POSTGAME NOTES
App State is the only FBS program with no losses or ties in at least four bowl appearances, and it has accomplished that feat in just four postseason-eligible seasons. It won the Dollar General Bowl in 2017 following back-to-back Camellia Bowl wins in 2016 and 2015.
Thanks to a 34-0 shutout of Toledo in 2017 and a 45-13 win against Middle Tennessee, App State has outscored its last two bowl opponents 79-13.
The Mountaineers are 47-11 in their last 58 games. They won the last six games of their FBS debut in 2014 before going 11-2 in 2015, 10-3 in 2016, 9-4 in 2017 and 11-2 this season.
App State's 41 wins in the last four seasons lead Group of Five programs and is tied for sixth place nationally, topped only by Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Georgia.
App State had five touchdown passes Saturday and allowed just eight all season.
App State finished with season with 37 offensive plays of at least 30 yards and only 10 plays of at least 30 yards allowed. The Mountaineers allowed just one play of at least 50 yards — a 57-yard gain by Georgia Southern.
Of the 22 starters for App State on offense and defense Saturday, only one offensive starter and three defensive starters were seniors.
DEFENSE
App State didn't allow 20 points in any of its 11 wins this season. Discarding a non-offensive touchdown by Coastal Carolina, Appalachian's defense allowed an average of 10.5 points in the team's victories.
With 73 interceptions in the last four seasons, App State ranks first nationally, one ahead of San Diego State's 72.
Josh Thomas and
Tae Hayes intercepted passes Saturday.
Senior defensive end
Okon Godwin recorded career highs of 2.5 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss in his final college game. His previous single-game highs were one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Outside linebacker
Akeem Davis-Gaither had a team-high 10 tackles to give him 105 for the season.
True freshman defender
Hansky Paillant made his App State debut in the fourth quarter.
OFFENSE
App State lost only five fumbles all season, and its running backs didn't fumble a single time in 417 rushing attempts that gained 2,533 yards. The running backs in 2018 were
Jalin Moore,
Darrynton Evans,
Marcus Williams Jr.,
Camerun Peoples,
Daetrich Harrington,
D'Andre Hicks and
DeMarcus Harper.
For the fifth straight year, App State's offensive line will rank in the top 25 nationally in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed. The Mountaineers rushed for 233 yards Saturday and didn't allow a sack.
Running back
Darrynton Evans rushed for 1,187 yards as a sophomore even though he didn't become App State's primary back until the fifth game, when
Jalin Moore suffered a season-ending injury. Evans had at least 100 rushing yards in seven of the Mountaineers' last nine games.
With two touchdown receptions,
Corey Sutton increased his season total to 10, the highest mark at App State since Brian Quick had 11 in 2011. Sutton's total ranks fifth in App State's single-season records.
Zac Thomas finished his first season as an FBS starting quarterback with 2,039 passing yards, 21 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. He rushed for 504 yards.
Left tackle
Victor Johnson returned to the starting lineup after missing the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game with an injury, giving him 38 starts in 39 games over the last three seasons, but
Cole Garrison filled in at left tackle after the first series.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior long snapper
Elias McMurry, who had held that position for each of the last 51 games, sat out the bowl win with an injury. True freshman
Max Durschlag snapped on field goals and extra points, and true freshman
Keaton Forbes snapped on App State's only punt.
Clayton Howell's only punt was a 60-yard kick that
A.J. Beach downed at the 1-yard line.
