It was Isaiah Likely’s time to shine on a record-setting night Thursday in Jonesboro, Ark.
The senior NFL tight end prospect was this week’s star in Coastal Carolina’s dynamic offense, catching eight passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns in the No. 15 Chanticleers’ 52-20 win over Arkansas State at Centennial Bank Stadium.
The four TD receptions set a CCU single-game record, and the 232 yards are second in school history to Malcolm Williams’ 266 receiving yards against Louisiana-Monroe in 2017.
Quarterback Grayson McCall served up Likely’s massive performance on the ESPNU broadcast, completing 18 of 23 passes for a career-high 365 yards and the four TDs to his tight end before resting for most of the fourth quarter with a big lead.
The redshirt sophomore entered the game leading the nation in completion percentage (80.2), yards per pass attempt (12.94) and passing efficiency, and will likely still be leading those categories going into his next start.
The Chants amassed 685 yards of offense, which is second in school history to 690 recorded against Charlotte in 2014, against a Red Wolves defense that leads the nation by far with 583 yards surrendered per game.
Shermari Jones, Reese White and backup QB Bryce Carpenter combined to rush for 276 yards on 21 carries to average more than 13 yards per rush.
CCU’s defense held the Red Wolves to 51 yards of offense in the first half before allowing 222 in the second half, and finished the game with eight tackles for loss including four sacks. The Chants (6-0) recorded their second turnover of the season in the fourth quarter when defensive lineman C.J. Brewer caught a pass that was deflected high into the air.
The Coastal-Arkansas State game was just one of two FBS games played Thursday night.
Coastal became the first team in the nation to become bowl eligible with its sixth win of the season, and the team already had T-shirts to celebrate waiting on them in the locker room, courtesy of Bowl Season.
Bowl Season is a non-profit collective coalition of the 44 bowl games in the traditional college football postseason. Formerly the Football Bowl Association, it is dubbed “A Celebration of College Football.”
There were 14 FBS teams five wins entering this week’s games. Bowl Season says it is giving every team that reaches the six-win plateau team-branded ‘Bowl Bound’ T-shirts in the locker room following the win.
Out of the gate quickly
Coastal got off to an amazingly fast start offensively. The defense forced a Ryan Hanson punt on the first possession of the game following a sack by linebacker Silas Kelly, but the 55-yard kick went out of bounds at the CCU 1-yard line.
The Chants went 99 in just two plays. Following a run for no gain by White, McCall hit Likely over the middle for a 99-yard touchdown pass on their second play of the game. The safety was drawn up toward the line on a fake handoff in the backfield, and Likely slipped behind him to catch a pass at about the 20 and race the other 80 yards to the end zone.
No longer the one and only
Coastal entered the game as the only team in the nation that hadn’t allowed a passing touchdown.
That included 662 football programs in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II and Division III, according to ESPN.
The Chants no longer have that exclusive designation.
CCU got through quarters this season without a passing TD allowed before Red Wolves quarterback Layne Hatcher threw two touchdowns in the third quarter.
The Chants held Florida State transfer quarterback James Blackman to 7-of-12 passing for 70 yards in the first half before he was pulled at halftime, though receivers for the Red Wolves (1-5) dropped three of his passes, including one or two that could have been for big gains and even touchdowns. Blackman had a sling on his shoulder on the sideline after halftime.
Hatcher sparked the A-State offense a bit in the second half, completing 13 of 29 passes for 185 yards.
Poll implications
Coastal entered the game ranked 15th in both the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll.
The Chants have moved up in both polls following all but one of its wins this season after beginning the season ranked 22nd and 24th, respectively, and Thursday’s win should keep the Chants in the top 15 in the nation.
Up next
The game that has been anticipated all season is up next for the Chants following their sole off week of the season. CCU travels to Appalachian State on Wednesday, Oct. 20 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff that will be broadcast on ESPN2 and have the attention of the college football world.
The teams were the co-favorites to win the Sun Belt’s East Division in the league’s preseason coaches poll and both have been impressive thus far this season. The Mountaineers are 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference, with their only loss by two points at a ranked Miami Hurricanes. While the Chants prepare for the game that will likely determine which team represents the East Division in the conference title game, the Mountaineers have a showdown Tuesday night with reigning Sun Belt co-champion Louisiana (4-1), which has lost only to the ranked Texas Longhorns.
