Preview: Everything to Know as Southern Miss and Arkansas State Look to Get Back in Win Column

After four consecutive losses, the Golden Eagles are still searching for that light in the darkness. Could that light be discovered against the Red Wolves?

Southern Miss quarterback Landry Lyddy (18) with teammates Davis Dalton (11) and Steven Robinson (14) during Saturday's game against UConn at The Rock. | Josh House

In Week 6 midweek action, kicking off Sun Belt play, Southern Miss went to Alabama to face the Troy Trojans. The game certainly didn't go in the Golden Eagles' favor, with Troy pulling away 55-34, giving Southern Miss a fourth consecutive loss overall and a sixth straight loss to the Trojans.

"We didn't coach well, we didn't play well," Coach Anderson said after the game.

This week, coaching and playing well are absolute musts as the Golden Eagles take on an opponent they just squeaked past in 2025, the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Here's everything you need to know heading into Saturday's contest at The Rock.

Game Information

Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State, 2025 | Southern Miss Athletic

• WHO: Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves
• WHERE: Renasant Stadium, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
• WHEN: 6:00 P.M. CT, Saturday, October 17, 2026
• WEATHER: Sunny, 0% Chance of Rain, 67 Degrees
• WATCH: ESPN+
• LISTEN: Southern Miss Sports Network
• RECORDS: Southern Miss 1-4, Arkansas State 2-4
• BETTING ODDS (DraftKings): Arkansas State -7, O/U 62.5, ML USM -265, ML ASU +215

What to Know About Arkansas State

Sep 6, 2025; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Butch Jones during the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas won 56-14. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Under sixth-year head coach Butch Jones, the Arkansas State Red Wolves have experienced some of the program's highs and lows of the program. Coach Jones did not reach a winning season until his fourth season with the Red Wolves, and carried that tradition over into last season as well. This year, however, the team has been slow out of the gate.

The Red Wolves started their season with a 42-24 loss to rival Memphis in the Paint Bucket Bowl, but bounced back in Week 2 with a 52-7 win over FCS West Georgia. Another loss in Week 3 to TCU put some water on the fire, but a narrow win over Kennesaw State in Week 4 action started to light the flame again. However, entering Sun Belt play, it looked like the Red Wolves' light dimmed once again, as they lost 23-20 to Louisiana and 56-49 to South Alabama. The latter was the highest-scoring game in the FBS Division so far this season, with 105 points.

Speaking on the South Alabama loss and how to prepare for the Golden Eagles, Coach Jones adamantly said, "I will work every day to get this s*** fixed, because it is unacceptable with our performance...I am responsible for all of it."

That sounds a lot like what Southern Miss has been going through, too, so it will be interesting to see which team can fix its issues best and bounce back from an unacceptable performance.

Matchups That Could Decide The Game

The Golden Eagle Defense (Again) vs. Trey Owens

Sep 5, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Arkansas State quarterback Trey Owens (9) runs with the ball against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arkansas State's offense has been very pass-heavy. And that all lies on one man's shoulders: Trey Owens. Owens has almost twice as many passing yards as the entire team has in rushing yards. Over the course of six games, Owens has thrown for 1,461 yards, while 10 different rushers have gained 797 yards on the ground. But Trey Owens is also a little quick in the pocket. A little...

While throwing for nine touchdowns, Owens has also been sacked nine times and thrown for six interceptions. But to the point of being a little quick in pocket decisions, he has rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, with his longest rush being 34 yards.

The Golden Eagle Defense has to severely improve against the sky to even get close to winning this game. And defending the air has not been a strong suit for the Golden Eagles this season. As a whole, the Nasty Bunch has recorded only seven pass deflections, five interceptions, and three forced fumbles. On the flip side, once a player gets loose, the team has recorded 425 tackles, 10 sacks, and 61 yards lost on sacks. And while that second note is good, to stop Trey Owens, the Golden Eagles have to get the aim on the quarterback and hit him deep in the pocket, or get out on the field and swat away a few passes.

The Golden Eagle Offensive Line vs. Arkansas State's D-Line

Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Landry Lyddy (18) looks to pass against the Texas State Bobcats at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss, on Nov. 15, 2025. | Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's safe to say Landry Lyddy has been Southern Miss' knight in shining armor this season. But too many holes in the front line have kept him from truly shining. While throwing six passing touchdowns and only two interceptions, Lyddy has been sacked nine times this season, losing 55 yards. And by no means is Lyddy a rushing quarterback, hitting the ground 22 times for only 12 yards and no touchdowns.

Arkansas State's line has been below average this season, having only rushed the passer for a sack three times, resulting in a loss of 17 yards. But as with the Tulane game, it takes only a few holes to see defensive numbers start to rise. Southern's O-Line has to step up and protect their quarterback. If Southern Miss cannot throw the ball downfield, this will be a slow game for the Golden Eagles.

Interesting Storylines to Follow

Familiar Faces Return

Sep 10, 2016; Auburn, AL, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Blake Anderson takes his team through warm ups before the game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This week's game sees two members of each team face their old squads, but on different sides of the line of scrimmage.

Golden Eagle Head Coach Blake Anderson got his head coaching start with the Arkansas State Red Wolves in 2014, after Brian Harsin was hired by Boise State. Anderson led the Red Wolves for seven seasons, winning two Sun Belt Conference Championships, and finished with a 51-37 record and a 2-3 bowl record. At the end of the 2020 season, Anderson left Jonesboro for Utah State, where he led the Aggies to a 10-win season in his first season. This will be the first time Anderson has faced one of his old schools while leading another.

Southern Miss' Kenyon Clay tries to evade the tackle of Jacksonville State's Tee Denson during college football action at Burgess-Snow Field AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama September 21, 2024. (Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The second member is now an Arkansas State Red Wolf, but he plays instead of coaches. Many Golden Eagle fans remember a running back from the Will Hall era... no, not Frank Gore, Jr... but another fast runner with a lot of potential: Kenyon Clay.

While a Golden Eagle, Clay rushed for 612 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 24 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. After the 2024 season, when Will Hall was fired, Clay entered the transfer portal and ended up at Arkansas State. Since being in Jonesboro, Clay has nearly matched his numbers at Southern Miss, with 637 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns, 313 receiving yards, and 4 receiving touchdowns.

Landry Lyddy Leading Again

Landry Lyddy scrambling out of the pocket against Tulane, September 26, 2026 | Josh House

Since Ethan Hampton's hand injury, Landry Lyddy has fully embraced the quarterback position. In his second season as a Golden Eagle, Lyddy answered the call after Hampton went down and has made a big showing so far. While his sack count is high, he's still making waves. In his first season as a multi-game starter, Landry Lyddy has thrown for 824 yards and six touchdowns and has thrown only two interceptions.

But when it comes to time in the pocket, there is a time limit to consider this week, as Lyddy has been sacked nine times. As the season and this matchup develop, it will be interesting to see how Lyddy's game develops and how his front line adapts to cover him. A lot of things have to go right for the Golden Eagles to get their first win since Week 1 against Alcorn State, and the overall performance of Lyddy might be just as important as how the defense plays.

Southern Miss has played from behind to start every single game this season, even in that Week 1 blowout win. Lyddy and Co. will look to change that this week against the Red Wolves.

Injury Reports

Golden Eagle Injury Report

Golden Eagle Wide Receiver Jaylen Himes | Southern Miss Athletics

• Grant Page (WR): OUT
• Ethan Hampton (QB): OUT
• Jaylon Himes (WR): OUT
• Avery Sledge (LB): OUT
• Robert Briggs (RB): OUT FOR SEASON

Red Wolves Injury Report

Sep 5, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Arkansas State quarterback Trey Owens (9) hands the ball to running back Kenyon Clay (5) during the second half against Arkansas State at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• Kenyon Clay (RB): PROBABLE
• Tre Stevens (OLB): PROBABLE
• Nigel Nelson (ILB): OUT
• Sultan Badmus (DL): OUT
• Devin Spencer (RB): OUT FOR SEASON
• Baker North (OL): OUT FOR SEASON

Series History

Jan 4, 2015; Mobile, AL, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Blake Anderson watches his team against the Toledo Rockets during the second quarter of the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with Blake Anderson, the Golden Eagles and Red Wolves share a big part of each other's histories. Southern Miss and Arkansas State first met in 1960 in Jonesboro, where the Red Wolves took a narrow 14-13 win. Over the last 66 years, the two teams have met 14 times in the regular season, and once in one of the most intriguing postseason games of all time.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, the Superdome and the city were still not in a position to host the New Orleans Bowl. Instead, the game was moved to the home of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, Cajun Field, in Lafayette, Louisiana.

There, Southern Miss led the game the entire game, showed out before a crowd of only 18,833, and beat the Red Wolves 31-19. As of the Golden Eagles' win at Jonesboro in 2025, Southern Miss holds a firm 11-4 all-time lead over Arkansas State.

Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI Staff Predictions

Staff Member	Prediction
Andy Baeuerle	Southern Miss 35, Arkansas State 27
Dalton Trigg	Arkansas State 35, Southern Miss 17
Josh House	Southern Miss 24, Arkansas State 7
Drew Johnson	Southern Miss 17, Arkansas State 7
Charlie Lanehart	Arkansas State 38, Southern Miss 31

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