On Sunday, the Arkansas State Red Wolves learned their opponent for the Arizona Bowl, which will be played in Tucson on Saturday, Dec. 29. A-State will face the Nevada Wolfpack.

“We’re excited about getting an opponent,’’ said A-State coach Blake Anderson. “The kids are excited about where we are going and who we are playing as well.

“Nevada is a good football team. I haven’t played them in a while, since Hawaii Bowl in 2011. Just keeping up a little bit with the league, I have good friends in it, they play good ball. Their losses came against good people so it will be a big challenge for us.

There is some history between Arkansas State (8-4) and Nevada (7-5) who were once members of the Big West Conference. The two members of the Canis (wolf) family have not played since 1999, which was a 44-28 A-State victory, and the Wolfpack leads the series 3-2.

A-State, which was the Indians in all previous meetings, and Nevada met for the first time in a snow storm in 1986 in Reno. Because ASU of kicking woes, the No. 2-ranked Wolfpack, which received a first-round bye, survived 24-23 in the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals. ASU had opened the playoffs with a 10-7 victory at home against Grambling.

The other meetings were 66-14 and 18-0 Nevada victories.

A-State quarterback Justice Hansen said he was not familar with the Wolfpack but he knows Wolfpack head coach Jay Norvell, who was on the staff when Hansen was at Oklahoma.

"We are honored to have this awesome opportunity to play in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl," said Norvell, who has been at the Reno school two seasons. "Arkansas State is a terrific program and we are excited for the challenge of playing them.”

OFF TIME: Anderson said the Red Wolves would leave after semester finals are complete and will return to Jonesboro on Dec. 19 to resume bowl practice. They worked for almost 2 hours on Sunday and will have to player-led practices this week and resume teamwork on Sunday before breaking for a “non-traditional Christmas.”

The Red Wolves will leave for Arizona on Christmas Day.

THE CAPTAINS: Anderson said the team elected permanent team captains: senior quarterback Justice Hansen, senior defensive back Justin Clifton, senior defensive end Ronheen Bingham, senior running back Warren Wand and junior punter Cody Grace.

“To me it is a big honor when your teammates vote for you.’’ said Anderson.

GETTING WELL: Anderson said the only two Red Wolves likely to be added to the playing list are tight end Javonnis Isaac and Troy Elliott, a backup offensive lineman who has been limited this season by injuries and is being redshirted. If needed, Elliott will play tight end in sub-packages, Anderson said, in part because of his weight loss.

Isaac, who was named second-team All-Sun Belt, was back at practice on Sunday.

The coach said the biggest factor will be a lot of “banged-up” players having time to get healthy.





