The Sports Inquirer

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

Georgia State football is set to host Arkansas State this Saturday at the Georgia Dome for its Homecoming contest. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. EST

The Panthers (1-4, 0-2 Sun Belt) are coming off another close loss in the Sun Belt Conference after falling 34-31 at UL Lafayette. Georgia State scored a touchdown with 6:35 left to take a 31-28 lead but could not hold off the league’s preseason favorite as the Ragin’ Cajuns scored the game-winning with 3:34 to play.

Arkansas State, a 28-14 winner over UL Monroe, is 3-2 overall, 1-0 in the Sun Belt, with their losses coming at Tennessee and at Miami.

“They’re a very good football team. They go at a high rate as far as tempo on offense,” Georgia State coach Trent Miles said of the Red Wolves, who have won or shared the Sun Belt title the last three years. “And then defensively they’re very fast. They’re not as big up front as Louisiana-Lafayette but they’re very, very fast.”

Arkansas State’s up-tempo offense, led by quarterback Fredi Knighten, averages more than 82 plays per game.

“We have to be able to keep up with their pace. We will have to be able to get our defense lined up,” Miles said.

Georgia State quarterback Nick Arbuckle leads the Sun Belt in total offense (326.6 ypg), while ranking second in passing yards (318.2 ypg) and pass efficiency (142.7). As a team, the Panthers lead the league in passing offense (eighth in NCAA) and are third in scoring (30.2) and total offense (456.8). Georgia State also averages 127.8 yards rushing per game.

Arbuckle’s top targets include wide receivers Robert Davis (20 receptions, 242 yards, 1 TD), LynQuez Blair (19 receptions, 254 yards, 3 TD) and Donovan Harden (17 receptions, 249 yards, 1 TD) and tight end Joel Ruiz (15 receptions, 223, yards, 2 TD). Ruiz is first nationally among tight ends in receiving yards per game (74.5) and fourth in receptions per game (4.8). Cornerback convert Marcus Caffey has given the running game a boost after rushing for 90 yards and three touchdowns against ULL in his debut on offense.

Linebacker Joseph Peterson leads the Georgia State defense, averaging 12.4 tackles per game to rank second in the Sun Belt and sixth nationally. He is GSU’s career tackling leader with 230. Outside linebacker Jarrell Robinson is second in the the league with seven tackles for loss.

Junior kicker Wil Lutz is Georgia State’s career leader in field goals (16) and points by kicking (111). Last week, he was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week.

Georgia State is playing its second straight game against a 2013 Sun Belt bowl team. The Red Wolves feature Knighten, who has thrown four touchdown passes and rushed for six more; he averages 263.2 yards of total offense. Arkansas State leads the league in rushing defense (123.4 ypg) and ranks third in total defense (378.4) and scoring defense, allowing 22.6 points per game.