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FRISCO, Texas — Arkansas State put up video game-like numbers in the first-ever Xbox Bowl as it built a large first-half lead and held on for a 34-28 victory over Missouri State on Thursday night at the Ford Center at the Star.
Jaylen Raynor completed 17 of 31 passes for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. In his final collegiate game, Corey Rucker hauled in 6 passes for 166 yards and 1 touchdown, while Kenyon Clay led the team in rushing with 53 yards on 11 carries.
Texas native Kyle Taylor led ASU with 10 tackles, while Avante Dickerson and AG McGhee each finished with seven. Cody Sigler rebounded from a first-quarter injury to collect 6 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
The Red Wolves defense racked up 16 tackles for a loss and eight sacks. Taylor was named the defensive Most Valuable Player of the game, while Rucker earned the offensive MVP award.
Arkansas State (7-6) opened the scoring just more than four minutes into the contest when Raynor found Jaylen Bonelli, who made an acrobatic catch in the back-left corner of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown reception.
After the Red Wolves’ defense forced a punt on the next Missouri State drive, the Red Wolves quickly moved the ball 95 yards on four plays. Raynor connected with a wide-open Rucker deep down the field for a 71-yard touchdown that increased the ASU lead to 14-0 with 2:51 to play in the opening quarter.
The first-quarter score gave Rucker 27 receiving touchdowns at ASU, moving him ahead of Omar Bayless for the most in program history. That mark also tied him with former Coastal Carolina and current Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely for the second most in Sun Belt Conference history. Rucker wrapped up his career with 4,111 receiving yards, the 21st most in FBS history.
Missouri State (7-6) got on the scoreboard in the waning seconds of the first quarter when Jacob Clark hooked up with Dash Luke for a 39-yard touchdown pass, trimming the Red Wolves’ lead to 14-7.
ASU stalled out at the Missouri State 37 on its ensuing possession, but Clune Van Andel came through with a career-long 54-yard field goal to push the Red Wolves’ lead to 17-7 with 12:40 remaining in the second quarter.
The first-half scoring spree continued as ASU put points on the board for a fourth straight drive when Raynor picked up his third touchdown pass of the night by finding Chauncy Cobb for a 4-yard score to extend the lead to 24-7. The touchdown was set up by a 39-yard reception from Hunter Summers that moved the ball to the Missouri State 7.
The Red Wolves were still ahead 24-7 at halftime.
ASU marched 65 yards on five plays on its second drive of the second half, with Devin Spencer capping it off with a 25-yard touchdown run to make the score 31-7 less than five minutes into the third quarter.
Neither team scored again until Missouri State reached the end zone on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Clark to Ramone Green Jr. on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Bears converted on the two-point conversion as Clark completed a pass to Jeron Askren to pull Missouri State within 31-15.
Clark completed 25 of 35 passes for 349 yards and 4 touchdowns. Luke finished with 7 receptions for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Jmariyae Robinson made 4 catches for 96 yards and 1 score.
Van Andel added a 32-yard field at the 12:44 mark of the fourth quarter to reestablish a three-possession lead for the Red Wolves at 34-15. However, the Bears did not go away without a fight.
Missouri State scored the final two touchdowns of the night. Clark connected with Luke for a 47-yard touchdown with 5:26 to play, then he found Robinson for a 16-yard score with 1:54 left to set the final score.
With no timeouts remaining, the Bears needed to recover an onside kick to keep its chances alive. Reed Linder scooped up the onside kick attempt to secure the Red Wolves’ second consecutive bowl victory.
This story has been updated. It was originally published at 11:36 p.m. under the headline “Arkansas State wins first Xbox Bowl, defeats Missouri State 34-28.”
