Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Arkansas State Football: Red Wolves should control Sun Belt again

By Justin Dottavio

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 13: Head coach Blake Anderson of the Arkansas State Red Wolves calls a play during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Sunlife Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 13: Head coach Blake Anderson of the Arkansas State Red Wolves calls a play during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Sunlife Stadium on September 13, 2014 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next

2018 Arkansas State Schedule and Predictions

Week

Date

Opponent

H/A

1

Sep. 1

SE Missouri State

Home

2

Sep. 8

Alabama

Away

3

Sep. 15

Tulsa

Away

4

Sep. 22

UNLV

Home

5

Sep. 29

Georgia Southern

Away

6

Oct. 6

BYE

N/A

7

Oct. 9

Appalachian State

Home

8

Oct. 18

Georgia State

Home

9

Oct. 27

Louisiana

Away

10

Nov. 3

South Alabama

Home

11

Nov. 10

Coastal Carolina

Away

12

Nov. 17

ULM

Home

13

Nov. 24

Texas State

Away

The only stumbling blocks on the Arkansas State 2018 schedule are Alabama and Appalachian State. The Crimson Tide are the S&P+ pre-season 2nd overall just behind THE Ohio State Buckeyes. The Red Wolves are ranked higher than everyone else on their schedule besides Appalachian State who is ranked 63rd in the pre-season S&P+ analytics. That gives the Red Wolves a clear chance to not only regain their place at the top of the Sun Belt, but to once again finish with a double-digit winning season and return to bowl season.

The expectations for ASU and Coach Anderson are extremely high and with the financial support behind the program they need to back it up and win the Sun Belt in 2018. If the defense can match up with the offense ASU should be able to roll through teams like UNLV, South Alabama, Tulsa, Coastal Carolina, Texas State, Lafayette, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Monroe which are in the bottom thirty of the FBS level. Southeast Missouri State is an FCS team that should be no issue for ASU as well.

The Next Level

Arkansas State won’t be the non-power five team that pushes their way into the College Football Playoff picture unless they can upset the Crimson Tide on the road. ASU’s conference schedule is too weak and playing an FCS opponent doesn’t help their cause.

Next: Building the best college football super team

If a miracle does happen in Tuscaloosa, and they finish 2018 with an undefeated record, then of course they would have a statement having knocked off ‘Bama at home. Yet right now that won’t be Coach Anderson’s primary focus. His focus is on continuing to build the program and pushing forward as a perennial Sun Belt championship caliber program.

Home/Sun Belt