There is a little known adage in college football, for Homecoming you always pick the team you can beat to secure a win, make the hometown crowds happy, which will help with more donations. If you are the Homecoming opponent, it tells your players something, you are not highly regarded.

Well, North Texas will be Arkansas State’s Homecoming opponent this weekend. North Texas was the Homecoming opponent for Louisiana-Lafayette and the future game with Troy has the North Texas game as their Homecoming game.

ASU is sitting alone in first place in the Sun Belt Conference with a 5-2, 3-0 record while North Texas is in 5^th place with a 3-5, 2-2 record. Although tied with Florida International with a 2-2 conference record, which would put the two teams tied for fourth, FIU beat North Texas putting them ahead of the Eagles.

ASU has four things invested in this Saturday’s game. To remain atop the conference standings, to become bowl eligible, hand the Homecoming crowd a win, shooting for their first five game winning streak since 1986 and for their first 4-0 start in Sun Belt Conference history.    

North Texas has lost the last six meetings between the two teams and ASU hold a 12-8 all-time lead. They are also 55-27-1 in Homecoming games winning their last six of seven. Some fans think of this game as a rivalry but North Texas Head Coach Dan McCarney said ‘what rivalry? When they are kicking your butts all over the place there is no rivalry.’ He hopes a win will spark a rivalry between the two teams.

ASU two losses were at #13 Virginia Tech, 7-26 and at Illinois, 15-33. At home they blew out Memphis 47-3, Central Arkansas 53-24, FIU 34-16 and squeaked by Western Kentucky 26-22. On the road they beat Louisiana-Monroe 24-19.

Last year the Red Wolves were 4-8 they were 4-8 the year before with previous records of 5-7, 5-7, 6-6, 6-6 including a New Orleans Bowl lost to Southern Miss 2005-2006 season.  Not gaining any traction since the 05-06 season in the win column, ASU thought it was time for a change and brought in new Head Coach Hugh Freeze and has the program in great position.

For North Texas Fans, here is a bit of information, one main reason the program has turned around has been because of the defense. It is under the direction of former Southern Miss DC Dave Wommack who coached several Golden Eagle defensive players that are now in the NFL.  Wommack coached under former Southern Miss Head Coach Jeff Bower who was rumored to be a finalist for the North Texas top position before Dan McCarney got the position. Wommack was rumored to be the North Texas DC if Bower got the job.

McCarney is doing a very good job at the helm. However, North Texas Fans can look at University of Louisiana-Lafayette Offensive Coordinator Jay Johnson with Offensive Line Coach Mitch Rodrigue and ASU’s defensive coordinator Dave Wommack and realize all three of those coaches could have been wearing the green. These games sound like a start of a nice rivalry.

Under Wommack’s direction, ASU is ranked #26 in rushing defense and has not given up 100 yards to any rusher this season. They even held Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, the nation’s fourth leading rusher to just 88 yards.  

Last year, North Texas’s Lance Dunbar, carried the ball 30 times for 107 yards and the year before he gained 131 yards on 21 carries. ASU will be keying on him to keep him under 100 yards.  

Phil Steele was impressed with ASU enough he placed 11 of their players on his 2011 Midseason All-Sun Belt Conference team which was announced 10-14-2011.

First team was senior Defensive End Brandon Joiner who has recorded at least .5 sacks in eight of the team’s last 11 games. On offense are senior Center Tom Castilaw, who is on the Rimington Award Watch list and senior Wide Receiver Dwayne Frampton who is tenth in the nation in receptions with 7.8 per game and 24^th in receiving yards with 101 yards per game.

On second team are junior Wide Receiver Josh Jarboe, ranked forth in the Sun Belt in receiving yards; senior Cornerback Darryl Feemster, with one interception in the last two games and three in the last four which has him tied for second most in the Sun Belt. Senior Free Safety A.J. Hillis, who is tenth in the Sun Belt in tackles and leads ASU with 46.  Frampton is on the second team for punt returner.

Third team are senior left tackle Delano Moore, senior linebacker Demario Davis, a Lombardi Award Watch List member, senior strong safety Kelcie McCray and sophomore placekicker Brian Davis.

What to look for from the offense. Under center is Junior Quarterback Ryan Aplin and is ranked 13^th nationally in offense with 304.9 yard a game. While the air route is the way ASU likes to play the ball, Aplin is effective enough to pull the ball down and run. For example, in the win over Florida International “only five quarterback runs were called all night” according to HC Freeze however, Aplin carried the ball 21 times for 164 yards.

Five receivers are in double figures but the main receiver is Frampton with 48 catches for 87.6 yards a game. Jarboe is second with 32 catches for 61.3 yards a game and with 22 catches is Taylor Stockemer for 53.1 yards per catch.

They basically have running back by committee. While they average 154 yards a game, their leading rusher is Aplin with 48.7 yards a game. Frankie Jackson is second on the team with 38.2 yards a game and there are three players averaging in the twenties, one at 11.7 with four others in single digits.

For North Texas to win two major obstacles have to be overcome. One, stop Alpin you stop the offense. Two, stop the pressure of the defensive line by getting the ball out in the flats or crossing over the center. That is how Wommack’s defenses were defeated in the past.