JONESBORO, Ark. (11/28/09) – Arkansas State freshman quarterback Ryan Aplin piled up 362 yards of total offense and senior tailback Reggie Arnold added 111 rushing yards and a touchdown to lead the Red Wolves (3-8, 2-5) to a 30-26 Sun Belt Conference victory over the Mean Green of North Texas (2-10, 1-7) Saturday afternoon at ASU Stadium.

Aplin completed 18-of-28 passes for 240 yards and added 122 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to help the Red Wolves pile up 484 yards of total offense on the afternoon.  Aplin's total offense output was the fifth-best in school history and the most for an ASU freshman, while ASU's offensive output on the day was the second-highest total for the season and the most against an FBS opponent since the sixth game of the 2007 season.

“It's great to get a win, it was a hard fought win,” said ASU head coach Steve Roberts.   “I thought Ryan Aplin played outstanding.  He did some great things in the running game.  He proved that you have to pay attention to him as a threat in the running game, and he threw the football very well with the exception of a few goal line passes.” 

“I'm proud of the way that Reggie Arnold ran the football tonight,” added Roberts.  “He probably would have had over 200 yards but he had a couple called back.  He really ran the football tough.” 

Arkansas State was in control in the early going, jumping out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play.  The Red Wolves used a 14-yard touchdown run from freshman tailback Don Jones on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead, then made it 14-0 when Aplin scored from six yards out with 4:09 remaining in the quarter.

The Red Wolves out-gained North Texas 119-12 in total yards in the opening quarter, with the ASU defense holding the Mean Green to -2 yards rushing in the first 15 minutes.

Arkansas State tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter to go up 27-0 before North Texas got on the board with less than a minute to go before halftime.  Aplin found the end zone again, this time from 10 yards out, to give A-State a 21-0 advantage with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.  

Senior tailback Reggie Arnold scored his 33^rd career touchdown, the second-most in ASU history, when he barreled in from seven yards out later in the quarter for the 27-0 Arkansas State lead.  

North Texas made it 27-7 at the half when running back Lance Dunbar scored on a 36-yard run just before the break, and the Mean Green used a 25-yard advance of a Dunbar fumble from wide receiver Kevin Dickerson midway through the third quarter to cut the Red Wolves lead to 27-14. 

Arkansas State countered with a 30-yard field goal from senior placekicker Josh Arauco to extend the Red Wolves lead to 30-14 with seven seconds remaining in the third.

North Texas again cut into the ASU lead when quarterback Nathan Tune hooked up with wide receiver Alex Lott on a five-yard touchdown play with 8:17 to play, but Tune was stopped short of the goal line on the two-point conversion try, leaving the Red Wolves with a 30-20 advantage.

The Mean Green added a late touchdown when quarterback Derek Thompson completed a 19-yard pass to wide receiver Jamaal Jackson with 1:25 to play, but Arkansas State senior defensive end Alex Carrington blocked the extra-point attempt and ASU sophomore Graham Bates recovered the North Texas onsides kick attempt to preserve the win for the Red Wolves.

In addition to the offensive output from Aplin and Arnold, Arkansas State wide receivers Brandon Thompkins and Taylor Clements combined to catch 12 passes for 176 yards.  Thompkins hauled in seven passes for a season-high 91 yards while Clements caught five passes for a career-high 85 yards. 

ASU defensive backs Marcus Brown and Kelcie McCray led the Red Wolves defense with eight and seven tackles, respectively, with Carrington adding a sack for an eight-yard loss to go along with the blocked kick.

Arkansas State will wrap up its season Thursday, Dec. 3 when the Red Wolves travel to Bowling Green Kentucky to take on the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky in a 6:00 p.m. game that will be televised by the Sun Belt Network.