Saturday, December 12
Statesboro, GA
6:00 PM
Georgia Southern University
7-5 , 4-4
26
vs
34
App State
8-3 , 6-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 34 |
| GS | 7 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 26 |
David Spaulding returned an interception 28 yards for the Eagles' first touchdown.
Appalachian State Rallies to top Georgia Southern Football 34-26
12/12/2020 9:32:00 PM | Football
Georgia Southern will await a bowl invitation.
STATESBORO – Jalen Virgil took a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Appalachian State ended a two-game football losing skid against Georgia Southern, topping the Eagles 34-26 Saturday night in Paulson Stadium.
The Mountaineers (8-3, 6-2) trailed 20-17 after Alex Raynor booted a career-long 47-yard field goal nine seconds into the fourth quarter but scored two touchdowns in 1:45 to take control of the game. Virgil jumped up to catch the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and started to the left, cut right before moving back to the left sideline where he won the foot race to the end zone.
After Appalachian State forced the Eagles to go 3-and-out, Nate Noel took the handoff on the Mountaineers' first play from scrimmage and cut to the right for a 70-yard touchdown and a 31-20 lead. It was the longest rushing touchdown allowed by the Eagles (7-5, 4-4) in three years.
Third-string quarterback Miller Mosley hooked up with Dexter Carter Jr. for a 78-yard touchdown pass with 5:23 left in the game to give the Eagles some life. GS elected to try for the two-point conversion to make it a three-point game, but Mosely's pass was incomplete, leaving the margin at 31-26.
Mountaineer quarterback Zac Thomas went up top to Virgil for a 33-yard gain through the air, and Noel picked up 18 yards on the ground as Appalachian State moved the ball down to the GS 20-yard line. The Eagles stopped Noel on 3rd-and-5, and App settled for a Chandler Staton 37-yard field goal and a 34-26 cushion with 2:39 remaining.
Mosley completed two passes for 17 yards on the Eagles' next possession, but his long pass attempt to Malik Murray down the left sideline was picked off by Nicholas Ross.
Eagles of the Game: Justin Tomlin rushed for 76 yards, including a 55-yard carry, and a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter. Mosley threw for 122 yards, including the 78-yard TD to Carter Jr., and ran for 49 yards. Todd Bradley finished with seven tackles, while Justin Birdsong and Quin Williams each had two tackles for loss.
Key Moments:
Georgia Southern opened the scoring when David Spaulding picked off Thomas and ran it back 28 yards for a 7-0 Eagle lead late in the first quarter. The Eagles pushed the margin to 14-0 when Tomlin ran around the right side on the keeper and into the end zone for a touchdown with 9:22 left in the first half.
Appalachian State responded with a 17-play, 65-yard drive, capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Virgil, trimming the lead to 14-7 with 1:55 left in the stanza.
After the Eagles forced the Mountaineers to go 3-and-out late in the frame, Mosley ran for 11 yards and hit Cam Brown for a 17-yard pickup through the air on third down as the Eagles moved the ball down to the App 16-yard line. Raynor booted the 33-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired, and GS led 17-7 at halftime.
Key Stats: Appalachian State converted 3rd-and-8 or more six times in the contest, while Georgia Southern finished the day 2 for 10 on third down. The Mountaineers outscored the Eagles 27-9 in the second half.
Notes: Georgia Southern saw its 10-game winning streak in Paulson Stadium come to an end.
Scoring Plays:
GS – David Spaulding 28-yard INT return – 1:59 1st, 7-0
GS – Justin Tomlin 15-yard run – 9:22 2nd, 14-0
APP –Thomas 16-yard pass to Virgil – 1:55 2nd, 14-7
GS – Raynor 33-yard FG – 0:00 2nd, 17-7
APP – Thomas 9-yard pass – 10:44 3rd, 17-14
APP – Chandler Staton 33-yard FG – 4:20 3rd, 17-17
GS – Raynor 47-yard FG – 14:51 4th, 20-17
APP – Virgil 100-yard KO return – 14:36 4th, 20-24
APP – Noel 70-yard run – 12:51 4th, 20-31
GS – Mosley 78-yard touchdown pass to Carter Jr. – 5:23 4th, 26-31
APP – Staton 37-yard FG – 2:48 4th, 34-26
Next up: The Eagles have earned a spot in one of the five Sun Belt bowl tie-ins and will await a bowl invitation.
The Mountaineers (8-3, 6-2) trailed 20-17 after Alex Raynor booted a career-long 47-yard field goal nine seconds into the fourth quarter but scored two touchdowns in 1:45 to take control of the game. Virgil jumped up to catch the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and started to the left, cut right before moving back to the left sideline where he won the foot race to the end zone.
After Appalachian State forced the Eagles to go 3-and-out, Nate Noel took the handoff on the Mountaineers' first play from scrimmage and cut to the right for a 70-yard touchdown and a 31-20 lead. It was the longest rushing touchdown allowed by the Eagles (7-5, 4-4) in three years.
Third-string quarterback Miller Mosley hooked up with Dexter Carter Jr. for a 78-yard touchdown pass with 5:23 left in the game to give the Eagles some life. GS elected to try for the two-point conversion to make it a three-point game, but Mosely's pass was incomplete, leaving the margin at 31-26.
Mountaineer quarterback Zac Thomas went up top to Virgil for a 33-yard gain through the air, and Noel picked up 18 yards on the ground as Appalachian State moved the ball down to the GS 20-yard line. The Eagles stopped Noel on 3rd-and-5, and App settled for a Chandler Staton 37-yard field goal and a 34-26 cushion with 2:39 remaining.
Mosley completed two passes for 17 yards on the Eagles' next possession, but his long pass attempt to Malik Murray down the left sideline was picked off by Nicholas Ross.
Eagles of the Game: Justin Tomlin rushed for 76 yards, including a 55-yard carry, and a touchdown before leaving the game with an injury in the second quarter. Mosley threw for 122 yards, including the 78-yard TD to Carter Jr., and ran for 49 yards. Todd Bradley finished with seven tackles, while Justin Birdsong and Quin Williams each had two tackles for loss.
Key Moments:
Georgia Southern opened the scoring when David Spaulding picked off Thomas and ran it back 28 yards for a 7-0 Eagle lead late in the first quarter. The Eagles pushed the margin to 14-0 when Tomlin ran around the right side on the keeper and into the end zone for a touchdown with 9:22 left in the first half.
Appalachian State responded with a 17-play, 65-yard drive, capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Virgil, trimming the lead to 14-7 with 1:55 left in the stanza.
After the Eagles forced the Mountaineers to go 3-and-out late in the frame, Mosley ran for 11 yards and hit Cam Brown for a 17-yard pickup through the air on third down as the Eagles moved the ball down to the App 16-yard line. Raynor booted the 33-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired, and GS led 17-7 at halftime.
Key Stats: Appalachian State converted 3rd-and-8 or more six times in the contest, while Georgia Southern finished the day 2 for 10 on third down. The Mountaineers outscored the Eagles 27-9 in the second half.
Notes: Georgia Southern saw its 10-game winning streak in Paulson Stadium come to an end.
Scoring Plays:
GS – David Spaulding 28-yard INT return – 1:59 1st, 7-0
GS – Justin Tomlin 15-yard run – 9:22 2nd, 14-0
APP –Thomas 16-yard pass to Virgil – 1:55 2nd, 14-7
GS – Raynor 33-yard FG – 0:00 2nd, 17-7
APP – Thomas 9-yard pass – 10:44 3rd, 17-14
APP – Chandler Staton 33-yard FG – 4:20 3rd, 17-17
GS – Raynor 47-yard FG – 14:51 4th, 20-17
APP – Virgil 100-yard KO return – 14:36 4th, 20-24
APP – Noel 70-yard run – 12:51 4th, 20-31
GS – Mosley 78-yard touchdown pass to Carter Jr. – 5:23 4th, 26-31
APP – Staton 37-yard FG – 2:48 4th, 34-26
Next up: The Eagles have earned a spot in one of the five Sun Belt bowl tie-ins and will await a bowl invitation.
Team Stats
APP
GS
Total Yards
381
349
Pass Yards
208
145
Rushing Yards
173
204
Penalty Yards
65
5
1st Downs
17
16
3rd Downs
6
2
4th Downs
2
1
TOP
34:52
25:08
1st Quarter
APP 0, GS 7
GS - D. Spaulding 28 yd interception (A. Raynor kick)
2nd Quarter
APP 0, GS 14
GS - J. Tomlin 14 yd run (A. Raynor kick), 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 5:38
APP 7, GS 14
APP - Virgil, Jalen 16 yd pass from Thomas, Zac (Staton, C. kick) 17 plays, 65 yards, TOP 7:27
APP 7, GS 17
GS - A. Raynor 33 yd field goal 7 plays, 50 yards, TOP 1:10
3rd Quarter
APP 14, GS 17
APP - Hennigan, T. 9 yd pass from Thomas, Zac (Staton, C. kick) 10 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:10
APP 17, GS 17
APP - Staton, C. 33 yd field goal 8 plays, 41 yards, TOP 4:07
4th Quarter
APP 17, GS 20
GS - A. Raynor 47 yd field goal 10 plays, 46 yards, TOP 4:29
APP 24, GS 20
APP - Virgil, Jalen 100 yd kickoff return (Staton, C. kick)
APP 31, GS 20
APP - Noel, Nate 70 yd run (Staton, C. kick), 1 plays, 70 yards, TOP 0:12
APP 31, GS 26
GS - D. Carter Jr. 78 yd pass from M. Mosley (M. Mosley passfailed) 2 plays, 85 yards, TOP 0:34
APP 34, GS 26
APP - Staton, C. 37 yd field goal 7 plays, 55 yards, TOP 2:39
Game Leaders
CMP
5
TD
1
YDS
122
INT
2
CMP
2
TD
0
YDS
23
INT
1
Players Mentioned
CB
/ Football
ILB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
SLOT
/ Football
PK
/ Football
CB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
OLB
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