#5 Appalachian State held off #7 South Carolina State 20-13 on Saturday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Division I playoffs.
The Mountaineers remain on track to play in the title game at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.
However, the other Southern Conference power, Elon, fell to Richmond 16-13.
The Spiders will face Appalachian State next Saturday in Richmond.
POSTGAME NOTES
Team
• With the win, Appalachian (10-2) advances to the NCAA Division I Football Championship quarterfinals for the fifth-straight year.
• S.C. State’s season ends at 10-2.
• ASU has now won 10 games or more in five-straight seasons.
• The win was ASU’s 100th of the decade (2000-present). Montana (116) is the only NCAA Division I FCS team with more victories since the beginning of the decade.
• ASU’s win was its 14th in its last 15 postseason games.
• ASU’s five turnovers were a season high (prev.: 3 vs. Georgia Southern and Chattanooga).
• S.C. State’s five turnovers were also a season high (prev.: 3 vs. North Carolina A&T).
• ASU has held four-straight opponents to 20 points or fewer (20 vs. Chattanooga, 10 at Elon, 14 vs. Western Carolina, 13 vs. S.C. State) for the first time since Oct. 21-Nov. 11, 2006 (20 at Georgia Southern, 7 vs. Furman, 13 vs. The Citadel, 9 at Western Carolina).
• ASU moved to 15-0 all-time when playing on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU (Saturday’s game was televised nationally on ESPNU).
Individual
• ASU wide receiver Blake Elder set career highs with 5 receptions for 57 yards. His previous career bests were three receptions (five times) and 45 yards (2008 vs. Richmond).
• After missing last Saturday’s regular-season finale versus Western Carolina due to a knee injury sustained the previous week at Elon, ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards completed 19-of-30 passes for 218 yards.
• Edwards’ three interceptions were a season high (2 vs. Chattanooga) and his minus-one rushing yards were his fewest in 47 career starts.
• S.C. State quarterback Malcolm Long’s three interceptions were a season high.