BOONE, N.C — The first fumble recovery of the fourth quarter produced the go-ahead points. The second recovery sealed an emotional, dramatic rivalry win at The Rock.
App State defenders
Caleb Sandstrom and
Colton Phares made critical plays in the final six minutes, both recovering fumbles that they also forced, and those takeaways were sandwiched around
Dominic De Freitas' go-ahead field goal from 23 yards out with 2:02 remaining in a 26-24 win against Marshall on Saturday in Kidd Brewer Stadium.
It was Black Saturday and Heroes Day in Boone, with a crowd of 31,322 on hand to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the 2005 national title team and cheer on a 2025 squad that overcame a double-digit deficit against the Thundering Herd (5-6, 3-4). App State (5-6, 2-5) closes the regular season next Saturday against Arkansas State with a chance to clinch bowl eligibility at The Rock.
True freshman
Jaquari Lewis rushed for a season-best 175 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries Saturday, and
JJ Kohl threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to
David Larkins late in the first half, after Marshall had moved ahead 21-9.
That touchdown with 53 seconds left before the break, coupled with Lewis' 5-yard touchdown run to cap a 75-yard drive that lasted more than five minutes at the start of the third quarter, pushed App State ahead 23-21.
Marshall went back in front on a 25-yard field goal with 5:29 remaining in the third quarter, but it wasn't able to add to the lead thanks to
DeNigel Cooper's block of a 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. The next three drives ended with punts, but App State punter
Ian Ratliff's 70-yarder to the 1-yard line forced the Thundering Herd to start a drive from the shadow of its own end zone with about nine minutes remaining.
Marshall picked up two first downs, but Sandstrom wrestled the ball away from backup quarterback Zion Turner on a rush to the Thundering Herd 40, setting up App State's go-ahead possession that began with 5:33 remaining.
Sam Mbake's 13-yard reception to the 22 on a third-and-5 throw from Kohl and Lewis' 13-yard run to the 9 put the Mountaineers in scoring range.
After De Freitas' kick, Marshall started its last drive at the 25-yard line and advanced past midfield, but Phares punched the ball out on a carry by Michael Allen and then won the race to the loose ball at the App State 39 with 55 seconds remaining.
The Mountaineers ended a four-game skid, including two straight home losses in league play, while totaling 276 yards of offense. They did account for all three takeaways in the game, with
Emory Floyd intercepting a first-half pass to go along with the pair of forced fumbles.
The teams traded the lead frequently in the early going, with Marshall posting its first touchdown after De Freitas opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal and the Thundering Herd taking a 14-9 lead on starting quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson's 16-yard touchdown run to cap a four-play, 75-yard drive just 90 seconds after Lewis scored on a 18-yard rush in relief of a banged-up
Rashod Dubinion.
Marshall quickly regained possession after a three-and-out punt covered 25 yards, then increased the margin to 21-9 on Del Rio-Wilson's 4-yard touchdown run.
App State was forced into another three-and-out punt, but its defense forced a punt with less than five minutes remaining before halftime, and Larkins' touchdown started a 17-3 run to end the game.
