Saturday, September 22, 2012
- by B.B. Branton
Appalachian State Rallies to Beat UTC, Again
Appalachian State has posted three straight come-from-behind wins against UTC …
Saturday Night at Finley Stadium … UTC led 10-0 in the first quarter, but App State scored 24, second half points to win 34-17 … UTC converted two turnovers into the first 10 points of the game … App State converted three Mocs turnovers into 21, 4th quarter points; two interceptions sandwiched around a fumble recovery.
UTC struggled to move the ball until the final 3:21, which showed a 7-play, 65-yard scoring drive capped by a Terrell Robinson-to-Faysal Shafaat, 2-yard pass.
Outside of the final drive, App State led in total offense, 401 to 205
Russ Huesman: “We have allowed 400 yards in total offense in two of our four games (Jacksonville State and App State) and we cannot let that happen.”
In 2011 in Boone, N.C. … UTC led 6-0 in the third, but in the fourth quarter App State scored a pair of touchdowns off UTC turnovers – a fumble and an interception – to win 14-12.
In 2010 at Finley Stadium … UTC led 28-7 in the second quarter and 35-14 in the fourth before App State pulled even at 35-35 as the visitors converted two fumbles into scores and eventually won 42-41
Big Play First Half For Mocs
1. a 60-yard punt by Nick Pollard pinned App State at its 2-yard line …
2. Mocs converted a fumble into a the first touchdown …
3. Mocs interception led to a field goal and a 10-0 lead …
4. 4th down stop at its own 12 kept ASU out of the end zone at 9:34 of the second
Scoring Details ...
First Break of the Game – Mocs took a 7-0 lead (8:57 of first quarter) after a ASU turnover at its own 8-yard line …UTC Defensive end Davis Tull caused a fumble and Kadeem Wise recovered it on the ASU 8 … ASU quarterback Jamal Jackson fumbled
Two plays later, UTC was in the end zone on a 7-yard Jacob Huesman-to-Marlon Anthony pass play … Anthony’s first score of the season … Huesman’s fifth TD pass
Important Firsts: First TD reception for Anthony this season ... first career fumble recovery by Kadeem Wise …
More Firsts: D-Back Chaz Moore had his first interception of the season in the first quarter, returning it 42 yards to the App State 33 ... Mocs kicked a field goal six plays later for a 10-0 lead
App State Battles Back … The Mountaineers scored twice in the final five minutes of the half for a 10-10 tie.
App State Field Goal: ASU used a short field (7 plays, 43 yards) after a 31-yard Nick Pollard punt to get a field goal and trail 10-3 at 3:19 of the second.
Game Tying Touchdown … App State QB Jackson then found Steven Miller behind the Mocs secondary for the game-tying TD, 32 seconds before intermission… 3 plays, 57 yards in 38 seconds …
Russ Huesman: “That play before the half was a killer. We had made a good defensive stand earlier in the quarter to hold them to a field goal.”
Key Play Reversed in the Third Quarter: A Nick Pollard punt apparently hit the foot of an App State played and was recovered by the Mocs at the App State 24 … but the officials said that a UTC player blocked the App State into the ball which cannot cause a fumble … If the original call had stood, the Mocs would have had the ball at the App State 24 and the score tied, 10-10.
Seven Straight Wins For App State … the Mountaineers have won seven straight games in Finley since a 59-56 loss to UTC in 2004 …
App State has beaten UTC in 2006-08-10-12 and won three national championship games in Finley in 2004-05-06.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net