Postgame Notes from App State's Win at ECU

POSTGAME NOTES: App State 21, East Carolina 19
 
App State moved to 2-1 with its first road win of the season. It was the Mountaineers' 36th road win since 2014, which ranks fifth among all FBS schools behind only Boise State, Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson.
 
This was App State's third-straight win against ECU since reviving the series in 2021. It was the Mountaineers' first win in Greenville since 1959, snapping a seven-game losing streak there from 1962-2012.
 
With 97 wins since joining the FBS ranks in 2014, App State trails only Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia and Oklahoma. Notre Dame also has 97 wins.
 
The Mountaineers outgained the Pirates 505-324 and had the edge in first downs by a 25-16 margin.
  
This was App State's largest comeback win – from down 16 points at 16-0 in the second quarter – since the 2017 game at Idaho when the Mountaineers overcame a 20-0 deficit to win 23-20.
 
App State lost the turnover battle 3-2. Under head coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers are 18-1 when winning the turnover battle, 7-13 when losing, and 12-4 when they have the same number of turnovers as the opponent.
 
OFFENSE
 
App State's offense compiled 505 total yards, 424 passing yards and 25 first downs. It was the second time in three games the offense eclipsed 500 yards.
 
Joey Aguilar completed 32 of 47 passes for 424 yards – all career highs – with two touchdowns and two interceptions. It was the third-most passing yards in a game in school history (and most ever in a road game), tied for the sixth-most completions and the 11th-most attempts.
 
Last year, Aguilar led the country with 15 touchdown passes to either tie a game or give his team the lead. Against ECU, he did so for the second time in three games this season.
 
Aguilar has either thrown or rushed for a touchdown in 15 of 17 games as App State's quarterback, including in 11 straight regular-season contests.
 
Makai Jackson scored his third touchdown in as many games, grabbing a 36-yard pass from Aguilar for a third-quarter score that gave the Mountaineers their first lead of the game at 21-16. Jackson finished with six catches for 86 yards.
 
Kaedin Robinson led all receivers with seven catches for 129 yards, making it his second 100-yard game of the season and the fifth of his career. He has caught a pass in 28 consecutive games, which ranks top 15 among all FBS players.
 
Christan Horn caught five passes for 108 yards, his fourth career 100-yard receiving game.
 
Tight end Eli Wilson had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. He found the end zone for the fourth time in the last five regular-season games.
 
Tight end Kanen Hamlett hauled in his first career catch.
 
DEFENSE
 
The Mountaineers' defense racked up a season-high four sacks by four different players – Thomas Davis, Joshua Donald (first at App State), Cahari Haynes (first career) and Montez Kelley. Davis forced a fumble on his sack.
 
Seth Robertson sealed the road victory with a fourth-quarter interception, the Georgia Southern transfer's first pick as a Mountaineer.
 
Ethan Johnson made one of the game's biggest defensive plays when he forced a fumble that was recovered by Jordan Favors late in the second quarter.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Michael Hughes converted a pair of field goals from 28 yards and 35 yards, extending his streak of consecutive makes to 16, dating back to last season.
 
In his first action of the season at punter, ECU transfer Conner Maynard punted five times for a 44.8-yard average and landed one inside the 20.