CLEMSON, S.C. — From Howard's Rock, they run down The Hill.
At App State, it's often about uphill battles, whether that's the preseason test of climbing Howard's Knob or overcoming long odds to beat bigger opponents from bigger leagues.
The next high-profile challenge awaits Saturday night, with travel from one Rock to another, as the Mountaineers (1-0) face Clemson (0-1) in 81,500-seat Memorial Stadium. The Tigers are ranked No. 22 in this week's Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the AP Top 25 in advance of the 8 p.m. matchup being televised by the ACC Network.
App State opened the 2024 season with a 38-10 home win against ETSU, while Clemson dropped 11 spots in the AP Top 25 after suffering a 34-3 loss to No. 1 Georgia. The Tigers trailed 6-0 at halftime against the top-ranked Bulldogs.
The Mountaineers have earned national notoriety for how frequently they perform well against teams from "Power" leagues such as the ACC, SEC and Big Ten. They are 3-5 in their last eight games against "P4" foes, with all eight of those games being decided by seven or less points.
In between a double-overtime loss at No. 17 North Carolina early in the 2023 season and a 63-61 home loss to the Tar Heels to open the 2022 schedule, App State went to College Station, Texas, and prevailed 17-14 at No. 6 Texas A&M. Head coach
Shawn Clark's tenure also has included a 25-23 loss at No. 22 Miami in 2021.
App State's magical 13-1 season in 2019 was highlighted by a 34-31 win at UNC and a 20-15 win at South Carolina. The previous two years included an overtime loss at No. 9 Penn State (in 2018) and a 20-19 home loss to Wake Forest (in 2017).
That eight-game streak of down-to-the-wire results doesn't even include the overtime loss at Tennessee in 2016 or the FCS-era upset of Michigan in 2007, as the Mountaineers are 3-10 against P4 teams since their 2014 transition. They are also 3-10 against ranked teams since the transition, although the number improves to 3-2 in the last five games against ranked opponents.
App State didn't force any turnovers in the 2024 opener at ETSU. That's not a formula for success against the Tigers, who showed off their stout defense for an extended stretch against Georgia. Clark has repeatedly praised a defensive front filled with NFL-level talent, and an offense directed by heavily recruited quarterback Cade Klubnik (who became Clemson's starter during the 2022 postseason) is led by 230-pound back Phil Mafah.
When App State has defeated or put scares into its P4 opponents, the Mountaineers have often made big plays on defense or special teams to change the complexion of the game.
They scored defensive touchdowns in the 2019 wins against North Carolina (Demetrius Taylor fumble return after a sack) and South Carolina (
Nick Ross interception return). Kickoff returns for touchdowns by Darrynton Evans in 2018 and Jalen Virgil in 2021 were key moments in close losses to Penn State and Miami.
App State controlled the line of scrimmage and time of possession in its low-scoring victory at Texas A&M, and the Mountaineers will have to run more effectively behind a new-look offensive line than they did against ETSU in order to force Clemson's hand defensively.
There's a reason head coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers rank second nationally with 119 total wins and 65 home wins since 2014.
App State is also in elite company, though, being tied for sixth nationally with 96 total victories and ranking fifth with 35 road wins since its record-setting transition.
