Appalachian State University football participates in its first NCAA bowl game when it battles Ohio in the 2015 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. ET at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
TV
The Raycom Media Camellia Bowl will be televised live on ESPN. Dave Neal (play-by-play), Anthony Becht (analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline reporter) call the action for the nationally televised contest.
The ESPN broadcast can also be seen live at WatchESPN.com and on the WatchESPN app.
RADIO
Saturday's game can be heard across North Carolina on the 17-station Appalachian IMG Sports Network (click HERE for a list of network affiliates). Coverage begins on the Appalachian IMG Sports Network with Pigskin Prelude at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Additionally, the game can be heard nationwide on ESPN Radio (Marc Kestecher - play-by-play; Cole Cubelic - analyst; Dawn Davenport - sideline reporter). Check local listings for availability.
PREVIEWING THE CAMELLIA BOWL MATCHUP
• Of the 27 teams that have made the transition from FCS/Division I-AA to FBS/Division I-A, Appalachian State is one of only four to make a bowl appearance in its first season of full-fledged FBS/I-A eligibility, joining Nevada (1992), Marshall (1997) and Sun Belt Conference rival Georgia Southern (2015).
• With a victory over Ohio, Appalachian would become the first to win a bowl game in its initial season of full-fledged FBS/I-A membership. Nevada lost the 1992 Las Vegas Bowl (35-34 to Bowling Green) and Marshall lost the 1997 Motor City Bowl (34-31 to Ole Miss). Georgia Southern plays Bowling Green in the GoDaddy Bowl on Dec. 23.
• A victory would also make App State (10-2, 7-1 Sun Belt) the first program to ever win 11 games in its first season after completing the transition from NCAA Division I FCS to FBS. Marshall finished 10-3 in 1997.
• The Mountaineers would also set a new Sun Belt Conference single-season record with 11 wins.
• While playing in its first NCAA bowl game, Appalachian State is no stranger to postseason football. The Mountaineers own a 28-23 record in 51 all-time postseason games.
• Most notably, App State was 24-17 in 20 appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs from 1986-2012. The Mountaineers won three-straight I-AA/FCS national championships from 2005-07.
• Appalachian also appeared in 10 bowl games at NAIA level from 1931-55. The Mountaineers are 4-6 in bowl games.
• Despite its postseason success, Appalachian State rides a three-game postseason losing streak into Saturday's Camellia Bowl. The Mountaineers' last postseason triumph was a 42-14 win over Western Illinois in the second round of the 2010 FCS playoffs (Dec. 4, 2010).
• Appalachian State is ranked among the nation's top 30 in 21 different statistical categories, including scoring, rushing, passing and total defense and scoring, rushing, pass-efficiency and total offense.
• Ohio (8-4, 5-3 MAC) finished second in the MAC East Division this season. The Bobcats own an impressive non-conference victory over Marshall (21-10 on Sept. 12) and won their final three games of the regular season, culminating with a 26-21 triumph at MAC West Division champion Northern Illinois on Nov. 24.
• The Mountaineers are squaring off against a member of the Mid-American Conference for the first time since a 50-17 loss at No. 19 Marshall (now a member of Conference USA) on Aug. 31, 2002.
For all of the information on Saturday's matchup, including links to live video, audio and stats, both teams' rosters, depth charts, game notes and much more, click HERE to visit appstatesports.com's official Gameday Central page.
