Postgame Notes:
App State is the first Sun Belt team to ever start a season 9-1 since the league was established as an FBS member in 2001.
App State is now one of six teams with nine or more wins in each of the last five seasons. The others are Alabama, Boise State, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
Since the 2015 season began, App State is No. 5 nationally in win percentage (80.6) and tied for No. 6 in total wins with a 50-12 record. The win total trails only Clemson (66-4), Alabama (64-5), Ohio State (58-6), Oklahoma (55-9) and Georgia (51-14). Wisconsin is 50-14 during the same span.
App State improved to 39-7 in league play since joining the Sun Belt in 2014. It is 39-5 in its last 44 league games (after an 0-2 start) and 40-5 in its last 45 games against Sun Belt teams — counting the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game against Louisiana in 2018.
Since moving up to the FBS level in 2014, App State is 24-11 on the road, putting the program in a tie for third place nationally (with Ohio State and Boise State) for the most road wins in that span. Clemson and Oklahoma have 25. App State is 19-4 in Sun Belt road games.
Offense:
The Mountaineers' 553 total yards were their second-most this season (572 vs. ULM), and the 273 passing yards were a season high.
Darrynton Evans surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season thanks to a 131-yard night that included two total touchdowns. App State has produced a 1,000-yard back for the eighth straight season, a streak that is tied for second nationally behind the 10 straight from Boise State.
Zac Thomas threw for 256 yards with a career-high four touchdowns through the air and one with his legs. The five total touchdowns were also a career high.
Corey Sutton set career highs in receiving yards (173) and receiving touchdowns (3) and tied a career high in catches (8) in a dominant performance in Atlanta. His first TD tied the game at 7-7, his second pulled App State within a score at 14-21, and his final score put the Mountaineers ahead 49-21.
Sutton vaulted to sixth place in the school record books for most career touchdown catches. With 16 career TDs, he needs one more to tie Dexter Jackson (2004-07) for fifth place all-time.
Defense:
After Georgia State went up 21-7 in the first quarter, App State went on a 49-0 run in which the Mountaineers defense forced seven three-and-outs in nine possessions, and one of the other two possessions ended with
Shaun Jolly's second interception.
Over the final three quarters, the Mountaineers limited Georgia State to 33 rushing yards on 18 attempts and 140 total yards.
App State has held seven straight opponents under 400 total yards after allowing 324 to the Panthers.
Shaun Jolly posted his first career multiple-interception game, including his second career pick-six with a 30-yard return in the second quarter that put the Mountaineers ahead for good, 28-21. He also had a career-high three pass breakups.
Shemar Jean-Charles also posted a career-high three pass breakups.
Caleb Spurlin (DE) made his first career start, taking the sport normally occupied by
Elijah Diarrassouba.
