Game Day Preview: App State Opens SBC Play at ULM

By Bret Strelow | App State Athletics

BOONE, N.C. — Going from 7,220 feet above sea level to just 72 feet, App State Football hits the road again this weekend for a game with higher stakes.
 
This one affects the pursuit of a Sun Belt Conference title.
 
A week after wrapping up its nonconference slate in the Mountain time zone with a game at Wyoming, App State (2-2) begins league play in the Central time zone with a night game at ULM (2-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, or 7 p.m. local time in Monroe, La.
 
"We've told them, 'Listen, men, you're two or three plays away from being 4-0,' " head coach Shawn Clark said. "That's not the reality of it – we're 2-2 — but that doesn't change how much I like this football team. We're a very close football team, and the guys are eager. They play hard for their coaches, and a lot of good things are going to happen for this team this year."
 
App State is 8-1 in Sun Belt openers, with eight straight wins since a loss in the 2014 debut as an FBS member. The Mountaineers needed a Hail Mary touchdown pass last year on the same day in which ESPN's College GameDay aired from Boone to extend that streak, and now they are looking to break through with their first road win since the headline-making triumph at Texas A&M in 2022.
 
With losses in double overtime at No. 15 North Carolina and by three points after leading most of the way at Wyoming, App State takes on a ULM team that began this season with 17-13 victory against an Army squad that later beat UTSA. ULM built a 21-0 lead in a 24-14 win against Lamar and allowed 399 passing yards in a 47-3 loss at Texas A&M.
 
Jiya Wright, who played quarterback in relief during ULM's 2021 visit to Boone, opened this season as the Game 1 starter against Army before Hunter Herring directed a comeback against the Black Knights. Herring started the next game but left with an injury, setting the stage for Wright to finish that game and return to the starting lineup against Texas A&M. Their primary target has been 6-foot-3, 204-pound Kansas State transfer Tyrone Howell.
 
The Warhawks' running game under coach Terry Bowden has been productive, as Hunter Smith opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard games and Ole Miss transfer Isaiah Woullard also reached the century mark against Lamar. Smith scored on a 62-yard run against Army before adding a 27-yard TD run against Lamar, and Woullard had a 44-yard gain against Lamar.
 
"They have some big-time playmakers on offense with a solid offensive line, and they run the split zone and a counter play, which you have to be able to fit right, plus they have two receivers who can play anywhere in our conference," Clark said. "They do a great job getting their playmakers the football."
 
App State is officially allowing 28.8 points per game, but that number drops to 19.8 per 60 minutes from coordinator Scot Sloan's defense when taking away 13 overtime points from UNC, 14 points scored on defensive touchdowns by ECU and a special teams touchdown by Wyoming. The Mountaineers allowed only 208 yards at Wyoming, including just 31 through the air, and 75 of the 208 total yards came on one fourth-quarter run.
 
App State has four interceptions in the last two games, including a pick-six touchdown return from Tyrek Funderburk at Wyoming, and seven sacks in the same stretch. Louisiana native Andrew Parker Jr. and freshman Nate Johnson each have sacks in back-to-back games.
 
"Our defense is playing at a high level right now, and we have to keep improving," Clark said.
 
Offensively, Nate Noel delivered another 100-yard rushing game at Wyoming, contributing to his FBS-leading 135.5 yards per game on an FBS-high 26.3 attempts per game, while Kanye Roberts needed just six carries to produce 59 yards against the Cowboys. App State had two gains of more than 13 yards through the air, coming on receptions covering 23 and 18 yards by Kaedin Robinson.
 
ULM's defense held Army to 279 yards and Lamar to 311, but Texas A&M's success through the air provides hope for the Mountaineers to deliver more explosive plays in the passing game, if the running game can force the Warhawks' safeties to play closer to the line of scrimmage.
 
ULM didn't have a game last weekend in between the Texas A&M and App State dates.
 
"They had a bye week, so they've had an extra week to work on App State," Clark said. "We'll have our hands full. That's a tough environment to play in, but we look forward to the challenge."