NEW ORLEANS — Making its second straight visit to the Big Easy for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, App State had its routine down.
Roll onto Canal Street and arrive at the team hotel to jazz-friendly fanfare. Enjoy several days of game prep, sightseeing and service. Overcome early adversity against a Conference USA opponent.
Post six sacks to wrap up a bowl win in dominant fashion.
With junior defensive end
Tommy Dawkins and others leading the way, No. 20 App State had a season-high six sacks in its 31-17 win against UAB on Saturday night. That number not only surpassed the Mountaineers' previous season high of four, it matched the program's bowl-record total of six from a 48-13 win against Middle Tennessee in the 2018 New Orleans Bowl.
That night,
Okon Godwin came off the bench to record a career-high 2.5 sacks. On Saturday, Dawkins came off the bench to record a career-high 2.5 sacks.
Elijah Diarrassouba,
George Blackstock and
Nick Hampton added solo efforts, while
Akeem Davis-Gaither contributed to one sack alongside Dawkins, a former walk-on who posted his first career sack in the 2019 opener and dealt with a painful shoulder injury throughout the season.
"It was truly a blessing from God for allowing me to have a game like this," Dawkins said. "I've fought through an injury all season, but I understood that this was the last game for our seniors, so I had to give it my all so that we could secure a win for them boys."
UAB took a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes by amassing 154 yards of offense, including 149 through the air on six completed passes, but the Blazers managed just 184 yards of offense the rest of the way as App State (13-1) ended the game on a 31-3 run.
UAB had possession with a 14-0 advantage and a chance to do even more damage when it called for a wide receiver pass. Instead, Dawkins raced out to the perimeter and took down Austin Watkins for a loss.
Late in the second quarter, after App State had pinned the Blazers deep in their own territory, Diarrassouba nearly produced a safety with his sack of quarterback Tyler Johnston III for a 6-yard loss to the 1. The Mountaineers took their first lead in the third quarter, and UAB had a chance to immediately reclaim the lead as it moved inside App State's 20 on the next series.
Dawkins combined with Davis-Gaither for a second-down sack, and Blackstock's third-down sack for an 11-yard loss forced the Blazers to settle for a 49-yard field goal to tie the game.
"We knew we could (apply pressure) once we got the chance, but we really didn't get the chance in the first half because we didn't win first down," defensive line coach
Anwar Stewart said. "In the second half, we won more on first down and were able to get after it.
"We just needed to be patient, and Soub did an excellent job starting the party off for us. The guys really took to the game plan and executed it."
A sack from Hampton on UAB's next series triggered the night's biggest sequence. He forced a fumble on his backside hit of Johnston and reached for the loose ball. App State teammate
Trey Cobb reached down in time to secure possession himself and then ran 24 yards untouched for a tiebreaking defensive touchdown.
"I know I had to get back there and get the quarterback — that's my job," Hampton said. "The team needed it, and I was fortunate enough to get back there for the sack-fumble. Trey was able to scoop it and get the touchdown, so that was big on his part, too."
Early in the fourth quarter, Dawkins had a hand in sack for the third time, bringing down Johnston for an 8-yard loss.
Just like Godwin a year earlier, Dawkins picked an opportune time to deliver his best performance in an App State uniform.
"It's my job to get the best out of them, and Tommy, he just works so hard," Stewart said. "I'm looking forward to him coming back and elevating his game."
