Postgame Notes from App State's Win vs. Georgia State

POSTGAME NOTES: App State 33, Georgia State 26
 
In its first home game in 37 days and the first since Hurricane Helene hit the High Country, App State snapped a three-game losing streak and garnered its first Sun Belt victory of the season.
 
App State's 3-4 record is the same through seven games as last year's team, which reeled off five straight victories to end the regular season.
 
The Mountaineers have beaten the Panthers in all 11 meetings, dating back to 2014.

Attendance at Kidd Brewer Stadium was 33,783. All three home crowds have exceeded the 30,000 listed capacity at The Rock.
 
App State improved to 98-39 since joining the FBS ranks in 2014. The only FBS programs with more wins in that span are Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Boise State.
 
The Mountaineers' home winning percentage of .833 (55-11) since 2014 ranks top 10 in the FBS and is second among non-power conference teams behind Memphis (.836 – 61-12).
 
App State scored the first two points of the game on a safety on Georgia State's first drive, the first safety recorded by the Mountaineers since 2022 (vs. Troy).
 
App State lost the turnover battle for the sixth straight game.

Freshman cornerback Nick Taylor earned his first career start.
 
OFFENSE
 
Joey Aguilar completed 18 of 27 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also scored a 2-point conversion on a QB run. Over his two-year career as the Mountaineers' QB, it was the third time he's had three-plus TDs with no picks and the 19th time in 21 games that he's had at least one touchdown either passing or rushing.
 
Two of Aguilar's three touchdown passes resulted in App State taking back a lead, including the game-winning drive and score late in the fourth quarter. Last year, he led the country with 15 touchdown passes to either tie a game or give his team a lead.
 
Kanen Hamlett's second career catch was a big one. His 4-yard touchdown from Aguilar with 1:51 left in the game was the winning score. Hamlett entered the huddle late in the play clock to replace another tight end who was limping off the field.
 
Ahmani Marshall rushed for a season-high 115 yards with a 1-yard touchdown that gave App State an 8-3 lead with 10:28 left in the second quarter.
 
Kaedin Robinson had a game-high five catches for 121 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season and sixth game of 85+ yards in seven contests. He had four catches for 106 yards by halftime.
 
Robinson, who has led the team in receiving yards in all seven games, has caught a pass in 32 consecutive games, which ranks top 15 among all FBS players.
 
Makai Jackson caught four passes for 67 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown that gave App State a 15-10 lead with 3:57 left in the second quarter.
 
A 23-yard touchdown connection from Aguilar to Dalton Stroman increased App State's third-quarter lead to 25-16. It was Stroman's fourth touchdown catch in the last four games.
 
DEFENSE
 
The Mountaineers' defense was very strong on third downs, limiting the Panthers to just one conversion on eight attempts.
 
Santana Hopper had five tackles and was credited with 2.0 sacks. That included one solo sack and a hand in two more shared sacks. His solo sack on third down forced Georgia State to kick a field goal to take a 26-25 lead with 6:39 left in the game. On the Panthers' final drive, he teamed with Thomas Davis for a 10-yard sack on third-and-two that forced an unsuccessful fourth-and-12 try that ended the game.
 
Jordan Favors led the Mountaineers with a career-high 10 tackles and broke up a pass.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
On Georgia State's first drive, Ahmani Marshall blocked a punt that went out the back of the end zone for a safety. It was the first blocked punt by a Mountaineer since 2019 (Demetrius Taylor vs. Coastal Carolina).
 
Jackson Moore made a 33-yard field goal to help the Mountaineers regain the lead six seconds before halftime.
 
Kaiden Robinson had the Mountaineers' longest punt return of the year with a 30-yard return that helped set up the team's third touchdown drive of the game.