Coastal Carolina Football: 3 takeaways from win over App State

Coastal Carolina football and the Appalachian State Mountaineers played a nail-biter in Conway on Saturday afternoon. What’d we learn?

“The Sun Belt goest through Boone.” That is what the narrative was for the last four years. Appalachian State has won two outright titles and a share of two other conference titles. However, this season looks like the Sun Belt is going through Conway as the Chanticleers defeated the Mountaineers  34-23.

This game was a close back and forth throughout. It was the two best defenses in the conference that held most of this game. However, App State running back Camerun Peoples had a career day running for 178 yards and a touchdown. This game was a tale of two halves.

The Mountaineers were leading 17-9 at the half, but the Chanticleers won the second half outscoring App State 25-6. The difference between the first and the second half were turnovers. Quarterback Zac Smith threw three interceptions, his third was a pick-six late in the fourth quarter that sealed the game.

The win puts the Chanticleers alone in first place in the Sun Belt. Here are three takeaways from today’s game.

3. It’s about the little things

This game was close to being a last one who has the ball game. Games that are as tight as these games come down to a play or two. This game was no different. In the fourth quarter, Grayson McCall almost cost his team an opportunity to win the game with a goal line fumble.

Fortunately for McCall, his counterpart Zac Thomas threw an interception to give the Chanticleers the ball back.

The Mountaineers had eight penalties including a costly facemask on the go-ahead drive. Appalachian State committed a costly pass interference penalty when a drive was stalled. Coastal Carolina went on to score on that drive. Despite out-gaining Coastal and winning the time of possession, the costly mistakes cost App State the game.