CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2014 Arkansas State

7–⁠6 (5–⁠3 Sun Belt Conference), coached by Blake Anderson.

Schedule and results

Arkansas State in 2014, game by game: won vs. Montana State 37–10; lost at Tennessee 19–34; lost at Miami 20–41; won vs. Utah State 21–14; won vs. UL Monroe 28–14; won at Georgia State 52–10; lost at Louisiana 40–55; won at Idaho 44–28; won vs. South Alabama 45–10; lost vs. App State 32–37; lost at Texas State 27–45; won vs. New Mexico State 68–35; lost vs. Toledo 44–63+42−21Won 37–10 vs. Montana State+27Montana StateLost 19–34 at Tennessee-15TennesseeLost 20–41 at Miami-21MiamiWon 21–14 vs. Utah State+7Utah StateWon 28–14 vs. UL Monroe+14UL MonroeWon 52–10 at Georgia State+42Georgia StateLost 40–55 at Louisiana-15LouisianaWon 44–28 at Idaho+16IdahoWon 45–10 vs. South Alabama+35South AlabamaLost 32–37 vs. App State-5App StateLost 27–45 at Texas State-18Texas StateWon 68–35 vs. New Mexico State+33New Mexico StateLost 44–63 vs. Toledo-19Toledo
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 30vsMontana StateW 37–⁠1079%
Sep 6atTennesseeL 19–⁠3444%
Sep 13atMiamiL 20–⁠4139%
Sep 20vsUtah StateW 21–⁠1447%
Oct 4vsUL MonroeW 28–⁠1465%
Oct 11atGeorgia StateW 52–⁠1083%
Oct 21atLouisianaL 40–⁠5551%
Nov 1atIdahoW 44–⁠2879%
Nov 8vsSouth AlabamaW 45–⁠1068%
Nov 15vsApp StateL 32–⁠3782%
Nov 20atTexas StateL 27–⁠4561%
Nov 29vsNew Mexico StateW 68–⁠3588%
Jan 4Bowls & playoffvsToledoGoDaddy BowlL 44–⁠6340%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Toledo 63–⁠44 in the GoDaddy Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 4th in the Sun Belt Conference.

In program history: The 17th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 84 on file).

Record
7–⁠6
Conference
5–⁠3 tied for 4th in Sun Belt Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
477–⁠396
Coach
Blake Anderson
Elo
1467 −65 this season
SP+ rating
-0.3 No. 70 of 128; offense No. 51, defense No. 90, special teams No. 69
SRS
−3.6 No. 77 of 128 in FBS
Returning
28% of last season’s EPA, No. 114 of 125
Recruiting class
No. 95
Offensive coordinators
Walt Bell and Glen Elarbee
Defensive coordinator
Joe Cauthen
Offense
Spread
Defense
4–⁠2–⁠5

How good, play by play

  • Offense56th of 128
  • Defense65th of 128
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted60th of 128
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted75th of 128
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense0.1643%1.2456th of 128
Defense0.1443%1.2265th of 128
Opponent-adjusted0.16 off
0.17 def		42% off
44% def		—60th off
75th def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.7own 332% allowed
Defense3.0own 292% caused

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsFredi Knighten QB3,277 yds
Passing touchdownsFredi Knighten QB24 TD
Rushing yardsMichael Gordon RB1,100 yds
Rushing touchdownsMichael Gordon RB13 TD
Receiving yardsTres Houston WR685 yds
Receiving touchdownsBooker Mays WR4 TD
InterceptionsArtez Brown DB4 INT

Top recruits in the 2014 class

Chuks Ota DT★★★No. 1598
Blaise Taylor ATH★★★No. 1667
Christian Beard OG★★★No. 1720
Charles Gaskins S★★★No. 1723
Charles Grant S★★★No. 1790

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2014 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.793
Running backs22.00.778
Receivers12.00.796
Offensive line32.30.790
Defensive line42.30.783
Linebackers22.50.777
Defensive backs32.70.793
Athletes and specialists32.30.772
Whole class192.30.784

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 115

The 2014 roster

115 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2014 line; 32 have a stat line. See the roster

2014 Sun Belt Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Georgia Southern8–⁠09–⁠3
Louisiana7–⁠19–⁠4
App State6–⁠27–⁠5
Texas State5–⁠37–⁠5
Arkansas State5–⁠37–⁠6
South Alabama5–⁠36–⁠7
UL Monroe3–⁠54–⁠8
Troy3–⁠53–⁠9
New Mexico State1–⁠72–⁠10
Idaho1–⁠71–⁠10
Georgia State0–⁠81–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.