Arkansas State defeats South Alabama 36-29

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) -- Ryan Aplin passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score to lead Arkansas State to a 36-29 victory against South Alabama on Saturday night.

Aplin completed 17 of 22 passes for the Red Wolves (4-3, 2-1 Sun Belt), who overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit to post back-to-back wins for the first time since stringing nine victories together to end the 2011 regular season.

Ross Metheny was 24 of 38 for 241 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Jaguars (1-5, 0-2).

With Arkansas State holding a six-point lead in the fourth quarter, Aplin hit Taylor Stockemer with a 9-yard touchdown pass that, with a two-point conversion, made the score 36-22 with 11:55 remaining.

Stockemer had 65 yards on four receptions, giving him 36 straight games with at least one catch, the second-longest streak in the nation. Conner Vernon of Duke has 42 games in a row with a reception.

Scoring SummarySouth Alabama: Kendall Houston 4 yd pass from Ross Metheny (Michel Chapuseaux kick)South Alabama: Michel Chapuseaux 26 yd FGArkansas St.: Ryan Aplin 2 yd run (Brian Davis kick)Arkansas St.: David Oku 2 yd run (Brian Davis kick)South Alabama: Michel Chapuseaux 39 yd FGArkansas St.: J.D. McKissic 10 yd pass from Ryan Aplin (Brian Davis kick)South Alabama: Jereme Jones 13 yd pass from Ross Metheny (failed 2pt pass)Arkansas St.: Josh Jarboe 15 yd pass from Ryan Aplin (Brian Davis kick)South Alabama: Michel Chapuseaux 42 yd FGArkansas St.: Taylor Stockemer 9 yd pass from Ryan Aplin (DAVID OKU 2pt run)South Alabama: Greg Hollinger 12 yd pass from Ross Metheny (Michel Chapuseaux kick)Team Statistics Arkansas St.South AlabamaTOTAL FIRST DOWNS2324TOTAL NET YARDS316373Total Plays5988Average Gain5.44.2NET YARDS RUSHING113132Rushes3750Average per rush3.12.6NET YARDS PASSING203241Completions-attempted17-2224-38Sacked21Yards Lost-18-6TOTAL TURNOVERS31Interceptions01Fumbles Lost30OTHER  Penalties213Penalty Yards2081Time of Possesion24:2135:39Punts31Punt Average13.6729Return Yards11675PassingArkansas St.CMPATTYDSTDINTYDS/ATT Ryan Aplin1722203309.2South AlabamaCMPATTYDSTDINTYDS/ATT Ross Metheny2438241316.3RushingArkansas St.ATTYDSTDAVG David Oku228413.8Frankie Jackson53006.0Ryan Aplin8110.1Rocky Hayes1000.0 Team1-20-2.0South AlabamaATTYDSTDAVG Desmond Jones2603.0 Team1-20-2.0Terrance Timmons134303.3Kendall Houston183602.0Ross Metheny92202.4Trey Fetner31705.7T.J. Glover41002.5ReceivingArkansas St.ATTYDSTDAVG Anthony Kincy113013.0 Darion Griswold111011.0 J.D. McKissic74115.9 Taylor Stockemer465116.3 Josh Jarboe334111.3 Frankie Jackson139039.0 South AlabamaATTYDSTDAVG Corey Besteda54509.0 Greg Hollinger53016.0 T.J. Glover347015.7 Jereme Jones344114.7 Bryant Lavender331010.3 Terrance Timmons32909.7 Gabe Loper111011.0 Kendall Houston1414.0