Arkansas State vs. South Alabama

Arkansas State and South Alabama have 15 meetings on file, the first in 2012; Arkansas State leads the series 8–⁠7 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s South Alabama 7–⁠3.

Arkansas State wins
8
South Alabama wins
7
Ties
0
Earliest on file
2012
Longest streak
5 Arkansas State
Current streak
1 South Alabama
Last 10 meetings
South Alabama 7–⁠3
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
2010s6–⁠2
2020s2–⁠5
Average margin
11.6 points; 9 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Arkansas State
5–⁠3 Arkansas State’s record at home
At South Alabama
4–⁠3 South Alabama’s record at home

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Arkansas State’s biggest win2014: Arkansas State 45, South Alabama 10by 35 points
  2. South Alabama’s biggest win2022: South Alabama 31, Arkansas State 3by 28 points
  3. Upset2019: South Alabama 34, Arkansas State 30South Alabama had a 23% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2020: South Alabama 38, Arkansas State 31South Alabama had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset2017: South Alabama 24, Arkansas State 19South Alabama had a 32% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsArkansas StateSeriesSouth Alabama
2014–⁠2017Blake Anderson3–⁠1Joey Jones
2018–⁠2020Blake Anderson1–⁠2Steve Campbell
2021–⁠2023Butch Jones0–⁠3Kane Wommack
2024–⁠2026Butch Jones2–⁠1Major Applewhite

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Arkansas State’s side (Anderson 3–⁠1 against Jones). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Arkansas State and South Alabama, 2012 on130015001700201520202025

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Trey Owens Arkansas State32 of 43, 418 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT2026 Passing
Jalen Tolbert South Alabama10 catches, 252 yards, 3 TD2020 Receiving
Jalen Tolbert South Alabama5 catches, 144 yards, 4 TD2019 Receiving
La’Damian Webb South Alabama28 carries, 162 yards, 3 TD2022 Rushing
Randy Allen South Alabama13 tackles, 2 sacks, 4.5 for loss2016 Defense
Jamaal Pritchett South Alabama7 catches, 137 yards, 2 TD2024 Receiving

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

On television

2025ESPN20.3 million viewers

Viewers: Nielsen, as compiled by nschultz7’s ratings tracker.

Every game

Oct 8, 2026South Alabama 56, Arkansas State 49at Arkansas State
Oct 14, 2025Arkansas State 15, South Alabama 14at South Alabama
Oct 5, 2024Arkansas State 18, South Alabama 16at Arkansas State
Nov 11, 2023South Alabama 21, Arkansas State 14at South Alabama
Oct 29, 2022South Alabama 31, Arkansas State 3at Arkansas State
Oct 30, 2021South Alabama 31, Arkansas State 13at South Alabama
Nov 28, 2020South Alabama 38, Arkansas State 31at Arkansas State
Nov 29, 2019South Alabama 34, Arkansas State 30at South Alabama
Nov 3, 2018Arkansas State 38, South Alabama 14at Arkansas State
Nov 11, 2017South Alabama 24, Arkansas State 19at South Alabama
Oct 15, 2016Arkansas State 17, South Alabama 7at Arkansas State
Oct 13, 2015Arkansas State 49, South Alabama 31at South Alabama
Nov 8, 2014Arkansas State 45, South Alabama 10at Arkansas State
Nov 2, 2013Arkansas State 17, South Alabama 16at South Alabama
Oct 13, 2012Arkansas State 36, South Alabama 29at Arkansas State

Every game is listed as played on the field.