BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State and Georgia Southern renew their rivalry for the 31st time on Thursday night at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Ga. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET – Paulson Stadium – Statesboro, Ga.
TV: ESPNU (Dave LaMont Stewart - PxP, Rocky Boiman - Analyst)
Appalachian Sports Network: LISTEN LIVE (Adam Witten - PxP, Pierre Banks - Analyst, Karl Anderson - Sidelines)
Both teams enjoyed similar success in 2015 with one caccomplishment eluding them both in their first bowl eligible season at the FBS level: A Sun Belt title. Thursday night's winner will take a big step toward that goal.
Appalachian State (5-2, 3-0 Sun Belt) becomes bowl eligible with a win, but has much loftier goals still unbeaten in conference play. Georgia Southern (4-3, 3-1) needs a win avoid falling two games back of App and Troy, who both teams face in November.
After getting banged up in a rugged non-conference slate that may have featured four bowl teams by the time season wraps up, the Mountaineers have spent October getting healthy and riding a stingy defense to perfect start three games into Sun Belt play.
With the homestretch of the season and the toughest Sun Belt test to-date in the way of the Apps, Thursday night is the perfect time for the Mountaineers to be as healthy as they have been since September.
“Overall, this is probably the healthiest we've been in five weeks,” App Head Coach Scott Satterfield said. “Finally getting a lot of these guys back and they'll be ready to go on Thursday night.”
The Mountaineers scored on their first two possessions last week and first four at UL Lafayette. Getting the passing game early has been key. Junior wide receiver Shaedon Meadors has emerged as quarterback Taylor Lamb's top target with 16 catches for 267 yards over the last three games. Meadors, who had a 56-yard reception on the Apps' first play at ULL, has also drawn a pass interference penalty in four straight games. Meadors – and a balanced offensive attack – will be key Thursday night.
“We've got to get in some formations and hit our passes early like we did last week,” Satterfield said. “They're going to stack up against the run like most teams do. I thought our receivers played their best game last week and we've got to continue the momentum we had throwing the football.”
The defense has also been a big part of App getting off to fast starts. The Mountaineer D has allowed one first half touchdown in their last five Sun Belt games dating back to last season. Idaho was the first App opponent to score a TD in conference play, but did so with :04 seconds remaining in a three-TD game. The App D had already scored itself in the win on Clifton Duck's 44-yard interception return in the third to break the game open.
App is seventh nationally with 12 interceptions and Duck is third with four in his first season, but they've been the beneficiaries at time of a swarming front seven. The Mountaineers have nine sacks and 16 tackles for loss in the last two games.
Georgia Southern's spread option attack presents a number of problems for the Apps. Quarterback Kevin Ellison had 101 yards passing and two TDs to go with 117 yards rushing in the Eagles' win at New Mexico State last weekend, 22-19. Freshman Seth Shuman also saw time at quarterback and senior Favian Upshaw missed Saturday's win but played significantly in the loss at Georgia Tech two weeks ago. Preparing for three different quarterbacks with the skill players the Eagles have on offense, have forced Satterfield and the App defense to game plan for three different QBs.
“It's a little bit hard to prepare,” Satterfield said. “A new quarterback (Shuman) came in last week as well, they threw the football a little bit more. We know they've got some guys that can run, they've got a stable of running backs that can fly. The receivers have shown they can make plays this year catching short passes and taking it to the house. They have great team speed and our defense will have their hands full containing their playmakers.”
In a close game, placekicker Michael Rubino's streak of five consecutive made field goals might be a confidence boost. The freshman was 3-for-3 against Idaho last week and is perfect (7/7) from inside 40 yards this season.
-App State-
