New Orleans Bowl committee. The bowl game, played this season in Lafayette, will be on December 20th.
