JONESBORO, Ark. (10-24-2009) - Senior quarterback Corey Leonard rushed for 120 yards and passed for 149 yards and a touchdown to lead the Arkansas State Red Wolves (2-4, 1-2) to a 27-10 Sun Belt Conference victory over the FIU Golden Panthers (1-5, 1-3) Saturday night at ASU Stadium.
Leonard's rushing yards were a career high, helping the Red Wolves outgain the Golden Panthers 430-223 yards on the night.
Arkansas State jumped out to a 17-0 advantage, and the ASU defense kept FIU off of the scoreboard until a 36-yard field gold from Dustin Rivest cut the ASU lead to 17-3 with 15 seconds remaining in the third.
FIU pulled within a touchdown when running back Darriet Perry scored from two yards out with 8:25 remaining to cut the Arkansas State lead to 17-10, but ASU safety Marcus Brown forced a Panther fumble on the next FIU possession and safety M.D. Jennings recovered for the Red Wolves at the Golden Panther 14.
Senior tailback Reggie Arnold, who finished the night with 104 yards on 23 carries, scored on the next play to give the Red Wolves a 24-10 lead with 6:08 remaining, and FIU did not threaten again.
A 32-yard field goal from senior kicker Josh Arauco with 1:05 remaining set the final score at 27-10.
"I'm very proud of the effort from our football team," said ASU head coach Steve Roberts. "They fought through a lot of adversity and negativity, and we continued to play hard. We played extremely hard in our four losses, and a lot of teams would have done the common thing and pack it in. I'm proud of our football team for being uncommon and continuing to fight the way they have in practice and games when things didn't go our way. It showed tonight with a great victory for our team."
Arkansas State scored on its first possession, getting a five-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to junior fullback Jeff Blake to cap a 60-yard drive. Arauco added the extra point for the 7-0 Red Wolves advantage with 6:22 remaining in the first quarter.
ASU took the 7-0 lead into the locker room at halftime, then scored on its first two possessions of the second half to build the 17-point cushion. The Red Wolves wrapped up a 7-play, 75-yard drive on their first possession of the second half with a five-yard touchdown run from sophomore tailback Derek Lawson, and Arauco connected on a 26-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining in the third.
Jennings and sophomore linebacker Demario Davis each logged eight tackles to lead the ASU defense on the night, with Davis adding a pair of sacks. Defensive tackle Khari Mays and defensive end Alex Carrington each added four stops, with Carrington posting one sack and two tackles-for-loss.
FIU had scored at least 30 points in each of its last four games, and the Golden Panthers' 223 yards on the night were the fewest since FIU finished with 214 yards in the season opener at Alabama.
The Red Wolves will be back in action Oct. 31 when Arkansas State travels to Louisville, Ky. to take on the Louisville Cardinals in a 2:30 p.m. non-conference game.
