BOONE, N.C. – Four interceptions highlighted a stout defensive effort by Appalachian State and powered the Mountaineers to a 17-3 win over Georgia State on Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
App State (3-2, 1-0 SBC) picked off Georgia State's Conner Manning four times while limiting the Panthers (0-4, 0-1 SBC) to 241 total yards.
It was a defensive battle in the first half as both teams went scoreless going into the locker room. The Mountaineers found a way to manufacture enough offense in the second half to give the defense some room for error and get App State their 14th Sun Belt win in their last 15 conference games.
Running back Jalin Moore broke loose on a 45-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the second half to grab a 7-0 lead. The Mountaineers scored 10 of their 17 points in the fourth quarter, with a career-long 42-yard field goal from Michael Rubino and quarterback Taylor Lamb's 12-yard touchdown pass to Shaedon Maedors with 3:16 remaining put the game out of reach.
Moore rushed for 149 yards on 28 carries in his second-straight start, and Lamb finished 13-for-25 with a touchdown. Meadors brought in three catches for 43 yards and a score.
Linebacker Eric Boggs led the team with a team-high 10 tackles and an interception. Cornerback Mondo Williams, safety Alex Gray, and Brandon Pinckney – on the game's final play – all had interceptions. Devan Stringer and John Law had eight tackles apiece and helped App hold Georgia State out of the red zone the entire afternoon.
Appalachian is now 3-0 against Georgia State all-time, outscoring the Panthers in the series, 98-6. App found itself in a 0-0 tie at the half for the first time since 1995, when the Mountaineers and Marshall were scoreless at the break.
App State will have the week off before heading to Lafayette on Wednesday, Oct. 12 for a 8 p.m. ET kick against UL Lafayette on ESPN2.
-App State-
