HATTIESBURG, Miss. (11/24/07) ? Arkansas State's hopes of becoming bowl eligible were dashed when the Indians suffered a narrow 16-10 loss at Southern Mississippi Saturday afternoon. The loss leaves ASU with a 5-7 record for the 2007 season.
“We missed a couple of opportunities on both sides of the football that we didn't cash in on,” said ASU Head Coach Steve Roberts. “But, I'm proud of this team. Those guys played their hearts out. They really laid it out there.”
Running back Reggie Arnold rushed 13 times for 87 yards to go over the 1,000-yard mark for rushing yards in a season for the second consecutive season. Arnold finished with 1,050 yards to become the only ASU player in school history to have two straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his first two years.
Both teams remained scoreless through the first quarter until safety Tyrell Johnson intercepted USM quarterback Jeremy Young at the ASU 49 and returned the ball 39 yards. Johnson fumbled the football after a hit by the Golden Eagles' Calvin Wilson, but Prince Hickman alertly recovered the fumble at the USM 11 to keep possession for the Tribe. Four plays later, Josh Arauco put ASU on the scoreboard with a 24-yard field goal at 14:10 to give the Indians the 3-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles managed their first score near the end of the second period when running back Damion Fletcher punched it in from the one-yard line. The PAT was good by Justin Estes, giving USM the 7-3 lead with 1:06 until the half.
USM scored again in the third period at 9:23 on an Estes 21-yard field goal and ASU countered with a three-yard run by Brandon Thompkins to knot things up, 10-10. The game's final two scores came in the fourth quarter courtesy of Estes field goals?one from 29 yards out and the other a 37-yarder.
ASU led in rushing with 42 carries for 242, while USM had 46 for 177. Indian quarterback Corey Leonard completed nine of 23 passes for 118 yards and one interception. Arnold led the Indians in rushing with Leonard close behind, carrying the ball 17 times for 83 yards, and Preston Brown had 11 for 69. Southern Miss' Fletcher led all rushers with 133 yards on 27 carries.
Defensively, Johnson was ASU's top tackler with nine stops and Hickman, Javon McKinnon, and Koby McKinnon each added seven.
Seventeen seniors played their final collegiate game including defensive backs Darren Toney, Tyrell Johnson, Montis Harrison, and Khayyam Burns; running back Chris Easley; wide receivers Chris Miller, Levi Dejohnette, Joe Smith; linebacker Koby McKinnon; offensive linemen Matt Reibe, Heath Lockley, Vincent Thrower, and Kyle Koets; and defensive linemen Prince Hickman, Curtis Bonds, Brandon Rollins, Rob Ramage.
“I wish we could have sent these seniors out on a better note,” said Roberts. “They have equipped themselves for life during their time here, and there's no doubt they will be successful in their lives.”
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