Jalen Raynor, Zak Wallace help Arkansas State hold off UL Monroe 28-21

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Jaylen Raynor threw three touchdown passes, Zak Wallace ran for 130 yards and a score, and Trevian Thomas sealed Arkansas State’s 28-21 victory over UL Monroe on Saturday with a late interception.

Ahmad Hardy polished off a 10-play drive with a 1-yard plunge for UL Monroe (5-6, 3-4 Sun Belt Conference) to knot the score at 21 with 9:15 left to play. Raynor hit Courtney Jackson for a 44-yard touchdown three plays later and Arkansas State (7-4, 5-2) stayed in front from there. Thomas’ pick came on a first-and-10 pass from Aidan Armenta at the Warhawks’ 26-yard line with 1:59 left to play. Arkansas State needed four plays to run out the clock.

UL Monroe grabbed the lead five plays into the game when Armenta threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jake Godfrey. The Red Wolves answered on their first possession with a 14-play drive that ended with Wallace’s 2-yard scoring run for a 7-7 tie.

The Red Wolves took a 14-7 lead into halftime on Raynor’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Corey Rucker midway through the second quarter.

Hardy pulled the Warhawks even on their second play from scrimmage in the third quarter with a 72-yard touchdown run. Raynor came back with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Summers for a 21-14 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

Raynor completed 18 of 26 passes for 170 yards. Wallace carried 18 times with a long run of 57 yards.

Armenta connected on half of his 22 passes for 137 yards.

Arkansas State will close out the regular season next Saturday when it hosts Old Dominion.

UL Monroe returns home to play Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday in its regular-season finale.

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