2012 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team
The 2012 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represented Arkansas State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first year head coach Gus Malzahn, who would leave for Auburn after a successful season. They played their home games at Liberty Bank Stadium as members of the Sun Belt Conference. Arkansas State recorded a Sun Belt conference championship on the way to a 10–3 season, culminating in a bowl win over Kent State in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl.
Malzahn had taken over as head coach for Hugh Freeze, who left Arkansas State for Ole Miss at the end of the 2011 season. Malzahn, an Arkansas native, had been the offensive coordinator at Auburn in 2011, and his success at Arkansas State would lead him to return to Auburn the next year, this time as their head coach. He was hired prior to the Red Wolves' bowl game, so Defensive coordinator John Thompson led the team to victory in the bowl game.
Defensive back Don Jones was drafted in the 7th round of the 2013 NFL draft after the season.
Game summaries
@ Oregon
1st quarter scoring: ORE - Kenjon Barner 4-yard run ; ORE - D. Thomas 12-yard pass from Marcus Mariota ; ORE - Josh Huff 4-yard pass from Mariota ; ORE - Barner 17-yard run2nd quarter scoring: A-STATE - Brian Davis 43-yard field goal; ORE - Thomas 12-yard pass from Mariota ; ORE - Thomas 33-yard run ; ORE - Byron Marshall 3-yard run ; A-STATE - Julian Jones 72-yard pass from Ryan Aplin
3rd quarter scoring: A-STATE - Davis 29-yard field goal; A-STATE - Josh Jarboe 6-yard pass from Aplin
4th quarter scoring: ORE - Rahsaan Vaughn 7-yard pass from Bryan Bennett ; A-STATE - Carlos McCants 38-yard pass from Aplin ; A-STATE - Aplin 1-yard run