BOONE, N.C. — Cross-division Sun Belt rivals meet yet again, this time on Senior Day and, possibly, with some snow.
App State's final scheduled home game of 2020 is a Friday night, nationally televised showdown with Louisiana at The Rock. ESPN will televise the game at 8:30 p.m.
It's believed to be the latest kickoff time in Kidd Brewer Stadium history and only the second post-Thanksgiving home game in Boone starting at 8 p.m. or later, following a 2007 FCS semifinal in which Armanti Edwards rushed for 313 yards in a 55-35 win against Richmond.
The listed temperature that Friday night was 42 degrees. The snow from Tuesday has melted, but forecasts call for temperatures in the low 40s and precipitation this Friday night as the Ragin' Cajuns take the field in Boone for the fifth time in the last three years and two days. Because of the forecast and reduced stadium capacity, the standard policy prohibiting umbrellas is being waived for this one game and fans
WILL BE ALLOWED TO BRING UMBRELLAS INTO THE STADIUM on Dec. 4.
"It's going to be dark. It's going to be cold. Hopefully some snow," senior receiver
Thomas Hennigan said. "I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to be awesome."
The Mountaineers (7-2, 5-1) hold an 8-0 lead in the series, including home victories in the first two Sun Belt title games in 2018 and 2019. With this year's West Division title clinched, No. 20 Louisiana (8-1, 6-1) is the highest-ranked visitor to ever play at The Rock.
There will be 25 players for App State recognized before kickoff, with the fifth-year seniors on the roster part of a 50-12 run since the start of the 2016 season.
"This senior class has meant a lot to our program," head coach
Shawn Clark said, "and they'll leave a lasting legacy that will go for a long time."
App State has moved forward from a 47-10 win in which
Zac Thomas threw four touchdown passes and the defense produced a pick-six touchdown while limiting Troy to 231 yards. Troy is the only East division team not on Louisiana's 2020 schedule, as the Ragin' Cajuns won 34-31 in overtime against Georgia State and 20-18 on a 53-yard field goal against Georgia Southern before falling 30-27 against unbeaten Coastal Carolina.
Louisiana, which opened the season with a 31-14 win against Iowa State (currently No. 9 in the CFP Rankings), is led by elusive left-handed quarterback Levi Lewis (225.2 passing yards per game with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions) as well as the running back tandem of Elijah Mitchell (656 rushing yards, seven TDs) and Trey Ragas (617 rushing yards, seven TDs).
"They're similar to years past, but with more playmakers," Clark said. "They do a very good job with shifting motions. They'll trade tight ends and go from an empty backfield to two backs in the backfield, 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end). We have to do a great job on defense of matching the numbers and making sure we fit right in the run game. In the pass game, we have to play with clean eyes because they do a lot of play-action passes like we do."
Before building a 42-17 lead during a 45-38 win in last year's Sun Belt title game, App State won 17-7 in a regular-season slugfest at Cajun Field.
Demetrius Taylor delivered a sack on the first play from scrimmage, and the Mountaineers limited Louisiana to 3.7 yards per carry on 33 rushing attempts.
The Mountaineers ran on 53 of their 70 plays, with effective Louisiana punts causing App State to begin three drives within 5 yards of its own end zone.
Improved field position could lead to more of a wide-open game, like the rematch that followed. The improved health of App State's wide receivers contributed to a strong game from Thomas last week in the 47-point outburst, and the Mountaineers also rushed for 275 yards on just 38 carries..
Interior linemen
Noah Hannon (center),
Ryan Neuzil (left guard) and
Baer Hunter (right guard) have the highest grades of any Sun Belt players at those respective positions as PFF College ranked the Mountaineers' line as the seventh-best line in the nation.
"We've got a game Friday that we're trying to win," Hannon said. "We have a goal to win the game, and nothing changes there. That just comes from the routine we get in. Every week you come in and forget about what happened the week before and then you start over."
