Postgame Notes From App State's Win Vs. Arkansas State

POSTGAME NOTES
 
DEFENSE
 
App State has given up single-digit points in four straight games for the first time since 1998. That year, the Mountaineers had four in a row with, in order, a 31-6 win against Wofford, a 28-7 win against Chattanooga, a 51-0 win against VMI and a 19-0 win against Eastern Kentucky.
 
App State is 14-2 in its last 16 conference road games and 29-3 in its last 32 conference games.
 
At 40-10 in its last 50 games, App State joins Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Wisconsin as the only programs with at least 40 wins in their last 50 games.
 
A 38-9 loss at Auburn in 2013 was the last time Arkansas State was held without a touchdown, and the last time that happened in a home game was a 27-0 loss to Troy in 2007.
 
The Mountaineers have forced three-and-outs on 32 of their 69 defensive possessions this year. They rank No. 2 nationally in both three-and-outs per game (6.4) and percentage of drives with a three-and-out (46.4).
 
With three interceptions, App State has 63 since the start of the 2015 season, putting the Mountaineers in third place behind San Diego State (68) and Alabama (65).
 
Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jordan Fehr both set career highs with 14 tackles, as Davis-Gaither beat his previous high of 10 from last season against ULM and Fehr topped his previous high of nine from this year's opener at Penn State.
 
Senior safety Austin Exford came up with his first career interception during the second half.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Austin Exford also excelled on special teams, making stops for a 5-yard loss on a punt return, no gain on a punt return and a kickoff return to the Arkansas State 16.
 
Redshirt freshman Clayton Howell had a career-long punt of 62 yards to flip the field, as he kicked out of his own end zone on a fourth-down snap from the App State 9 and had his punt downed at the Arkansas State 29.
 
OFFENSE
 
App State scored at least 30 points for the eighth straight game. The only FBS team with a longer streak is UCF at 18.
 
Darrynton Evans rushed for a career-high 115 yards, beating his previous high of 61 yards. App State already has had 100-yard rushing games from Evans, Jalin Moore and D'Andre Hicks this season.
 
With Zac Thomas scoring on a 62-yard keeper, App State has had a rushing touchdown of at least 50 yards in three straight games. Thomas had a 54-yard touchdown run against South Alabama, and there were touchdown runs of 73 yards by D'Andre Hicks and 81 yards by Jalin Moore against Gardner-Webb.
 
True freshman tight end Henry Pearson made his first career start as part of a set with two tight ends, and he had a first-half catch for 17 yards.