College Football Playoff Rankings 2019: Projected Top 25, Week 14 – Utah sneaks in
By Zach Bigalke
Appalachian State kept themselves in the College Football Playoff selection committee rankings and in the picture for the Group of Five’s automatic spot in a New Year’s Six bowl as they took down Texas State 35-13 for their 10th win of the season. They won’t move up much in the Top 25 this week, but they will remain on the margins of the race for that trip to the Cotton Bowl after defeating the Bobcats.
The Mountaineers defense held Texas State to 208 total yards of offense, proving effective against both the run and the pass. Zac Thomas was just 8-of-16 throwing the ball, but he tossed two touchdown passes and finished with 174 yards through the air. Darrynton Evans ran for 154 yards and three scores, and he even completed a 14-yard pass on a trick play to keep the Bobcats on their toes.
Appalachian State cannot rest on their laurels, with a trip to Troy looming on Black Friday. The Mountaineers must defeat the Trojans on the road right after Thanksgiving to ensure a spot in the Sun Belt championship game, as a loss would allow Georgia Southern to sneak in and steal the division thanks to that head-to-head upset in Boone on Halloween that stands between App State and an undefeated campaign.