JONESBORO -- About 30 minutes after Arkansas State kicks off against New Mexico State on Saturday, the biggest Sun Belt Conference game to this point will begin three states away in Alabama.
Coach Blake Anderson and the Red Wolves have an easy out for not paying too much attention to Appalachian State's game at Troy on Saturday -- they'll be playing themselves. But it could have a sizable impact regarding which teams ends up with the Sun Belt title.
Up next
NEW MEXICO STATE AT ARKANSAS STATE
WHEN 2 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Centennial Bank Stadium
RECORDS Arkansas State 4-4, 4-0 Sun Belt Conference; New Mexico State 2-6, 1-3
SERIES New Mexico State leads 6-4
RADIO KASR-FM, 92.7, in Little Rock/Conway; KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro
INTERNET ESPN3.com
"I could see it going either way," said Anderson of the game between conference unbeatens. "I don't know which way helps anybody. We've just got to help ourselves and find a way to beat the Aggies."
Regardless of the assessment, the biggest help to ASU (4-4, 4-0) would come if Troy (7-1, 4-0) defeats Appalachian State (7-2, 5-0). If that happens, and if ASU also wins Saturday, then a Nov. 17 meeting between ASU and Troy would be between lone conference unbeatens.
ASU and Appalachian State do not play each other this season, leaving open the possibility of more than one undefeated team for the first time in league history. Defensive tackle Jake Swalley said Anderson reminded the team this week of those stakes, but center Devin Mondie said it's barely been a talking point.
"I'm not rooting for anybody but the Red Wolves," Mondie said. "Regardless of whoever wins those games, we still have games to win ourselves. We're just focused on us."
That in-the-moment mentality described by Mondie, who said he will play Saturday after a knee injury sidelined him last week, is similar to what ASU used to close out an unbeaten Sun Belt season in 2015.
A year ago at this time, the Red Wolves had just returned from a trip to Boone, N.C., where a 40-27 victory over Appalachian State vaulted it to the top of the standings. ASU never gave up its place, winning its final three games while Anderson preached for them not to look ahead.
The mindset is the same this year, Anderson said earlier this week, but it's been a bit easier to implement. An 0-4 start and less-than-easy victories since has made it so nothing is certain.
"It's hard to overlook anybody with the season we've had," Anderson said. "You watch teams overlook opponents every week and lose. We can't afford to be that team that slips up. We did that early in the year. We weren't ourselves and we weren't our best early in the year. Hopefully we've learned from that."
Players said they accepted the message, even if they didn't think they needed to hear it.
"Obviously, him saying it is required by the coach," Swalley said. "But he didn't have to say it."
Play over the last four games has put ASU in this position, which seemed unlikely after it lost to Central Arkansas on Sept. 24 to fall to 0-4.
"I'm not really surprised," Mondie said. "But we just had to check ourselves and re-evaluate what we're all about. ... It was either now or never. You're either going to get it together or we're just going to go down a sad boat."
ASU hasn't lost since, and it is an almost three-touchdown favorite to beat New Mexico State (2-6, 1-3) on Saturday. A victory would mean the Red Wolves travel to Troy five days later either tied at the top of the standings or in position to move into first place alone.
The Aggies are last in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (42.9 points per game allowed) and total defense (505.0 yards allowed). But ASU insists that quality of opponent won't change a proven mindset, let alone allow for any attention to drift toward Troy.
"We're coming with the same approach as we did last year," safety Cody Brown said. "We're just winning one game and carrying it over."
Sports on 11/10/2016