BOONE, N.C. — Welcome (back) to The Rock.
Done with a three-game road swing, Appalachian State will play its first home game in nearly a month with a lot on the line. If the Mountaineers (7-2, 5-1) defeat Georgia State (2-8, 1-5) on Black Saturday in Kidd Brewer Stadium, they would be in position to host the inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship Game with a home win against Troy in the Nov. 24 regular season finale.
App State is moving forward from a trip to Texas State and a 38-7 victory that kept it in contention for a third straight conference title. Preparing for a Georgia State team that has followed a 46-14 rout of ULM with five consecutive league losses, App State has allowed single-digit points in six of its last eight games. That run includes a 23-7 victory in which Coastal Carolina's only points came on a defensive touchdown.
The second-half shutouts at Coastal Carolina and Texas State have contributed to the fact that App State has allowed only 14 second-half points in its seven victories this season. Georgia State, coached by former App State player and assistant Shawn Elliott, will arrive in Boone with a team that averages 25.6 points per game and 394.5 total yards, including an improved 176.6 on the ground.
The Panthers played last week without starting quarterback Dan Ellington because of an injury, and Aaron Winchester filled in during a 36-22 loss at Louisiana. Georgia State trailed 14-13 going into the fourth quarter, and Tra Barnett accounted for 82 of the team's 252 rushing yards. Demarcus Kirk added 79 yards on nine carries, and the Panthers' offense has a dangerous threat in the passing game with Penny Hart, who has 2,891 career receiving yards.
With linebackers
Akeem Davis-Gaither,
Anthony Flory,
Jordan Fehr and
Noel Cook leading the team in tackles, App State is allowing just 123.2 rushing yards per game and 3.3 yards per rushing attempt. It has held five opponents to less than 100 rushing yards.
"They've been scoring points, so defensively, we have to be very sound with where we're at and really try to contain that running game," said App State head coach
Scott Satterfield, who has been close with Elliott since they met at a Yadkin County truck stop on Aug. 3, 1991 — they day they both traveled to Boone to move in as Appalachian freshmen.
The Mountaineers were effective in forcing turnovers last weekend, as Cook intercepted a pass thanks to
Chris Willis' QB pressure and
Austin Exford came away with one of the team's two fumble recoveries.
MyQuon Stout had the other to go with two QB pressures.
Offensively,
Zac Thomas played well in his return at quarterback, while the offensive line helped pave the way for 221 rushing yards.
Darrynton Evans ran through a hole created by left guard
Ryan Neuzil and left tackle
Victor Johnson on a 79-yard touchdown, and center
Noah Hannon worked wide to the left to block for true freshman
Camerun Peoples on his first career touchdown run.
The Mountaineers will be working against a Georgia State defense that is allowing 36.9 points and 496.9 yards per game, including 250.8 yards on the ground. The Panthers use a 3-4 scheme that coordinator Nate Fuqua learned while working with former App State defensive coordinator Nate Woody at Wofford.
In all, Georgia State has 21 true freshmen or redshirt freshmen on their offensive and defensive depth charts.
"It's a very similar defense, and they have some youth, particularly in the secondary and up front," Satterfield said. "They've been in a lot of football games, and what they did against Monroe was very impressive, so we have to come out offensively and play our best ball, take care of the ball and score touchdowns when we get into the red zone."
