# 2019 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team

The 2019 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by first-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz through the team's win in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, after which he left to fill the head coaching vacancy at Missouri. Shawn Clark led the team during their bowl game appearance. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.

## Preseason
### Recruiting

The Mountaineers signed 18 recruits.
College recruiting information (2019) :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Brendan Harrington S | Pittsboro, North Carolina | Northwood | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Dec 16, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jourdan Heilig OLB | Concord, North Carolina | Concord | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Jun 26, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Tre Caldwell CB | Greensboro, North Carolina | Southeast Guilford | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | Jun 14, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Nicholas Ross S | Marietta, Georgia | Carlton J. Kell | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | Jun 19, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Luke Smith DT | Lebanon, Tennessee | Friendship Christian | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | Feb 19, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Dashaun Davis ATH | Deerfield Beach, Florida | Deerfield Beach | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Jun 21, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: |||||||
| Ricky Kofoed TE | Charlotte, North Carolina | Charlotte Christian | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 221 lb (100 kg) | Jul 25, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Lyle Hiers OT | Lake Wales, Florida | Lake Wales | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 275 lb (125 kg) | Jun 21, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Christian Wells WR | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | University School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jun 22, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Milan Tucker CB | Fort Myers, Florida | Fort Myers | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 163 lb (74 kg) | Jun 25, 2018 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| KeSean Brown OLB | Bamberg, South Carolina | Bamberg-Ehrhardt | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Jan 21, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Larry Dowdy OT | Belmont, North Carolina | South Point | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 280 lb (130 kg) | Jan 30, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| David Baldwin QB | Bradenton, Florida | IMG Academy | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Christian Johnstone LS | Lawrenceville, Georgia | Archer | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: |||||||
| Craig McFarland OT | Scottsdale, Arizona | Chaparral | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 275 lb (125 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Benjamin Williams ATH | Charlotte, North Carolina | Charlotte Christian | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: |||||||
| Emmanuel Jenkins CB | Canton, Georgia | Sequoyah | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: |||||||
| Raykwon Anderson CB | Folkston, Georgia | Charlton County | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 167 lb (76 kg) | Feb 6, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: 247Sports: 118 |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Appalachian StateFootball commits". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 22, 2019. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 22, 2019. "2019 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 22, 2019. |||||||

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

App State football current coaching staff :
| Name | Position | Alma Mater | Years at App State |
| Eliah Drinkwitz | Head Coach | Arkansas Tech University | 1st |
| Ted Roof | Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers | Georgia Institute of Technology | 1st |
| Shawn Clark | Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line | Appalachian State University | 4th |
| Greg Gasparato | Safeties | Wofford College | 2nd |
| Charlie Harbison | Cornerbacks | Gardner–Webb University | 1st |
| Erik Link | Special Teams Coordinator | Drake University | 1st |
| Garrett Riley | Running Backs | Texas Tech University | 1st |
| D. J. Smith | Outside Linebackers | Appalachian State University | 2nd |
| Anwar Stewart | Defensive Line | University of Kentucky | 1st |
| Pat Washington | Wide Receivers | Auburn University | 1st |
| Justin Watts | Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator | Clemson University | 5th |

### Roster

Source:

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 3:30 p.m. | East Tennessee State* | | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | W 42–7 | 25,147 |
| September 7 | 3:30 p.m. | Charlotte* | | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | W 56–41 | 29,182 |
| September 21 | 3:30 p.m. | at North Carolina* | | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | ACCRSN | W 34–31 | 50,500 |
| September 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Coastal Carolina | | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | W 56–37 | 25,055 |
| October 9 | 8:00 p.m. | at Louisiana | | Cajun FieldLafayette, LA | ESPN2 | W 17–7 | 21,012 |
| October 19 | 3:30 p.m. | Louisiana–Monroe | No. 24 | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | W 52–7 | 27,717 |
| October 26 | Noon | at South Alabama | No. 21 | Ladd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AL | ESPNU | W 30–3 | 17,969 |
| October 31 | 8:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern | No. 20 | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC (rivalry) | ESPNU | L 21–24 | 18,796 |
| November 9 | 7:00 p.m. | at South Carolina* | | Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC | ESPN2 | W 20–15 | 80,849 |
| November 16 | 7:30 p.m. | at Georgia State | No. 25 | Georgia State StadiumAtlanta, GA | ESPNU | W 56–27 | 17,309 |
| November 23 | 2:30 p.m. | Texas State | No. 24 | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC | ESPN+ | W 35–13 | 22,125 |
| November 29 | 6:00 p.m. | at Troy | No. 25 | Veterans Memorial StadiumTroy, AL | ESPN+ | W 48–13 | 18,989 |
| December 7 | Noon | Louisiana | No. 21 | Kidd Brewer StadiumBoone, NC (Sun Belt Championship) | ESPN | W 45–38 | 18,618 |
| December 21 | 9:00 p.m. | vs. UAB* | No. 20 | Mercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA (New Orleans Bowl) | ESPN | W 31–17 | 21,202 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings after November 5 released prior to gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||
    Schedule Source:

## Game summaries
### East Tennessee State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| East Tennessee State | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| App State | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: August 31
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C); sunny, clear
* Game attendance: 25,147
* Referee: Kyle Olson
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
APP – Zac Thomas 1 yd run (C. Staton kick), 2:58 (APP 0–7)
Second quarter
APP – Malik Williams 6 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 6:06 (APP 0–14)
Third quarter
APP – Darrynton Evans 13 yd run (Staton kick), 11:35 (APP 0–21)
ETSU – Nate Adkins 5 yd pass from Trey Mitchell (Tyler Keltner kick), 4:35 (APP 7–21)
APP – Thomas Hennigan 31 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 0:51 (APP 7–28)
Fourth quarter
APP – Jalen Virgil 15 yd run (Staton kick), 9:34 (APP 7–35)
APP – C. Wells 17 yd pass from Jacob Huesman (Staton kick), 5:52 (APP 7–42)
Top passers
ETSU – Trey Mitchell – 12/19, 117 yards, TD
APP – Zac Thomas – 16/24, 150 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
ETSU – Quay Holmes – 19 carries, 68 yards
APP – Darrynton Evans– 14 carries, 99 yards, TD
Top receivers
ETSU – B. Richburg – 4 receptions, 77 yards
APP – Thomas Hennigan – 7 receptions, 79 yards, TD
Top defenders
ETSU – Artevius Smith – 11 tackles
APP – Desmond Franklin – 7 tackles
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 7 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss :

### Charlotte

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Charlotte | 6 | 7 | 15 | 13 | 41 |
| App State | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 56 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: September 7
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C); partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 29,182
* Referee: Jeremy Parker
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
APP – Darrynton Evans 87 yd run (C. Staton kick), 14:43 (APP 0–7)
CHL – Benny Lemay 3 yd run (Jonathan Cruz kick failed), 7:50 (APP 6–7)
APP – Thomas Hennigan 5 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 2:46 (APP 7–14)
Second quarter
CHL – Benny Lemay 58 yd run (Cruz kick), 13:16 (APP 13–14)
APP – Jalen Virgil 10 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 1:14 (APP 13–21)
APP – D'Marco Jackson 16 yd blocked punt return (C. Staton kick), 0:39 (APP 13–28)
Third quarter
CHL – Cameron Dollar 24 yd pass from Chris Reynolds (Cruz kick), 12:10 (APP 20–28)
APP – D. Evans 3 yd run (Staton kick), 8:05 (APP 20–35)
APP – Jalen Virgil 73 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 3:00 (APP 20–42)
CHL – Benny Lemay 5 yd pass from Chris Reynolds (Victor Tucker pass), 1:00 (APP 28–42)
Fourth quarter
CHL – Victor Tucker 23 yd pass from Chris Reynolds (Reynolds pass failed), 8:20 (APP 34–42)
APP – D. Evans 68 yd run (Staton kick), 7:14 (APP 34–49)
CHL – Victor Tucker 27 yd pass from Chris Reynolds (Cruz kick), 3:17 (APP 41–49)
APP – D. Evans 45 yd kickoff return (Staton kick), 3:10 (APP 41–56)
Top passers
CHL – Chris Reynolds – 20/31, 296 yards, 4 TD, INT
APP – Zac Thomas – 14/20, 182 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
CHL – Benny Lemay – 14 carries, 118 yards, 2 TD
APP – Darrynton Evans – 19 carries, 234 yards, 3 TD
Top receivers
CHL – M. Elder – 7 receptions, 119 yards
CHL – Victor Tucker – 6 receptions, 90 yards, 2 TD
APP – Jalen Virgil – 3 receptions, 86 yards, 2 TD
APP – Malik Williams – 6 receptions, 73 yards
Top defenders
CHL – Jeff Gemmell – 9 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 9 tackles, 1 sack :

### At North Carolina

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| App State | 13 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 34 |
| North Carolina | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
* Date: September 21
* Game time: 3:35 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C); Sunny
* Game attendance: 50,500
* Referee: Jason Autrey
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
UNC – Dazz Newsome 21 yd pass from Sam Howell (N. Ruggles kick), 14:43 (UNC 0–7)
APP – C. Staton 31 yd field goal, 11:06 (UNC 3–7)
APP – C. Staton 43 yd field goal, 4:42 (UNC 6–7)
APP – Demetrius Taylor 20 yd fumble recovery (Staton kick), 3:39 (APP 13–7)
Second quarter
APP – Darrynton Evans 5 yd run (Staton kick), 12:29 (APP 20–7)
UNC – N. Ruggles 25 yd field goal, 6:57 (APP 20–10)
APP – D. Evans 2 yd run (Staton kick), 2:56 (APP 27–10)
UNC – Michael Carter 11 yd pass from S. Howell (N. Ruggles kick), 0:01 (APP 27–17)
Third quarter
UNC – Carl Tucker 12 yd pass from S. Howell (N. Ruggles kick), 4:18 (APP 27–24)
APP – D. Evans 3 yd run (Staton kick), 2:11 (APP 34–24)
Fourth quarter
UNC – S. Howell 2 yd run (N. Ruggles kick), 3:01 (APP 34–31)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 20/29, 224 yards, INT
UNC – Sam Howell – 27/41, 323 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans – 19 carries, 78 yards, 3 TD
UNC – Javonte Williams – 16 carries, 94 yards
Top receivers
APP – Thomas Hennigan – 6 receptions, 90 yards
UNC – Dazz Newsome – 6 receptions, 88 yards, TD
Top defenders
APP – Jordan Fehr – 16 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 10 tackles, 1 INT
UNC – Myles Dorn – 12 tackles :

### Coastal Carolina

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Coastal Carolina | 14 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 37 |
| App State | 14 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 56 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: September 28
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C); Cloudy
* Game attendance: 25,055
* Referee: Marshall Lewis
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
CCU – F. Payton 6 yd run (M. Biscardi kick), 10:01 (CCU 7–0)
APP – D. Evans 8 yd run (C. Staton kick), 7:36 (TIED 7–7)
APP – Collin Reed 11 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 6:27 (APP 7–14)
CCU – C. J. Marable 42 yd run (M. Biscardi kick), 0:23 (TIED 14–14)
Second quarter
APP – D. Evans 1 yd run (Staton kick), 9:15 (APP 14–21)
CCU – Isaiah Likely 14 yd pass from F. Payton (Biscardi kick), 3:52 (TIED 21–21)
APP – M. Williams 1 yd run (Staton kick), 1:59 (APP 21–28)
APP – Corey Sutton 15 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 0:45 (APP 21–35)
Third quarter
APP – D. Harrington 22 yd run (Staton kick), 8:33 (APP 21–42)
CCU – Biscardi 32 yd field goal, 1:56 (APP 24–42)
CCU – F. Payton 11 yd run (Payton pass failed), 0:49 (APP 30–42)
Fourth quarter
APP – Shaun Jolly 24 yd interception (Staton kick), 11:59 (APP 30–49)
APP – M. Williams 2 yd run (Staton kick), 3:55 (APP 30–56)
CCU – J. Miller 14 yd pass from F. Payton (Biscardi kick), 0:27 (APP 37–56)
Top passers
CCU – F. Payton – 20/31, 240 yards, 2 TD, INT
APP – Zac Thomas – 19/23, 246 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
CCU – C. J. Marable – 16 carries, 95 yards, TD
APP – D. Harrington – 11 carries, 71 yards, TD
APP – Darrynton Evans – 15 carries, 60 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
CCU – Jaivon Heiligh – 6 receptions, 85 yards
APP – Thomas Hennigan – 5 receptions, 89 yards
APP – Corey Sutton – 5 receptions, 76 yards, TD
Top defenders
CCU – T. Gallagher – 10 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 8 tackles, 1 sack :

### At Louisiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| App State | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Louisiana | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA
* Date: October 9
* Game time: 8:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Temperature: 83 °F (28 °C) • Wind: S 4 mph • Weather: Clear
* Game attendance: 21,012
* Referee: Kyle Olson
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Clay Matvick (play-by-play) & Ryan Leaf (analyst)
* ESPN – App State tops ULL 17–7 in rematch of Sun Belt title game /// Box Score, Appalachian State at Louisiana /// Pregame Notes /// Postgame Notes
Game information :
First quarter
(05:05) APP TD – Zac Thomas 7-yard rush, Chandler Staton kick Drive: 7 plays, 95 yards, 2:58; Appalachian State 7–0
Second quarter
(00:08) LA TD – Nick Ralston 14-yard pass from Levi Lewis, Stevie Artigue kick Drive: 10 plays, 94 yards, 3:55; Tied 7–7
Third quarter
(05:26) APP FG – Chandler Staton 40-yard field goal Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 4:52; Appalachian State 10–7
Fourth quarter
(01:55) APP TD – Zac Thomas 7-yard rush, Chandler Staton kick Drive: 19 plays, 97 yards, 10:11; Appalachian State 17–7
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas: 11/17, 147 yards
LA – Levi Lewis: 13/24, 131 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans: 22 carries, 69 yards
LA – Elijah Mitchell: 13 carries, 68 yards
Top receivers
APP – Corey Sutton: 2 receptions, 58 yards
LA – Jarrod Jackson: 5 receptions, 68 yards
Top defenders
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither: 10 total tackles (5 solo, 5 assisted), 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks
LA – Jacques Boudreaux: 10 total tackles (3 solo, 7 assisted), 0.5 TFL, 1 PBU :

### Louisiana–Monroe

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Louisiana–Monroe | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 24 App State | 21 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 52 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: October 19
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C); Rainy
* Game attendance: 27,717
* Referee: Marshall Lewis
* TV: ESPN+
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
ULM – Kayin White 1 yd run (Jared Porter kick), 11:09 (ULM 7–0)
APP – Darrynton Evans 59 yd run (C. Staton kick), 10:28 (TIED 7–7)
APP – T. Hennigan 6 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 4:46 (APP 7–14)
APP – Z. Thomas 1 yd run (Staton kick), 1:19 (APP 7–21)
Second quarter
APP – C. Staton 27 yd field goal, 11:14 (APP 7–24)
APP – Collin Reed 1 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 1:19 (APP 7–31)
Third quarter
APP – D. Evans 15 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 9:06 (APP 7–38)
Fourth quarter
APP – M. Williams 1 yd run (Staton kick), 12:21 (APP 7–45)
APP – Jalen Virgil 56 yd pass from Jacob Huesman (Staton kick), 6:56 (APP 7–52)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 18/30, 214 yards, 3 TD, INT
ULM – Caleb Evans – 9/19, 75 yards, INT
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans – 17 carries, 136 yards, TD
ULM – Josh Johnson – 13 carries, 77 yards
Top receivers
APP – Corey Sutton – 5 receptions, 75 yards
ULM – Zach Jackson – 2 receptions, 33 yards
Top defenders
APP – Noel Cook – 8 tackles
ULM – Tyler Glass – 9 tackles :

### At South Alabama

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 21 App State | 7 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 30 |
| South Alabama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
at Ladd–Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
* Date: October 26
* Game time: 11:00 a.m. EDT
* Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C); overcast, wet
* Game attendance: 17,969
* Referee: Jeremy Parker
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
APP – T. Hennigan 19 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 7:06 (APP 7–0)
Second quarter
APP – C. Staton 19 yd field goal, 12:15 (APP 10–0)
APP – Staton 34 yd field goal, 1:09 (APP 13–0)
Third quarter
APP – M. Williams 3 yd run (Staton kick), 8:03 (APP 20–0)
APP – C. Staton 46 yd field goal, 3:45 (APP 23–0)
Fourth quarter
USA – Frankie Onate 37 yd field goal, 5:43 (APP 23–3)
APP – R. Anderson 67 yd run (Staton kick), 4:48 (APP 30–3)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 16/28, 132 yards, TD
USA – Desmond Trotter – 3/8, 43 yards
Top rushers
APP – R. Anderson – 4 carries, 99 yards, TD
USA – Tra Minter – 23 carries, 94 yards
Top receivers
APP – T. Hennigan – 6 receptions, 58 yards, TD
USA – Cade Sutherland – 1 receptions, 30 yards
Top defenders
APP – Noel Cook – 7 tackles, 1 sack
USA – Keith Gallmon – 10 tackles :

### Georgia Southern

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Georgia Southern | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 20 App State | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 8:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 40 °F (4 °C); rain, wind
* Game attendance: 18,796
* Referee: Wayne Winkler
* TV: ESPNU
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
GS – W. Kennedy III 2 yd run (Tyler Bass kick), 4:03 (GS 7–0)
Second quarter
GS – Bass 49 yd field goal, 11:45 (GS 10–0)
APP – Malik Williams 15 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 0:06 (GS 10–7)
Third quarter
GS – Kennedy III 68 yd run (Bass kick), 13:22 (GS 17–7)
GS – S. Werts 55 yd run (Bass kick), 10:35 (GS 24–7)
Fourth quarter
APP – Corey Sutton 10 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 8:22 (GS 24–14)
APP – Corey Sutton 9 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 4:47 (GS 24–21)
Top passers
GS – S. Werts – 1/4, 16 yards
APP – Zac Thomas – 25/51, 271 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
GS – W. Kennedy III – 13 carries, 145 yards, 2 TD
APP – Darrynton Evans – 17 carries, 76 yards
Top receivers
GS – M. Michaud – 1 receptions, 16 yards
APP – Malik Williams – 8 receptions, 90 yards, TD
Top defenders
GS – K. Duncan Jr. – 11 tackles
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 16 tackles, 1.5 tackle-for-loss :

### At South Carolina

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| App State | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| South Carolina | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
at Williams–Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
* Date: November 9
* Game time: 7:10 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C); clear
* Game attendance: 80,849
* Referee: Lee Hedrick
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
USC – Parker White 41 yd field goal, 8:51 (USC 0–3)
APP – C. Staton 40 yd field goal, 5:10 (TIED 3–3)
USC – White 25 yd field goal, 1:22 (USC 3–6)
Second quarter
APP – Staton 47 yd field goal, 8:29 (TIED 6–6)
APP – Nicholas Ross 20 yd interception (Staton kick), 1:51 (APP 13–6)
Third quarter
USC – White 50 yd field goal, 11:08 (APP 13–9)
APP – Zac Thomas 1 yd run (Staton kick), 7:10 (APP 20–9)
Fourth quarter
USC – Bryan Edwards 23 yd pass from Ryan Hilinski (Hilinski pass failed), 2:58 (APP 20–15)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 9/15, 105 yards, INT
USC – Ryan Hilinski – 32/57 325 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans – 23 carries, 85 yards
USC – Dakereon Joyner – 3 carries, 14 yards
Top receivers
APP – Corey Sutton – 3 receptions, 38 yards
USC – Bryan Edwards – 9 receptions, 90 yards, TD
Top defenders
APP – Jordan Fehr – 12 tackles, 1 sack
USC – Ernest Jones – 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT :

### At Georgia State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 25 App State | 14 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 56 |
| Georgia State | 21 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 27 |
at Georgia State Stadium, Atlanta, GA
* Date: November 16
* Game time: 7:32 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C); clear
* Game attendance: 17,908
* Referee: Jason Autry
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
GSU – Devin Gentry 4 yd pass from Dan Ellington (Brandon Wright kick), 8:20 (GSU 0–7)
APP – Corey Sutton 12 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 5:13 (TIED 7–7)
GSU – Destin Coates 67 yd run (Wright kick), 2:21 (GSU 7–14)
GSU – Chris Bacon 34 yd interception (Wright kick), 1:38 (GSU 7–21)
APP – Corey Sutton 20 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 0:09 (GSU 14–21)
Second quarter
APP – Z. Thomas 3 yd run (Staton kick), 6:20 (TIED 21–21)
APP – Shaun Jolly 30 yd interception (Staton kick), 2:18 (APP 28–21)
APP – Darrynton Evans 1 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 0:22 (APP 35–21)
Third quarter
APP – D. Evans 29 yd run (Staton kick), 5:58 (APP 42–21)
Fourth quarter
APP – Corey Sutton 24 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 14:55 (APP 49–21)
APP – R. Anderson 5 yd run (Staton kick), 11:04 (APP 56–21)
GSU – Tucker Gregg 20 yd run (Barry Brown kick failed), 5:35 (APP 56–27)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 19/31, 256 yards, 4 TD, INT
GSU – Dan Ellington – 12/27 88 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans – 18 carries, 131 yards, TD
GSU – Destin Coates – 7 carries, 97 yards, TD
Top receivers
APP – Corey Sutton – 8 receptions, 173 yards, 3 TD
GSU – Devin Gentry – 4 receptions, 32 yards, TD
Top defenders
APP – Jordan Fehr – 10 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss
GSU – Jaylon Jones – 8 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss :

### Texas State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Texas State | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| No. 24 App State | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, North Carolina
* Date: November 23
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C); rain and cold
* Game attendance: 22,125
* Referee: Kyle Olson
* TV: ESPN+
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
APP – Corey Sutton 45 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 7:09 (APP 0–7)
Second quarter
TXST – Joshua Rowland 48 yd field goal, 12:43 (APP 3–7)
APP – K. Wilson 19 yd pass from Zac Thomas (Staton kick), 1:00 (APP 3–14)
TXST – Javen Banks 53 yd pass from Tyler Vitt (Rowland kick), 0:03 (APP 10–14)
Third quarter
TXST – Joshua Rowland 48 yd field goal, 9:05 (APP 13–14)
APP – Darrynton Evans 13 yd run (Staton kick), 5:32 (APP 13–21)
APP – D. Evans 10 yd run (Staton kick), 0:00 (APP 13–28)
Fourth quarter
APP – D. Evans 13 yd run (Staton kick), 6:26 (APP 13–35)
Top passers
TXST – Tyler Vitt – 18/34, 154 yards, TD, INT
APP – Zac Thomas – 8/16, 174 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
TXST – Robert Brown Jr – 8 carries, 35 yards
APP – Darrynton Evans – 21 carries, 154 yards, 3 TD
Top receivers
TXST – Javen Banks – 5 receptions, 82 yards, TD
APP – Thomas Hennigan – 2 receptions, 70 yards
Top defenders
TXST – Nikolas Daniels – 11 tackles, 0.5 tackle-for-loss
APP – Josh Thomas – 7 tackles, 1 tackle-for-loss :

### At Troy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 25 App State | 20 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 48 |
| Troy | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
at Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy, AL
* Date: November 30
* Game time: 5:05 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C); clear
* Game attendance: 18,989
* Referee: Marshall Lewis
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
TROY – Tyler Sumpter 26 yd field goal, 12:01 (TROY 0–3)
APP – Jalen Virgil 44 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick failed), 10:10 (APP 6–3)
APP – Darrynton Evans 52 yd run (Staton kick), 6:25 (APP 13–3)
APP – Zac Thomas 5 yd run (Staton kick), 5:37 (APP 20–3)
TROY – DK Billingsley 1 yd run (Sumpter kick), 1:13 (APP 20–10)
Second quarter
APP – Malik Williams 8 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 12:40 (APP 27–10)
APP – D. Evans 9 yd run (Staton kick), 8:49 (APP 34–10)
TROY – T. Sumpter 39 yd field goal, 5:33 (APP 34–13)
Third quarter
APP – M. Williams 6 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 9:14 (APP 41–13)
Fourth quarter
APP – D. Evans 25 yd pass from Zac Thomas (C. Staton kick), 14:54 (APP 48–13)
Top passers
APP – Zac Thomas – 28/34, 326 yards, 4 TD, INT
TROY – Kaleb Barker – 24/41 281 yards, INT
Top rushers
APP – Darrynton Evans – 13 carries, 82 yards, 2 TD
TROY – Jamontez Woods – 4 carries, 22 yards
Top receivers
APP – Thomas Hennigan – 11 receptions, 140 yards
TROY – Reggie Todd – 5 receptions, 82 yards
Top defenders
APP – Nick Hampton – 8 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss, sack
TROY – Carlton Martial – 13 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss :

### Sun Belt Championship Game

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Louisiana | 7 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
| No. 21 App State | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 45 |
at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, NC
* Date: December 7
* Game time: Noon EST
* Game weather: Sunny and Clear • Temperature: 45 °F (7 °C) • Wind: Light
* Game attendance: 18,618
* Referee: Jason Autrey
* TV announcers (ESPN): Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst), Quint Kessenich (sideline)
Game information :
First quarter
APP – Darrynton Evans 58-yard pass from Zac Thomas (Chandler Staton kick), 13:02 (APP 7–0)
APP – Darrynton Evans 8-yard rush (Chandler Staton kick), 9:38 (APP 14–0)
APP – Darrynton Evans 5-yard pass from Zac Thomas (Chandler Staton kick), 1:43 (APP 21–0)
LA – Peter LeBlanc 37-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Stevie Artigue kick), 0:25 (APP 21–7)
Second quarter
APP – Marc Williams 29-yard rush (Chandler Staton kick), 13:27 (APP 28–7)
LA – Elijah Mitchell 1-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Stevie Artigue kick), 8:13 (APP 28–14)
APP – Daetrich Harrington 25-yard rush (Chandler Staton kick), 4:13 (APP 35–14)
LA – Stevie Artigue 53-yard field goal, 0:03 (APP 35–17)
Third quarter
APP – Josh Thomas 16-yard interception returned (Chandler Staton kick), 5:57 (APP 42–17)
LA – Ja'Marcus Bradley 2-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Stevie Artigue kick), 2:41 (APP 42–24)
Fourth quarter
APP – Chandler Staton 35-yard field goal, 8:12 (APP 45–24)
LA – Elijah Mitchell 1-yard rush (Stevie Artigue kick), 4:18 (APP 45–31)
LA – Peter LeBlanc 38-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Stevie Artigue kick), 1:19 (APP 45–38)
Top passers
LA – Levi Lewis – 24/46, 354 yards, 4 TD, INT
APP – Zac Thomas – 9/17, 149 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
LA – Elijah Mitchell – 18 carries, 85 yards, TD
APP – Daetrich Harrington – 9 carries, 89 yards, TD
Top receivers
LA – Peter LeBlanc – 3 receptions, 118 yards, 2 TD
APP – Darrynton Evans – 2 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD
Top defenders
LA – Jacq Boudreaux – 13 tackles
APP – Akeem Davis-Gaither – 10 tackles, 0.5 tackle-for-loss :

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| AP | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 21 | 20 | RV | RV | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 21 | 19 | RV | 24 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | 25 | 24 | 25 | 21 | 20 | Not released |

## Players drafted into the NFL

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
| 3 | 93 | Darrynton Evans | RB | Tennessee Titans |
| 4 | 107 | Akeem Davis-Gaither | OLB | Cincinnati Bengals |