New Orleans Bowl 2018: Appalachian State downs Middle Tennessee

2. Trickery allows Appalachian State to open up first-half lead

Bowl games always offer the opportunity for programs to completely open up the playbook and try out plays that would otherwise not get called into a game over the course of the season. Anything left to muster up confusion for the opponent is tested out, perhaps to be stored away for use the following year.

Appalachian State took full advantage of that opportunity, as sophomore wide receiver Malik Williams pipped Zac Thomas as the passing star for the Mountaineers at the New Orleans Bowl. Williams attempted two passes in the first half, completing both throws for a pair of touchdowns.

The sophomore found Thomas Hennigan for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 10 minutes remaining before halftime. Then, on the ensuing drive, they gave the ball to Williams to throw again with just under seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. This time he found quarterback Zac Thomas for an eight-yard scoring strike, as the two young men reversed roles on the football field.

Those two strikes opened up what had previously been a defensive slog between the two sides and allowed the Mountaineers to open up a lead they extended to three scores before the intermission.