App State football makes statement in New Year’s Six race in Week 9
By Zach Bigalke
App State football made noise not just in the Sun Belt but in the Group of Five race. The Mountaineers delivered in a blowout on the road at South Alabama.
Appalachian State was one of just 10 undefeated teams still remaining as Week 9 action began on Saturday afternoon against South Alabama at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. By the end of the game, the Mountaineers ensured their spot among those increasingly rarefied ranks for at least one more week in a standout 30-3 victory on the road to improve to 7-0 entering the final month of the regular season
Tra Minter was able to find some running lanes late in the half, but the Jaguars still finished with only 19 net rushing yards in the first two quarters of play. Running the ball 15 times against the Mountaineers, South Alabama gained only 1.3 yards per carry as a team. Minter proved just about the only offense available to the Jaguars, as he accounted for 159 all-purpose yards by the end of the game.
That includes 63 return yards on three kickoffs and a punt, meaning that Minter accounted for more than two-thirds of South Alabama’s total yards of offense. Backup quarterback Desmond Trotter went 3-of-8 for 43 yards after he came in to replace Cephus Johnson, showing some spark for the Jaguars after they lost any hope with the starter taking the snaps.
In the first half, Johnson was allowed to throw the ball just 10 times. On one of those plays, Johnson took a sack. On the other eight tries, Johnson went just 2-of-8 for four passing yards. He also had a fumble on a botched handoff that set up Appalachian State for a short field goal. By the end of the contest, Johnson finished 3-of-11 for nine yards and the one turnover.
Appalachian State continued a tradition of being one of the best blocking units on special teams across the entire country. The Mountaineers tipped a field-goal attempt early in the fourth quarter that would have ended the shutout by the defense. Getting through the line, the Jaguars missed one of their best chances at putting points on the scoreboard for their home fans on Saturday afternoon in Mobile.
Eventually the Jaguars did get a 37-yard field goal from Frankie Onate with six minutes remaining in the contest to ruin Appalachian State’s shutout bid. But that was a rare bright spot on a day when few things went right for the home team as the Mountaineers exerted their will in all phases of the game, posting 471 yards of offense and allowing only 139 yards by the Jaguars.
Darrynton Evans carried the ball 19 times, though he only managed to gain 46 yards for the effort. Instead, it was Raykwon Anderson that led the way with 99 rushing yards and a touchdown on just four carries. Right behind was Marcus Williams Jr., who carries 11 times for 94 yards and a score on the ground. Zac Thomas was a respectable 16-of-28 for 132 yards and a touchdown passing the ball, and he added 42 rushing yards on a half-dozen carries.
Next. Group of Five Power Rankings entering Week 9. dark
With the victory, Appalachian State remained one of only two undefeated teams still standing in the Group of Five ranks heading into November. They left nothing to chance in Mobile, locking down a top-20 spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time in school history entering the final month of the regular season and a clear path to a 13-0 Sun Belt championship run.