TEAM
With the 35-20 win against Charlotte, App State has now won 20 of its last 21 games dating back to the 2018 season. The only other FBS team with a 20-1 record in its last 21 games is Clemson.
The Mountaineers are 14-0 in their last 14 season openers played at home dating back to 1974. This was the second straight season-opening win following the 2018 overtime loss at Penn State (45-38).
Due to the current North Carolina Safer at Home Phase 2.5 executive order that limits outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 50 spectators, fans were not allowed at the game. A small number of parents of App State juniors and seniors were able to attend and were spaced with physical distancing throughout suites and stands.
App State had eight players make their Mountaineer debuts: true freshmen
Anderson Castle, Ronald Clarke, Christan Horn, redshirt-freshman
Ryker Casey and transfers
Zac Crosby, Damion Daley, T.D. Roof and
Tristan Walliser.
Making the first starts of their App State careers were sophomore OLB
Brendan Harrington and senior SS
Kaiden Smith.
App State is now 3-0 against Charlotte in the series, including a 45-9 win in Charlotte in 2018 and a 56-41 victory in Boone last year.
Head coach
Shawn Clark won his home head coaching debut. His first game as head coach was a 31-17 triumph against UAB in last year's R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
DEFENSE
App State held the 49ers to 20 points, 286 total offensive yards (146 rushing, 140 passing) and 16 first downs. Last year, the 49ers averaged 29.8 points, 20.8 first downs and 414.5 total yards and scored 41 points on the Mountaineer defense.
The Mountaineers intercepted two Charlotte passes. From 2015-19, App State's 87 interceptions were the second-most among FBS teams behind San Diego State's 91.
Junior ILB
Trey Cobb set career highs with a team-leading eight tackles and 1.5 TFLs.
Sophomore OLB
Brendan Harrington recorded his first career interception after grabbing a loose ball from the air following a hit by teammate
Ryan Huff on a 49er receiver. Harrington added 1.5 TFLs, 1 PBU and 1 QB hurry in his first career start.
Senior CB
Shemar Jean-Charles had a career-high four pass breakups to go with seven tackles. He had nine PBUs last year, which was second-most among Mountaineer defenders.
OFFENSE
With a new offensive coordinator but a majority of veteran players returning, the App State offense started where it left off last year as one of the nation's best, scoring 35 points and racking up 308 rushing yards and 512 total yards. The Mountaineers cracked 300 rushing yards twice last year.
The Mountaineers' three "co-No. 1's" at running back each scored at least one touchdown – senior
Marcus Williams Jr., junior
Daetrich Harrington (2) and sophomore
Camerun Peoples.
Marcus Williams Jr. ran for 117 yards, and
Camerun Peoples added a career-high 102. It was the first game with two App State 100-yard rushers since the 2018 Coastal Carolina game (
Darrynton Evans 159,
Marcus Williams Jr. 103). Peoples made his return to the field after suffering a knee injury in last year's season opener.
Senior WR
Thomas Hennigan caught five passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, notching his second career game over the century mark in receiving yards. He hauled in his 15th career touchdown to move him into sole possession of seventh place in the school record book.
