Ball State Cardinals
Arkansas State Red Wolves

MOBILE, Ala. -- Arkansas State's Allen Muse sprinted to the back corner of the end zone and then turned to look for the pass. There was Fredi Knighten's throw, hanging in the air for what seemed like forever.

"I had a vision it was going to happen like this," Allen Muse said. "But the ball was just coming so slow."

The game-winning, 13-yard touchdown pass eventually arrived, right into Allen Muse's hands with 32 seconds remaining to lift Arkansas State past Ball State for a 23-20 victory in the GoDaddy Bowl on Sunday night.

Ball State had a chance to tie it, but Scott Secor's 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked by fifth-year senior Ryan Carrethers as time expired.

"It was crazy," Ryan Carrethers said. "I've never experienced anything like that. To put everything on the line and then come through like that -- it was an amazing feeling. I couldn't have written it any better."

Arkansas State (8-5) won the GoDaddy Bowl for a second straight season, despite losing starting quarterback Adam Kennedy to a knee injury in the second quarter. It was the Red Wolves' third straight trip to Mobile.

Fredi Knighten rescued Arkansas State's offense, finishing with 115 yards passing and 97 yards rushing. Allen Muse, who considered quitting football following his father's suicide three years ago, wound up with the biggest catch of the night just five plays after Ball State scored what appeared to be the decisive touchdown.

"I'm extremely blessed," Allen Muse said. "It's really hard to put into words what this means."

Ball State (10-3) went ahead 20-16 with 1:33 remaining on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jahwan Edwards, but couldn't hold the lead. Edwards finished with a game-high 146 yards rushing, but had to watch as Arkansas State rallied for the win.

"It's not over until the time's over," Edwards said. "It's hard to swallow."

Keith Wenning capped his Ball State career with 215 yards passing, one touchdown and one interception. He's the first Ball State quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

For a second straight season, Arkansas State shrugged off a coaching change to win the GoDaddy Bowl.

Arkansas State lost coach Bryan Harsin to Boise State in December. He's the latest in a string of three ASU coaches, including Hugh Freeze (Mississippi) and Gus Malzahn (Auburn), who have left the program for a more high-profile job.

John Thompson was the team's interim coach for a second straight season, and the veteran defensive coordinator led a staff that managed to cobble together a workable offense without Kennedy.

But the Red Wolves couldn't turn productive drives into touchdowns, settling for short field goals from 18 and 29 yards during the third quarter to push ahead 16-10.

It nearly came back to haunt them. But Fredi Knighten's clutch throw to Allen Muse proved to be the difference.

Ball State still had a chance to tie. The Cardinals drove downfield -- and with the help of a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Arkansas State's Andrew Tryon for a late hit -- lined up for the 38-yard field goal with 2 seconds left.

But it never got past the line of scrimmage, smacking off Ryan Carrethers hands and setting off an Arkansas State celebration that quickly spilled onto the field.

Ball State's normally prolific passing offense struggled early in the game. Keith Wenning missed on four of his first five pass attempts -- and also took a vicious hit on a sack by Rocky Hayes.

"When we pressured him, our guys brought some steam," Thompson said. "Just hitting him. (Quarterbacks) don't like to get hit."

Edwards rushed for 92 yards in the first half, including 44 yards on a 14-play drive that ended with Keith Wenning's 9-yard touchdown pass to Willie Snead.

It helped Ball State push out to a 10-3 lead by late in the second quarter, but Arkansas State responded with its own long drive just before halftime, capped by Sirgregory Thornton's 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 10.

Keith Wenning, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior, holds just about every passing record in Ball State history, but struggled in his finale. He completed 23 of 44 passes.

"The seniors and the rest of the team -- that's who I'm hurting for right now," Keith Wenning said.

Arkansas State has hired former North Carolina offensive coordinator Blake Anderson to be the program's fifth head coach in five seasons. Anderson attended Sunday's game but didn't coach.



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