SAN MARCOS, Texas — App State's second trip to the Lone Star State resulted in a 36-24 loss at Texas State in front of the Bobcats' biggest home crowd for a Sun Belt game.
Henry Pearson caught two second-half touchdown passes from
Chase Brice, helping the Mountaineers pull within 15 points early in the fourth quarter, but the rally stalled after a fourth-and-14 pass from the Texas State 39 fell incomplete midway through the final period. The Bobcats kicked a 37-yard field goal with 5:08 left to increase their margin to a three-score lead, and App State's fourth-down completion inside the Texas State in the closing minutes didn't produce a first down.
The game ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Brice to
Dalton Stroman.
App State (3-3, 1-2) returns to action Oct. 19 with a Wednesday night home game against Georgia State.
Brice tied a school record by completing 40 passes (on 53 attempts) for a career-high 395 yards, and Pearson made four catches for 43 yards. Stroman also had a 55-yard reception to set up a touchdown as part of his five-catch, 104-yard performance.
Defensively,
Dexter Lawson Jr. intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the first drive of the game, but Texas State (3-3, 1-1) controlled the rest of the opening half.
Andrew Parker and
Caden Sullivan recorded sacks, while
Logan Doublin led the Mountaineers with a career-high 11 stops.
Texas State limited App State, which played without
Camerun Peoples, to 41 rushing yards on 21 attempts. The Mountaineers committed 12 penalties for 105 yards.
App State trailed 24-0 before ending the half with a seven-play, 65-yard drive that included
Dashaun Davis' 24-yard gain to the Texas State 12 and
Michael Hughes' 30-yard field goal as time expired.
Looking to trim its deficit to 24-10 after receiving the third-quarter kickoff, App State moved inside the Texas State 15, but the Bobcats intercepted a fourth-and-4 pass from the 12 and Tory Spears scored on the 94-yard interception return.
App State responded with a long touchdown drive that included the 55-yard pass to Stroman and a 12-yard touchdown reception by Pearson on a fourth-and-1 pass from Brice.
Brice and Pearson connected for another touchdown early in the fourth quarter, this one covering 2 yards, and
Christan Horn's two-point reception cut Texas State's lead to 33-18 with 13:02 remaining.
