JONESBORO, Ark. (9/24/2011) — Arkansas State sophomore kicker Brian Davis set a new ASU and Sun Belt Conference record with six field goals as the Red Wolves (2-2) pulled away from a 19-10 halftime lead and went on to defeat the Central Arkansas Bears (1-3) 53-24 Saturday night at ASU Stadium.

Davis also set an ASU and SBC scoring record by a kicker with 23 points on the night.  Quarterback Ryan Aplin accounted for 304 yards on the evening, rushing for 84 and completing 19-of-28 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown.  Wide receiver Dwayne Frampton caught a team-high eight passes in the game for 100 yards.

“Give UCA a lot of credit for coming out and giving us their best shot,” said ASU head coach Hugh Freeze.  “We knew it was coming and we knew they would.  We knew they had good enough athletes and were capable of playing with us.  I think we could have been better in our first-half red zone production, but I'm very excited to see Brian and the kicking unit perform the way they did.  We just don't want to have to depend on that every single game.”

“I thought the defense came out and played with some passion in the third quarter and got a few stops early on,” added Freeze.  “I'm very thrilled for Brian.  I know he set a school record and he executed very, very well.”

After taking the 19-10 lead into the locker room at the break, the Red Wolves opened the third quarter with 17 straight points to build a 36-10 lead with 3:36 remaining in the third.

The Red Wolves got the scoring underway in the contest when Davis booted a 24-yard field goal midway through the first quarter for the 3-0 ASU advantage.  The Bears countered with a 12-play 72-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run from running back Jackie Hinton to give UCA a 7-3 lead with 2:40 remaining in the opening quarter.

The lead proved to be short-lived, however, as Arkansas State found the end zone just over a minute later when Aplin connected with wideout Taylor Stockemer on an 11-yard touchdown play to put ASU on top 13-7.  Stockemer finished the night with three receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown

Davis knocked through field goals from 32, 33 and 34 yards in the second quarter and UCA kicker Eddie Camara was good from 22 yards in the period to send the teams to the halftime break with A-State leading 19-10.

The Red Wolves opened the third quarter with a one-yard touchdown plunge from running back Jermaine Robertson, Davis added a 21-yard field goal, and quarterback Andre Smith scored on a two-yard run to stretch the Arkansas State lead to 36-10, UCA was not able to get closer than 19 points the rest of the way.

The Bears scored on a 53-yard pass from quarterback Wynrick Smothers to wide receiver Jesse Grandy in the third and a one-yard run from Smothers late in the game.  Arkansas State's fourth-quarter points came on a 10-yard touchdown run from Dwayne Frampton, a 33-yard field goal from Davis and 31-yard interception returned for a touchdown by freshman defensive back Sterling Young.

Defensively, the Red Wolves were led by linebacker Demario Davis and safety A.J. Hills with six tackles each.  Defensive ends Brandon Joiner and Justin Robertson added three tackles and a quarterback sack each. Joiner continues his streak of recording a sack in each of ASU's first four games this season.

The Red Wolves will return to action Oct. 1 when Arkansas State travels to Bowling Green, Ky. to open Sun Belt Conference play against the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky.  Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and the game will be televised by the Sun Belt Conference Network.