When the game was on the line, Clune Van Andel delivered. The junior kicker drilled a 38-yard field goal as time expired to lift Arkansas State to a thrilling 15-14 win over South Alabama on Tuesday night at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
The victory moves the Red Wolves to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play, keeping A-State right in the mix at the midpoint of the season.
It wasn’t always pretty, but it was gritty — the kind of road win that builds confidence in October.
Quarterback Jaylen Raynor once again led the way for A-State, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 76 more on 14 carries. His touchdown pass to Hunter Summers early in the fourth quarter cut the deficit to two points and set up Van Andel’s late-game heroics.
The Red Wolves’ defense set the tone all night. Kyle Taylor piled up 14 tackles, Aaron Alexander added 10, and both Ethan Hassler and Demarcus Hendricks recorded sacks. A-State finished with six tackles for loss and held South Alabama to under 300 total yards, including just 118 passing yards.
After falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, A-State got on the board in the second with a 25-yard Van Andel field goal. The Jaguars added another score in the third to make it 14-3, but the Red Wolves never blinked.
Van Andel hit from 37 yards out with 10:43 remaining to make it a one-score game. Minutes later, Raynor’s 42-yard run set up the six-yard touchdown toss to Summers. A failed two-point try kept the score at 14-12.
The Jaguars had a chance to ice it late but missed a 29-yard field goal, giving A-State one last opportunity — and Raynor made the most of it. The sophomore engineered a methodical drive, converting key throws and runs to set up Van Andel’s game-winner with no time left on the clock.
The field goal marked Van Andel’s 10th of the season and gave the Red Wolves their first and only lead of the night — the one that mattered most.
Arkansas State heads back to Jonesboro for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 25, when the Red Wolves host Georgia Southern at 6 p.m. inside Centennial Bank Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
NEVER GIVE UP! 🏈💪🏼🤘🏽