Postgame Notes from App State's Win at Marshall

POSTGAME NOTES: App State 20, Marshall 16
 
With its sixth win of the season, App State became bowl eligible for the 10th time in 12 bowl-eligible FBS seasons and for the first time during the regular season since 2023.
 
The Mountaineers won at Marshall for the first time since 1995, snapping a four-game losing skid in Huntington. Prior to Saturday, the home team had won all six meetings since the yearly rivalry renewed in 2020.
 
App State improved its all-time series lead to 18-11 and took a 4-3 advantage in matchups with both teams as FBS programs.
 
Seven of the Mountaineers' 10 games this season have been one-score affairs inside the final two minutes. App State's margin of victory in its three Sun Belt victories is 3.3 points.
 
App State lost the turnover battle (3-2) for the third straight game but earned its first win this season in such a circumstance.
 
Kamron Burris made his first App State start as the team's left tackle, and Ben Jones made his first collegiate start at center.
 
OFFENSE
 
Running behind four offensive linemen who were not starters at the beginning of the season, the Mountaineers racked up 186 rushing yards, their second-most in a conference game and third-most in any game this season. The team is 4-0 when it eclipses 100 rushing yards.
 
Backup QB Henry Hasselbeck scored both App State touchdowns in the contest, his first two touchdowns as a Mountaineer. His 1-yard rush on the opening drive of the second half capped a 15-play, seven-minute drive to tie the score 13-13. His career-long 37-yard sprint to the end zone gave App State its first lead of the game and the final winning score of 20-16 with 12:55 left in the game.
 
Hasselbeck finished the contest with eight carries for 49 yards as well as a 1-yard pass completion.
 
Jaquari Lewis rushed 23 times for a season-high 137 yards, the most by a Mountaineer this season.
 
Starting QB Malachi Singleton completed 12 of 21 passes for 131 yards and threw one interception.
 
Sam Pickett III was Singleton's top target, making five catches for 89 yards. It was the sixth time this season Pickett has led the team in receiving yards.
 
DEFENSE
 
App State's defense held Marshall to 16 points, its second-lowest total in a conference game this season. The Mountaineers had two takeaways and made three fourth-down stops in a standout bend-but-don't-break performance.
 
Colton Phares, Juan Berchal and Caleb Sandstrom all forced Marshall fumbles. Ricky Lolohea recovered the Phares force, while Berchal caused Marshall QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson to fumble at the 1-yard line when he seemed to be heading in for a touchdown that would have given the Thundering Herd a three-score lead. Instead, the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback, and App State responded with a field goal just before halftime to cut Marshall's lead to 13-6.
 
Carson Sloan led all players with a career-high 13 tackles. Phares had 12 tackles in addition to his forced fumble.
  
Jehchys Brown and Sandstrom both recorded sacks. It was Brown's first App State sack, while Sandstrom made his team-leading seventh that ranks among the Sun Belt leaders.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
James London made a pair of 31-yard field goals. His first tied the game early at 3-3. The next made it 13-6 as the second half clock expired.
 
Jaxson Dunn punted three times for a 51-yard average. He also did an impressive job on a hold of one of London's field goals when the snap arrived low and Dunn deftly flipped the ball up into position for the kick.