BOONE, N.C. — Hat tricks by pass-hungry defenders
Tae Hayes and
Clifton Duck coincided with a timely aerial contribution from an unlikely source.
Appalachian State's defense set a school record with six interceptions, including a record-tying three apiece from its two starting cornerbacks, and true freshman wide receiver
Malik Williams threw the tiebreaking touchdown on a trick play with 5:45 remaining in the Mountaineers' 45-31 homecoming victory against New Mexico State on Saturday.
App State (3-2, 2-0 Sun Belt) trailed twice in the fourth quarter and overcame a fourth-quarter deficit in a victory at Kidd Brewer Stadium for the first time since its 31-29 win against UL Monroe in 2014.
"Guys finished in the fourth quarter, and you have got to be able to win games like this in the fourth quarter," App State head coach
Scott Satterfield said. "Obviously, it was a lot closer than we wanted it and we didn't play well in spurts throughout the game, but we hung in there and our defense kept us in the game with the interceptions."
Williams, a high school quarterback, connected with true freshman
Thomas Hennigan on a 27-yard score that pushed App State ahead 38-31. A fourth-down stop by linebacker
Eric Boggs preceded a 56-yard touchdown run from
Jalin Moore, who finished with 241 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and Duck's final interception with 1:16 left sealed the outcome.
The Mountaineers' previous record for interceptions in a game was five, set against Elon in 1968 and Mississippi College in 1991. Hayes and Duck tied Mark LeGree (2008 against Wofford) and Larry McKenzie (1973 against Davidson) for the most single-game picks in school history.
"We always try to bring out the best in each other," Duck said. "We always look for each other to make plays because we can only control what the people in our room can control. Watching film, we knew they were going to throw it a lot, having a high-powered passing offense. All week we just challenged each other on who could get interceptions and who could make those plays when the opportunity comes."
"We knew we were going to get good opportunities to come out here and make plays," Hayes added. "We knew we had to make the best of them. Every day we always get on each other — we don't like PBUs. We needed to get some picks. We don't need any PBUs. So we go at it and get after each other every day, and that's what we did today."
Moore is currently the only active FBS back with three games of at least 240 rushing yards, as he gained 244 at Idaho in 2015 and a career-high 257 at Akron last season.
Terrence Upshaw added two touchdown runs, including a tying effort midway through the fourth quarter, as App State scored 31 points off the first five turnovers by New Mexico State (2-4, 0-2). The interceptions came from a short-handed secondary that had free safety
Desmond Franklin making his second straight start in place of an injured
Josh Thomas and strong safety
Austin Exford playing extensively over the final three quarters following the departure of senior starter
A.J. Howard.
Seventy-three seconds after the Mountaineers tied the game thanks to quarterback
Taylor Lamb's 38-yard touchdown run with 10:31 remaining in the game, New Mexico State quarterback Tyler Rogers threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Jason Huntley.
Moore's 41-yard carry started a drive that ended with Upshaw's 10-yard touchdown run with 7:13 left, and Duck's 39-yard interception return to the Aggies' 29 set up the go-ahead score.
Lamb looked right and fired a behind-the-line lateral to Williams, who played three years of quarterback at Chester (S.C.) High School. He hit Hennigan in stride in the end zone, allowing the Mountaineers to break a 31-all tie on a connection between two true freshmen.
"It was something that we've just been working on," Williams said. "We just knew it was the right time to run it. We just hoped that it worked out."
The Aggies moved downfield before facing a fourth-and-6 scenario from the App State 26, and Boggs tripped up Huntley as he sprinted toward the first-down marker following a short pass. An official review overturned the on-field call of a first down and ruled Huntley short of the marker.
Moore's long touchdown with 2:12 left gave App State some breathing room and capped a strong performance for the preseason offensive player of the year in the Sun Belt.
"We got our running game back today," Satterfield said. "I think Jalin had the breakout game today we've been waiting on, and that's good to see."
