BOONE, NC -
The Appalachian State Mountaineers fell short in a nail-biting contest against the South Alabama Jaguars, losing 28-25 at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Despite a valiant effort and several key plays, the Mountaineers couldn’t overcome a few costly mistakes and a relentless Jaguars offense that capitalized on their opportunities.
The game began on a promising note for Appalachian State when Joey Aguilar connected with Kanye Roberts on a 40-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter, putting the Mountaineers on the board with a 7-0 lead. However, South Alabama quickly responded, as Gio Lopez capped off a drive with a 5-yard touchdown run in the final seconds of the quarter to tie the game at 7-7.
The second quarter saw the Jaguars take control of the game. With just over four minutes remaining in the half, Lopez found Javon Ivory for a 61-yard touchdown pass, giving South Alabama a 14-7 advantage. The Jaguars struck again less than two minutes later when Jamaal Pritchett hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Lopez, extending the lead to 21-7. Appalachian State managed to salvage some momentum before halftime with a 19-yard field goal by Michael Hughes as the clock expired, narrowing the deficit to 21-10.
In the third quarter, the Mountaineers showed signs of life. Anderson Castle broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run, pulling Appalachian State within four points at 21-17. The Mountaineers' defense also tightened up, keeping the Jaguars off the scoreboard for the entire quarter.
However, South Alabama once again asserted their dominance early in the fourth quarter. Braylon McRenolds' 7-yard touchdown run pushed the Jaguars’ lead to 28-17 with just over four minutes remaining. Refusing to go down without a fight, the Mountaineers engineered a late drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Kanye Roberts. A successful two-point conversion by Kaedin Robinson brought Appalachian State within three points at 28-25 with just under two minutes left in the game.
Despite their best efforts, the Mountaineers were unable to stop South Alabama after the ensuing kickoff, and the Jaguars ran out the clock to seal the victory.
Joey Aguilar led Appalachian State’s offense, completing 17 of 25 passes for 264 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Aguilar’s top target was Christan Horn, who recorded 96 yards on four receptions. On the ground, Anderson Castle led the rushing attack with 87 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, while Kanye Roberts contributed 51 yards and a score.
Defensively, the Mountaineers were anchored by Jordan Favors, who recorded seven tackles and a sack, while Thomas Davis and Brendan Harrington each added three tackles for loss. Despite their efforts, the defense struggled to contain South Alabama’s explosive plays, particularly in the second quarter. A missed FG in the first quarter, a missed scoop and score in the first quarter, and a pass that should have gone to the corner of the endzone floated closer to the post as USA was able to capitalize on the uncharacteristic turnovers by Aguilar in this one.
The loss drops Appalachian State to 3-1 on the season, as they look to regroup before heading deeper into conference play. The Mountaineers showed resilience and flashes of brilliance, but ultimately, missed opportunities and turnovers proved to be their downfall against a formidable South Alabama squad. The team will need to clean up their mistakes and find a way to put together a complete game as they move forward in the season.
QUARTER 1
(APP) Kanye Roberts 40 Yd pass from Joey Aguilar (Michael Hughes kick), 1:26
(USA) Gio Lopez, 5 Yd run (Laith Marjan kick), 0:10
QUARTER 2
(USA) Javon Ivory 61 Yd pass from Gio Lopez (Laith Marjan kick), 4:09
(USA) Jamaal Pritchett 16 Yd pass from Gio Lopez (Laith Marjan kick), 2:03
(APP) Michael Hughes, 19 Yd FG, 0:00
QUARTER 3
(APP) Anderson Castle, 48 Yd run (Michael Hughes kick), 2:23
QUARTER 4
(USA) Braylon McRenolds, 7 Yd run (Laith Marjan kick), 4:14
(APP) Kanye Roberts, 1 Yd run Kaedin Robinson (2pt), 1:57
The Jaguars won in nail biting fashion to open up conference play. After taking an early lead, USA managed to hold on. Consistent running and sound tackling proved to serve the Jaguars what they needed to claim victory!
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