App State Begins Quick, Hangs On Late To Win Dwelling Opener

BOONE, N.C. — An exhilarating begin and a high-anxiety end bookended App State Football’s residence opener in a sold-out Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday.

In head coach Dowell Loggains‘ first recreation at The Rock, earlier than a crowd of 34,921, the Mountaineers used a 20-13 win towards FCS program Lindenwood to enhance to 2-0 for the primary time since 2019.

App State scored a protracted landing on the primary play from scrimmage and held a 14-0 lead after one quarter, however 4 turnovers stored the Lions inside placing distance, and a collection of untamed performs during the last 4 minutes enabled Lindenwood to have possession in App State territory with an opportunity to tie the sport and even take the lead.

Defensive again Elijah Mc-Cantos intercepted a fourth-down heave on the App State 16 with lower than two minutes left, and one offensive first down sealed a win during which the Mountaineers completed with a 503-216 benefit in whole yards, together with minus-1 dashing yards from the Lions (0-2).

App State’s protection recorded eight sacks — the best whole in this system’s FBS period — and 16 tackles for loss, with Mc-Cantos and DJ Burks (first-quarter interception, plus a pressured fumble that Lindenwood recovered) accounting for takeaways. Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, Aiden Benton and Caleb Sandstrom had 1.5 sacks apiece, whereas Thomas Davis (3.0 tackles for loss), Dylan Manuel (2.0 tackles for loss) and Brayshawn Littlejohn posted one sack apiece.

Offensively, Dalton Stroman’s 72-yard landing on the opening play of the sport and a 47-yard achieve on a near-touchdown a couple of minutes later have been a part of a career-high 142 yards on three connections with AJ Swann, who accomplished 19 of 34 passes for 294 yards and two scores. Rashod Dubinion’s 25 carries for 194 yards gave App State its finest particular person dashing whole in a recreation since Camerun Peoples set a college file with 317 yards within the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl, and Jaden Barnes’ 13-yard landing catch gave him a landing in every of the primary two video games.

App State did not rating a landing over the ultimate 48 minutes, settling for brief, second-half subject targets of 29 and 24 yards from Dominic De Freitas.

The Mountaineers received for the fourth time on the FBS degree when committing 4 turnovers, a feat final achieved at ULM in 2023. Those turnovers got here within the type of two fumbles within the working recreation, one interception and, just like a play within the Charlotte opener, a fumble moments earlier than the receiver crossed the purpose line on a possible landing.

The ultimate turnover occurred as App State held a 20-6 lead with lower than 10 minutes left, and a hail-mary-style heave from closely pressured QB Nate Glantz on a fourth-and-14 play from the App State 24 ended up in receiver Rico Bond’s palms for an unbelievable landing. The Lions kicked the additional level and recovered the onside kick however adopted a first-down incompletion with a pair of completions that netted a complete of three yards. Pressure from Sandstrom and Littlejohn contributed to Glantz’s errant, desperation throw to Mc-Cantos on fourth down.

App State could not have began any higher, scoring 18 seconds into the sport when Swann hit Stroman in stride on a deep throw because the closest defender fell to the turf across the 33-yard line.

Burks intercepted a deep throw towards the top zone to finish Lindenwood’s first drive, and it appeared that Swann and Stroman had linked once more for a 47-yard landing, however the trailing defensive again knocked the ball unfastened for a touchback moments earlier than Stroman crossed into the top zone.

App State did handle to drive a punt on the subsequent collection earlier than scoring its second landing on a 75-yard drive that included a 26-yard run from Dubinion, a 17-yard reception by William Fowles and a sliding catch in the long run zone by Jaden Barnes, however the remainder of the half was a forgettable one.

Lindenwood adopted a fourth-and-3 incompletion from close to midfield with an eight-play, 54-yard landing drive, scoring from the 1 one play after App State could not give you the restoration of Burks’ pressured fumble, and the Lions intercepted a deep throw within the ultimate two minutes of the half.

An lack of ability to transform red-zone appearances into touchdowns and premature turnovers prevented the Mountaineers from gaining a lot separation within the second half, however they did sufficient to enhance to 2-0 upfront of their Sun Belt Conference opener subsequent weekend at Southern Miss.