WEEK 14 GAME SCHEDULE
Friday, November 29, 2024
Texas State Bobcats at South Alabama Jaguars
2:30 p.m. ESPN+
THE SERIES:
Saturday will mark the 10th all-time meeting between the Jaguars and Bobcats – Texas State leads the all-time series between the two schools by a count of 5-4 – South Alabama’s last victory in the series took place in 2022 when the Jaguars hosted Texas State and won by a score of 38-21
Texas State Bobcats Notes
OPENING DRIVE
• Texas State had an historic 2023 season that saw the program win its first bowl game, in its first appearance, a 45-21 victory over Rice in the SERVEPRO First Responder Bowl. • The Bobcats set an FBS-program record with eight wins in 2023. • Texas State posted the highest home season attendance average the program has seen in 2024 (22,649) besting the 2023 total, and had two sellouts at UFCU Stadium in 2024 (UTSA & Arkansas State). • TXST is coming off a 52-44 loss to Georgia State. Jordan McCloud threw for 302 yards and 3 TDs, all to Chris Dawn, Jr., while Beau Sparks had a program record 200 punt return yards and a punt return TD. • Jordan McCloud’s 28 TD passes in 2024 sets the Texas State single-season record. • Texas State became bowl eligible for the second consecutive season follow its 58-3 win over Southern Miss on Nov. 16. • The Bobcats can secure back-to-back winning seasons with a victory on Saturday, the first time since the 2008-09 seasons. • South Alabama enters the match up 6-5 overall with a 5-2 record in conference play and is riding a two-game win streak with victories over Louisiana and Southern Miss.
A WIN VS. SOUTH ALABAMA MEANS..
• The Bobcats improve to 6-5 in the all-time series with South Alabama. • TXST wins on the road for the first time in the series after going 5-0 at home. • Texas State wins 7 regular season games for the third time since entering the FBS ranks in 2012 (2014, 2023). • TXST secures back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2008 (8-5) – 2009 (7-4). • The Bobcats win 3 games in November for the first time since 2014 (3-2).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL FRIDAY
Friday’s game will be the fourth non-Saturday game for the Bobcats in 2024. They currently have a record of 1-2 in those contests. TXST has not played four non-Saturday games in a season since 1942.
GETTING TO THE BACKFIELD
In addition to Texas State having one of the best offenses in the country, it finished second in the nation in TFLs and tied for 9th in sacks. • Texas State registered 7 sacks in the opener against Lamar. The most for TXST in an FBS game behind eight vs Idaho on Oct. 4, 2024 and the most since six against South Alabama Nov. 5, 2023. • The Bobcats have 32 sacks this season, finished with 40 in 2023. • TXST is currently 13th in the nation (2 SBC) with 2.91 sacks/game and 11th (1 SBC) with 7.5 TFLs. • The Bobcats had 108 TFLs in 2023, 2nd in the nation and an FBS program record, and were 16 shy of matching the overall program record of 124 set in 1982. • Texas State’s 40 sacks were an FBS program record and most in any season for Texas State since it had 41 in 1997. • The overall program record for sacks in a season is 58.5 set in 1982. • The Bobcats finished 9th in the country with an average of 3.08 sacks per game in 2023. • Texas State had 7 games in 2023 of 10+ TFLs and 8 games of 3.0+ sacks – 2024: 3/7 • The Bobcats had 26 different players credited with a TFL and 19 with a sack in 2023.
THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
Lou Groza Award Semifinalist Mason Shipley finished 2023 15-of-15 on field goals. • Shipley tied his former teammate Seth Keller (2021, 2022) for the overall program record for most field goals made in a season. • Shipley finished as one of two kickers to not miss a field goal in 2023. • In 2022 & 2023 Texas State kickers (Shipley & Keller) went 30-of-32 on FB (93.8%). • Shipley set the TXST and Sun Belt Conference record with a 60-yard field goal against Sam Houston (9.28).
RETURN POLICY
Texas State had 2 kick returns for touchdowns in 2023, including one by Ismail Mahdi (Sept. 30 at Southern Miss) and the other by Kole Wilson (Nov. 25 vs. South Alabama). • TXST has a pair of return TDs in 2024 – Kenny Haynes 29-yard FR vs SHSU, Beau Sparks 80-yard PR vs Georgia State. • It was only the second time in program history that the Bobcats have had 2 or more kick return TDs in a season (2 in 2013). • Texas State ended the season as one of 7 teams in the country with multiple kick return TDs. • The Bobcats finished the season ranked 5th in the nation in kick return average (26.08). • Texas State led the nation in kick return yards with 1,017. • Mahdi finished 14th in the nation in kick return average (25.6). • Mahdi’s 563 kick return yards were the 4th-most by a Bobcat in a season in TXST’s FBS history.
South Alabama Jaguars Notes
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF
PATH TO THE TITLE
While it does not control its own destiny, South Alabama does have a path to winning the Sun Belt Conference West Division Championship this weekend. If the Jaguars beat Texas State and ULM knocks off Louisiana, South would clinch the division and play in the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
The series between South Alabama and Texas State has been all about home field advantage. In nine all-time meetings between the two schools, the home team has won every single game. South Alabama is 4-0 against the Bobcats in Mobile
REVERSE THE TREND
– Prior to Saturday’s game at Southern Miss, South Alabama was 0-5 when its opponent scored first – Southern Miss scored first to take an 8-0 lead the first quarter, but the Jaguars fought back to win the game by a score of 35-14, making them 1-5 when their opponent scores first
SCORE FIRST
– On the flip side, South Alabama has a perfect winning percentage when scoring first against its opponent – The Jags scored first in wins against Northwestern State, App State, Troy, ULM and Louisiana
SHATTUCK ON THE ATTACK
– True freshman linebacker Parker Shattuck has seen a significant increase in playing time the last few games due to players ahead of him being injured – Shattuck has recorded multiple sacks in the last two games, tallying one against Louisiana and 1.5 in a victory at Southern Miss
THAT’S A FIRST
– Gio Lopez’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Kentrel Bullock in the second quarter of the team’s win at Southern Miss was the first touchdown pass to a running back for the team this season – The touchdown reception was the second of Bullock’s career in a South Alabama uniform
AHEAD AT THE HALF
– In Sun Belt Conference play, South Alabama is 4-0 when leading at halftime – Overall, the Jaguars are 5-1 on the year when taking a lead into the locker room
LOVE THE LONG BALL
– Quarterback Gio Lopez threw touchdown passes of 40 and 32 yards in the win at Southern Miss – The 40-yard touchdown pass to Jamaal Pritchett was the second-longest touchdown pass of the season and the 32- yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Webb was the third-longest touchdown pass of the year
Saturday, November 30
Louisiana Ragin Cajuns at Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
11:00 a.m. ESPNU
THE LOUISIANA-ULM SERIES
• Louisiana and ULM have met 59 times on the gridiron since the series began in 1951 with the Cajuns owning a 33-26 advantage. • The series with ULM is the third longest in school history for Louisiana with the Ragin’ Cajuns facing Louisiana Tech (85 games) and Northwestern State (73) the most. • The schools have met on a yearly basis since 1997 and began playing as SBC foes beginning in the league’s inaugural season in 2001. • Since 2008, Louisiana has won 13 of the last 16 meetings in the series, including a 52-21 win in last year’s meeting at Cajun Field. • The Warhawks’ 21-17 win in the 2022 meeting at Malone Stadium snapped an eight-game losing streak to Louisiana in Monroe dating back their last home victory in 2004. • Thirty-three (33) games in the series have been decided by one score (8 points or less).
Louisiana Ragin Cajuns Notes
LOUISIANA, ULM WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON ON NATIONAL TV
• Louisiana closes out its 2024 regular-season schedule when it travels to face in-state foe ULM in a nationally-televised contest at Malone Stadium. • A win by Louisiana, or a loss by South Alabama (vs. Texas State on Friday), would send the Ragin’ Cajuns to the SBC Championship Game for the fifth time in the seven-year history of the game. • The meeting with ULM will be the 60th all-time between the schools with Louisiana holding a 33-26 lead. • The game marks the 14th time in school history the schools have met in the regular-season finale with Louisiana claiming eight contests, including the last six.
A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD …
• Clinch a berth in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game for the fifth time in seven years. • Improve Louisiana’s record to 34-26 in the all-time series. • Mark its fourth 10-win season in school history – all coming in the past six years. • Mark its first unbeaten record on the road since 1970 when the Cajuns finished 5-0. • Mark the first time posting a 6-0 record in road games in school history. • Be head coach Michael Desormeaux’s 23rd career win. • Improve Desormeaux’s record in SBC games to 14-10. • Be Louisiana’s 94th overall win in Sun Belt Conference play.
“ROIS” (“KINGS” IN FRENCH) OF THE ROAD
• With a 5-0 record in road games during the 2024 season, Louisiana has equaled its best mark since 1970 when the Ragin’ Cajuns posted the same mark in road games en route to a 9-2 overall record. • No Louisiana team in school history has ever gone 6-0 in road games with three teams – 1908 (3-0), 1944 (3-0) and 1943 (2-0) – posting unbeaten records in seasons with multiple road games.
CHAMPIONSHIP CAJUNS
• In its 123-year history on the gridiron, Louisiana has recorded 10 conference titles, including four Sun Belt Conference crowns. • Louisiana claimed back-to-back titles (1993-94) as members of the Big West Conference and claimed its first SBC title in 2005. • The 2021 SBC title saw Louisiana finish with 13 straight victories, including a New Orleans Bowl victory over Marshall in Michael Desormeaux’s head coaching debut.
TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana became the last FBS team nationally to lose a fumble this season in its Week 12 game against South Alabama. • Louisiana has turned the ball over six times during the 2024 season to rank tied for second (Vanderbilt) behind Army (4) among FBS schools. • Louisiana is +11 in turnover margin in 2024 to rank eighth nationally. • The Ragin’ Cajuns have 84 players on its roster from the state of Louisiana to lead all instate FBS schools. • The Ragin’ Cajuns have allowed 191.0 yards through the air in their first 11 games to rank second in the Sun Belt Conference and 31st nationally in passing yards allowed. • Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 12th nationally in time of possession (32:31 per game). • Louisiana enters the week second in the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 43rd nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 342.4 yards per game. • Louisiana ranks fourth among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.36 per game). • Louisiana’s third-down conversion percentage (.469) is second in the Sun Belt and is 17th among FBS programs. • Eight players – King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB), Lorenzell Dubose (CB), Cody Jackson (S) and Carmycah Glass (LB) – have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season. • Fourteen players – Ben Wooldridge (QB), Lance LeGendre (WR), Terrance Carter (TE), Bill Davis (RB), Dre’lyn Washington (RB), Harvey Broussard (WR), Tavion Smith (WR), Robert Williams (WR), Landon Burton (C), Caleb Kibodi (LB), Chandler Fields (QB), Zylan Perry (RB) and Caden Jensen (TE) – have scored at least one touchdown this season for Louisiana. • Louisiana’s four interceptions against App State equaled its most in a game since October 30, 2010 at Ohio. • Louisiana had a string of 18 consecutive quarters with a score snapped after going scoreless in the third quarter of its 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina.
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks Notes
FIRST-AND-10
• The ULM football team (5-6, 3-4 Sun Belt) is set to play in The Battle on the Bayou versus the Ragin’ Cajuns (9-2, 6-1) in the 2024 regular season finale on Saturday (Nov. 30) at 11 a.m. from Malone Stadium in Monroe, La. The Warhawks are looking to end a five-game losing streak after starting the season with a 5-1 record, which marked the best start in ULM history since 1987. The Warhawks are one win away from clinching bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. ULM was bowl eligible in both the 2018 and 2013 seasons but did not participate in a bowl game. The lone bowl appearance in program history came following the 2012 season when the Warhawks fell to Ohio in the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl. First-year head coach Bryant Vincent has directed one of the most exciting turnarounds in college football and guided ULM to a 5-1 record following a 38-21 homecoming victory over Southern Miss, which was ULM’s first win over USM in Malone Stadium. After the Golden Eagles trimmed ULM’s lead to 17-14 on a blocked field goal score in the third quarter, the Warhawks ripped off 21 unanswered points to lift the team to its third-straight SBC win.
THE LAST TIME VERSUS RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Ragin’ Cajuns 52, ULM 21 (Nov. 26, 2023 in Lafayette, La.): – Paul Letlow: ULM’s 2023 season concluded Saturday with a 52-21 loss at Louisiana-Lafayette. The Warhawks (2-10, 0-8 Sun Belt) finished the year on a 10-game losing streak after winning their first two games over Army and Lamar. ULL (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt) achieved bowl eligibility with the win.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Georgia State Eagles
1:00 p.m. ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
Series Record (Streak):……………………………………………………………………………….. 3-4 (L1)
at Coastal Carolina (Streak): ………………………………………………………………………… 0-4 (L4)
at Georgia State (Streak):…………………………………………………………………………….3-0 (W3)
Neutral Sites (Streak): ………………………………………………………………………………………..N/A
Last Meeting:………………………………………………………… 9/21/2023, L, 30-17 (Conway, SC)
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Notes
Game notes not available.
Georgia State Eagles Notes
Game notes not available.
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at Troy Trojans
1:00 p.m. ESPN+
THE SERIES
• The Golden Eagles renew their series with Troy this week for the 14th time, holding a 8-5 overall record. • Troy has won the last three meetings between the two schools, including a 27-10 victory at Troy in the school’s inaugural Sun Belt Conference contest in 2022 as well as a 35-17 setback in Hattiesburg last season. (see page 3 for last year’s game recap) • In the 2019 meeting at Troy, the Golden Eagles won 47-42 in a game that saw over 1,100 yards of total offense. • The two schools have met once in a bowl game and Southern Miss’ Michael McGee blocked a fi eld goal in overtime to preserve a 30-27 win in the 2008 New Orleans Bowl.
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles Notes
Noting the Golden Eagles
• Southern Miss ends its 108th football season this weekend, having first fielded a team in 1912. The program did not play during World War I (1917-18) or World War II (1943-45). • The Golden Eagles currently play in their fourth different conference in their football history, after holding a spot in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1931-41, the Gulf States Conference from 1948-1951 and Conference USA from 1996- 2021, before starting play in the Sun Belt Conference for the 2022 season. • Since 1994, the program has collected 24 winning seasons and played in 19 bowl games. • Overall, Southern Miss has enjoyed 74 winning seasons and five years of .500 football over its history. Since 2000, the Golden Eagles have had 18 of 24 winning seasons. • The 2022 LendingTree Bowl was the 27th bowl appearance for the Golden Eagles as they hold an 12-15 record overall in postseason games. • Of the 11 FBS opponents for the Golden Eagles this season, eight are already bowl eligible with one more still with the opportunity to go to a bowl in the final week of the regular season. Golden Eagle 2024 opponents have a combined 77-56 record (.579).
Golden Eagles Finish Third Season in Sun Belt Conference this Weekend
• After spending 26 seasons in Conference USA, the Golden Eagles complete their third Sun Belt Conference season. • The Golden Eagles are part of a 14-team Sun Belt that are separated in the East (App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall and Old Dominion) and West (Arkansas State, Louisiana, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy and ULM) division. JMU, ODU and Marshall joined the Golden Eagles as first-year members during the 2022 season. • Southern Miss played at Troy for its first Sun Belt contest on Oct. 8, 2022, dropping a 27-10 decision. • Southern Miss won five Conference USA titles during its tenure, including one since divisional play started in 2005. They captured their only league title contest and the school’s fifth overall C-USA – Page 5 – league crown when they beat Houston, 49-28, in 2011. • The school’s other C-USA titles came in the inaugural season of 1996 as well as the 1997, 1999 and 2003 campaigns. The Golden Eagles also won two East Division crowns in C-USA (2006, 2011) and captured their first West title in 2015 after moving to that division during the 2014 campaign. Southern Miss won its third division title in 2015 but lost in the C-USA championship game at WKU, 45-28. Southern Miss were 1-2 in C-USA title games. • Along with the five C-USA titles, the Golden Eagles also won three additional league titles – 1948, 1950, 1951 – when they were members of the Gulf States Conference.
A Golden Eagles Win over Troy would…
• snap a nine-game current losing streak • give the Golden Eagles their first Sun Belt victory of the season • allow them to snap a three-game losing streak to Troy • end a 12-game losing streak against FBS opponents • give Reed Stringer his first win as a head coach • finish their longest losing streak since dropping 23-straight games from the 2012-13 season
Troy Trojans Notes
Did You Know?
• Troy will honor 13 players who will play for the final time at The Vet – Raymond Cutts, Gerald Green, Landon Parker, Brendan Jackson, Damaje Yancey, Cecil Powell, Anthony Butler, Robert Cole, Daniel King, Robert Bruce, Tavon Matthews, Will Spain and Terry Thomas • Troy will honor football secretary Judy Morgan on Saturday as she is retiring in December following 30 years with Troy University and 25 years with Troy Football • For the first time in Troy’s recorded history, three tight ends caught a TD pass in a game — Brody Dalton, Trae Swartz and Jackson Worley at Louisiana • Troy ran a season-high 78 plays at Louisiana, one week after a then season-high 73 plays at Georgia Southern. The Trojans have topped the 70-play in four straight games; the Trojans had run 58 or fewer plays in four of the previous six games • Troy had 372 yards of offense in the first half (222 yards on the ground) against Coastal; that total would have been more than five of Troy’s full games this season • Troy has almost doubled its per-quarter point average the last 14 quarters of play. Troy has scored 124 points over its last 14 quarters of play for an average of 8.86 per quarter. The Trojans averaged 4.5 points per quarter the first 30 quarters of the season • Paddy McAteer, who didn’t kick an American football until April, ranks as the No. 13 KOS in the country by PFF • Big plays have been key to Troy’s success offensively, the Trojans have scored on 9.38 percent of its drives (6-of-64) without a big play (any pass of 15+ yards/rush of 12+ yards); have scored on 66 percent of drives with a big play (36-of-54) • Troy has found success scoring points on sustained drives this season; the Trojans have scored on 30-of-32 • Devonte Ross (17) and Damien Taylor (9) are responsible for 53.1 percent of Troy’s plays of 20- plus yards this season
TROY By The Numbers
1 – Troy’s national ranking in red zone efficiency; the Trojans have converted on 31-of-32 chances in the red zone … the Trojans are 20th with a 78.88 touchdown rate in the red zone
3 – Different quarterbacks have started multiple games this season … Matthew Caldwell (5), Goose Crowder (4), Tucker Kilcrease (2)
4 – Three-and-out forced by Troy’s defense in four of the last five games (Louisiana – 2)
6 – Troy’s national ranking in 3rd downs … the Trojans have been successful on 49.7 percent of its third downs; Troy has been balanced on third down, running 50.34 percent of the time and passing 49.66 percent of the time
6 – Combined 100-yard rushing games this season between Gerald Green & Damien Taylor
21 – Troy’s national ranking in total offense in the month of November; the Trojans are averaging 448.7 yards per game … Troy ranked 112th in October (323.0) and 104th in August/September (332.4)
27 – Yards receiving needed by Devonte Ross to become the sixth player in program history to reach 1,000 yards in a season; he needs 197 yards and 14 catches to set the single-season records
30 – Troy’s national ranking in total defense in the month of November; the Trojans are averaging 325.7 yards per game allowed … Troy ranked 111th in October (439.7)
99 – Yard touchdown drive by Troy against Coastal Carolina was its longest in the program’s FBS history; all seven plays on the drive were rushes
Old Dominion Monarchs at Arkansas State Red Wolves
2:00 p.m. ESPN+
THE SERIES
Arkansas State and Old Dominion meet on the gridiron for just the second time. The two sides last met in Norfolk back in 2022 with the Monarchs taking a 29-26 victory. Old Dominion is just the second team from the state of Virginia to visit Centennial Bank Stadium after two visits from Richmond in 1981 and 2000.
Old Dominion Monarchs Notes
• Old Dominion travels to Arkansas State on Saturday, Nov. 30 for the 2024 season finale in Jonesboro. • ODU went back and forth against Marshall but dropped a 42- 35 decision to the Thundering Herd last week in Norfolk. • Quarterback Colton Joseph completed 19-of-31 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing 25 times for 158 yards and two scored. The 158 yards were the second most by an ODU quarterback in program history. • Running back Aaron Young recorded his third-straight 100- yard rushing game, notching 18 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns. The three 100-yard rushing games are the first three of his career and it’s his first career multi-touchdown game. • Wide receiver Isiah Paige caught seven passes for 103 yards. It’s his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season, the first four of his career. • Linebacker Koa Naotala registered his fourth double-digit tackle game of the season with 12 tackles against Marshall. Ashton Whitner totaled a season high nine stops in his first start of the season. • Arkansas State scored a touchdown in each quarter to defeat ULM 28-21 last Saturday in Jonesboro. Jaylen Raynor threw for 170 yards and three touchdowns, while Zak Wallace rushed for 130 yards and a score for the Red Wolves. • ODU played a Division I record 11 one-score games in 2023, going 6-5 in those games. So far this season 8-of-the first-11 have been one score games. Twenty of the last 25 games have been decided by one score. • Old Dominion’s 57 newcomers are the 15th most in the country and the 28 transfers (JUCO and Four-Year) are tied for 15th most in the country.
Arkansas State Red Wolves Notes
1ST AND 10
1 – Trevian Thomas is the only FBS player with three interceptions on an opponent’s final possession of a game.
2 – Corey Rucker needs 12 receiving yards to become A-State’s career receiving yards record holder.
3 – Justin Parks is one of three current four-year FBS captains, along with Utah’s Cameron Rising and Auburn’s Payton Thorne.
4 – Butch Jones is one of three all-time FBS Head Coaches to take four different programs to multiple bowl games.
5 – The Red Wolves have 98 wins as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, second-most of any member, past or present.
6 – The Red Wolves have six wins in games decided by one score, most in FBS.
7 – Seven different players have combined for 14 total interceptions for the A-State defense.
8 – The Red Wolves have used 38 different starters, 18 on offense and 20 on defense.
9 – Zak Wallace has nine rushing touchdowns this season, most by an A-State player since Michael Gordon had nine in 2015.
10 – A-State is bowl eligible for the 14th time as a FBS member.
A-STATE VS THE SUN BELT
Arkansas State has an all-time record of 98-77 in Sun Belt Conference games. Along with ULM and Louisiana, A-State is one of three teams that have been a part of the conference since its inaugural football season in 2001. The Red Wolves rank second in all-time Sun Belt victories with 98.
110TH SEASON
A-State holds a 503-530-37 record since the inaugural season and has played in 18 bowl games. The Red Wolves are 162-219-1 since joining the FBS level in 1992.
BOWL ELIGIBLE
With a 27-20 win at Georgia State, Arkansas State earned bowl eligibility. This season will mark the 12th bowl game as a FBS member; 2005 New Orleans Bowl, 2011 GoDaddy.com Bowl, 2012 GoDaddy. com Bowl, 2013 GoDaddy Bowl, 2014 GoDaddy Bowl, 2015 New Orleans Bowl, 2016 Cure Bowl, 2017 Camellia Bowl, 2018 Arizona Bowl, 2019 Camellia Bowl and 2023 Camellia Bowl.
Appalachian State Mountaineers at Georgia Southern Eagles
5:00 p.m. ESPN+
The Series:
App State leads 22-16-1 (6-4 as FBS) On road: App State is 7-11 (2-3 FBS) Last year: W, 55-27 in Boone (Nov. 25) Last time at GS: L, 51-48 (2OT) in 2022 Series trends: App State has won 6 of last 9, 9 of last 13 and 13 of last 19 against GS
Appalachian State Mountaineers Notes
TOP STORYLINES
• Moving forward from a home victory against an eight-win James Madison team on Senior Day, App State needs to beat Georgia Southern on the road to reach bowl eligibility at the end of its 11-game regular season — the Mountaineers’ home game against Liberty scheduled for Sept. 28 was canceled due to the impact from Hurricane Helene’s Sept. 27 arrival. Georgia Southern, meanwhile, can clinch a share of the Sun Belt’s East Division title and a spot in the Sun Belt Championship Game with a win over App State and a Marshall loss at James Madison. • App State and Georgia Southern made their FBS debuts in 2014, and the Mountaineers are one of 10 programs nationally with 100 wins in that span. The others are Alabama (135), Clemson (128), Ohio State (125), Georgia (123), Oklahoma (108), Notre Dame (105), Boise State (104), Oregon (101) and Michigan (100). App State is 99-35 since starting 1-5 in its 2014 FBS debut. • Under coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers are 20-1 when winning the turnover battle. App State had lost the turnover battle in six straight games, going 2-4 in that stretch, before winning it for the first time in 2024 vs. ODU. It didn’t commit a turnover against JMU and finished with a plus-two margin against a team that was leading the nation in turnover margin. • App State is tied for seventh nationally with 36 road wins since 2014, and that includes a 29-14 record in Sun Belt regular-season road games, but the Mountaineers are seeking their first Sun Belt road win of 2024. They are 2-3 in Statesboro as FBS foes, with a 34-26 win in 2020 and a 51-48 double-overtime loss in 2022 (when they also needed a victory to gain bowl eligibility). • When RB Ahmani Marshall rushed for 115 yards against Georgia State on Oct. 26, it was App State’s fifth straight game with a different leading rusher, but that started Marshall’s active streak of four straight 100-yard games. He followed the Georgia State win with big games against ODU (120 yards), Coastal Carolina (124 yards) and JMU (108 yards). He has started the last three games after coming off the bench in the first 44 games of his collegiate career. • Kaedin Robinson led App State in receiving yardage in each of its first nine games, ranking among the FBS leaders at 93.3 yards a game before he suffered a season-ending injury on a late TD at Coastal Carolina. In the first game without Robinson, Makai Jackson had five catches for 162 yards against JMU, with second-quarter gains of 52 yards, 29 yards and 64 yards (TD). • Sixth-year senior Brendan Harrington, who matched his career high of 11 tackles vs. JMU, is App State’s leading tackler this year after suffering season-ending injuries early in the 2022 season (shoulder injury in the opener vs. UNC) and 2023 season (knee injury in Week 2 vs. UNC).
MORE STORYLINES
• There are 20 seniors on App State’s roster, including two sixth-year seniors who were freshmen on the 2019 roster: ILB Brendan Harrington and LS Christian Johnstone. They have been part of 52 wins, three Sun Belt Championship game appearances (with one win) and three bowl wins. • Fifth-year seniors Ronald Clarke (FS), Christan Horn (WR) and Eli Wilson (TE) have played their entire careers in Boone, and App State has won 39 games since their 2020 arrival — also Shawn Clark’s first full season as head coach. • Against JMU, App State had its first penalty-free game since a 2018 home win vs. Georgia State. • App State’s average home attendance of 34,622 in 2024 ranks as the second-highest average in school and Sun Belt Conference history behind last year’s average of 34,734. App State set program and Sun Belt records for home attendance averages in 2021, 2022 and 2023 before falling just short of the 2023 mark this year (with a sold-out home game canceled this year). • In July, Kidd Brewer Stadium was listed at No. 23 on ESPN’s list of top 25 college football stadiums. Seventeen of the top 19 crowds in stadium history have occurred since the start of 2022, and all 18 home crowds in that stretch have topped 30,000. • The 2024 home finale was the 11th straight sellout at The Rock dating back to last season, and that includes the Sept. 28 contest that was canceled due to Hurricane Helene. • App State had 37 days between home games — a Thursday game against South Alabama on Sept. 19 and the Oct. 26 return to Kidd Brewer Stadium against Georgia State. After the Liberty game was canceled, the Mountaineers played back-to-back road games before having a bye on Oct. 19. They then beat Georgia State and ODU (Nov. 2) on back-to-back Saturdays in Boone. • On Oct. 17, App State announced that the final three home games in Boone would be played as originally scheduled. The university reopened Oct. 11 and resumed classes Oct. 16. • After the storm, the volunteer efforts among coaches, staff members and players from coach Shawn Clark’s program have included unpacking and organizing donated goods at a local church and loading supplies/generators onto helicopters from a humanitarian aid organization. • Armanti Edwards, a record-setting QB for App State from 2006-09, is one of 22 members of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class. He was honored during the last home game with his On-Campus Salute from the National Football Foundation, which will induct him into the Hall of Fame on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas. • App State, which led the Sun Belt with 14 alums on NFL rosters in 2023, again has a league-high 13 alums on current rosters this season. • Before beating an 8-2 JMU team that was receiving top 25 votes, head coach Shawn Clark had led the Mountaineers to a win over a ranked opponent in each of the previous three years: 30-27 over No. 14 Coastal Carolina in 2021, 17-14 over No. 6 Texas A&M in 2022 and 26-23 (OT) over No. 18 James Madison in 2023. • App State was among the programs featured by EA Sports in the promotion of the College Football 25 video game, with WR Kaedin Robinson receiving extended exposure as a returner. • Nine team captains were named for the 2024 season: DE Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, QB Joey Aguilar, RB Anderson Castle, SAF Jordan Favors, STAR/SPT Andre Hamilton, ILB Brendan Harrington, WR Christan Horn, WR Kaedin Robinson and K Michael Hughes. • The 2024 roster had 34 scholarship newcomers, including 15 from the transfer portal.
OFFENSE
• Averaging 271.2 passing yards per game (No. 14 in FBS, No. 3 among G5 programs, No. 1 Sun Belt) with 21 TD passes this season, QB Joey Aguilar is the nation’s only returning FBS QB who had 33-plus TD passes and 3,700-plus passing yards in 2023. His 15 TD passes to either tie a game or give his team a lead led the country in 2023, and he has seven more of those TD passes in 2024. • App State had one of the top QB/WR combos in the country, but Kaedin Robinson suffered a season-ending injury as he scored a 25-yard touchdown late in the Mountaineers’ last game. He ranks No. 9 nationally and 1st in the Sun Belt at 93.3 receiving yards per game, part of a season with 53 catches for 840 yards and two touchdowns. • Kaedin Robinson ranks in the top 10 on App State’s career lists with 2,164 receiving yards (No. 7 overall, No. 3 in FBS era), 147 receptions (No. 8 overall, No. 3 in FBS era) and 14 touchdown receptions (T-No. 9 overall, T-No. 4 in FBS era). His 905 yards in 2023 were the most by an App State receiver in the FBS era, and his 840 yards this season rank No. 3 in the FBS era. • RB Ahmani Marshall blocked a punt for a safety to open the Georgia State game and then rushed for 115 yards and a TD on 18 attempts before adding in a 23-carry, 120-yard performance vs. ODU, a 28-carry, 124-yard effort at Coastal and a 24-carry, 108-yard game vs. JMU. he had the first two-touchdown game of his career at Marshall before adding one at Coastal and has six rushing touchdowns in the last six games. • In addition to his 33 TD passes in 2023, a total that ranked fifth nationally, QB Joey Aguilar also set school records of 3,757 passing yards and 4,002 yards of total offense in 2023. Replacing the injured starter in the first half of the 2023 opener, he threw a TD pass on his first FBS play by hitting Kaedin Robinson for a 32-yard score. Aguilar then threw an 83-yard TD pass to Christan Horn on the second offensive snap (and first pass) of 2024. • At ECU, Joey Aguilar threw for a career-high 424 yards and two TDs, including a 36-yard, go-ahead score to Makai Jackson late in the third quarter. His 32 completions and 47 pass attempts were also career highs. The 424 passing yards set a record for a road performance by an App State QB and rank as the third-best total in program history, behind only the 433 yards from Armanti Edwards against South Carolina State in a 2008 playoff game and the 427 yards from Taylor Lamb against Coastal Carolina in 2017. • WRs Christan Horn and Dalton Stroman are two big-play threats, with career averages of 17.1 and 18.0 yards per reception, respectively. Stroman had five touchdown catches during one five-game stretch this season, with two touchdowns against Marshall and one apiece against South Alabama, Georgia State and ODU. • The offensive line has helped the running game take strides, with App State averaging 174.8 yards on the ground over four straight games before it gained 215 yards on the ground at Coastal but totaled 150 rushing yards because of 65 yards lost on sacks. The Mountaineers added 145 hard-fought yards against a tough run defense from JMU, with 125 of them coming after halftime. App State had a season-high 184 rushing yards against ODU. • Tight ends Max Drag, Kanen Hamlett, David Larkins and Eli Wilson have all scored touchdowns in Sun Belt play, including Wilson’s 11th career touchdown catch and fourth touchdown catch of the season against JMU. Hamlett’s go-ahead touchdown in the final three minutes against Georgia State was his second career catch, and Drag’s touchdown in the final two minutes against ODU was his first career catch. Hamlett and Drag made their first career starts in a set with two tight ends as Wilson and Larkins were sidelined against ODU. • App State is 12-for-19 on fourth down this season, including a 6-for-6 game at Marshall.
DEFENSE
• With a team-high 61 tackles this season, two-time team captain Brendan Harrington has shown toughness and perseverance since suffering the season-ending injuries early in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In the last three games, he has posted nine, 10 and 11 tackles. • Santana Hopper, PFF’s national defender of the week at ECU after a strong game that included forcing a fumble on a sack, had a hand in three sacks vs. Georgia State (one solo, two half-sacks). He added a sack and a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss against JMU. • Free safety DJ Burks is tied for second on the team with 53 tackles. He had a career-high 14 tackles in his first career start, at strong safety against South Alabama, and has started the last five games at free safety. • OLB Nate Johnson (Gaffney, S.C.) and DL Santana Hopper were named Freshman All-Americans last season, when Johnson tied for first nationally among true freshmen with 7.5 sacks and Hopper made a late-season surge while contributing 3.5 sacks among his 7.5 tackles for loss. • OLBs Thomas Davis and Nate Johnson have split time at the “Dog” position this season. Davis has two sacks among his 3.5 tackles for loss, while Johnson officially contributed a sack for the first time this season against ODU. He had a first-half sack at ECU erased by a targeting call • CB Nick Taylor, the only App State true freshman to play in a game so far this season, made his first career start vs. Georgia State.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• All-America kicker Michael Hughes is a fourth-year senior who played in the first four games but was sidelined after that (from a lower-body injury sustained during the Hurricane Helene rainfall) until he returned for Senior Day, when he went 2-for-2 on field goals and 4-for-4 on PATs while also handling the kickoff duties. That ran his current streak to 18 consecutive field goals, with a 7-for-7 mark this season as part of a 35-for-41 career total. • Ahmani Marshall’s blocked punt to produce a safety for an early 2-0 lead against Georgia State was App State’s first blocked punt since 2019 (Demetrius Taylor vs. Coastal Carolina) and App State’s first safety since 2022 (when Troy intentionally took one with 20 seconds left while holding a four-point lead to avoid punting from its end zone; App State followed a free kick with a Hail Mary touchdown). Against JMU, Cahari Haynes’ blocked punt led to a scoop-and-score touchdown for Michael Hetzel, who made his first career start at wide receiver in the game. It was App State’s first touchdown off a blocked punt since 2019 (D’Marco Jackson vs. Charlotte). • In 2023, assistant Brian Haines had at least one special teams player receive All-America recognition for the third straight year, as Michael Hughes and multi-unit coverage stalwart Jackson Greene were both honored to join kick returner Milan Tucker (2022) and kicker Chandler Staton (2021). Recently, long snapper Christian Johnstone received All-America honorable mention from the Special Teams University organization.
Georgia Southern Eagles Notes
OF NOTE
• Georgia Southern and App State have met 39 previous times with the Mountaineers holding a 22-16-1 lead in a series that dates back to 1932. This is the fth straight year the two have ended the regular season playing. • The Eagles hold an 11-7 lead over App State in games played in Statesboro after winning three of the past ve played at home. The last time the two teams met at Paulson Stadium was in 2022 when the Eagles won 51-48 in double overtime. • The two schools battled as members of the Southern Conference from 1993-2013. The teams have played every year since 1993, including twice in 2001. The 39 games played makes App Georgia Southern’s most-played opponent in program history. • Georgia Southern and App State combined to win nine FCS (I-AA) national championships. • Georgia Southern wins the Sun Belt East Division with a victory over App State and a loss by Marshall at James Madison (8 PM). App State clinches bowl eligibility with a win.
NOTABLE STREAKS AND TRENDS ENTERING THE GAME
• Georgia Southern is 15-3 under head coach Clay Helton when scoring eight or more points in the second quarter and 4-15 when scoring seven points or less. • Southern is 9-3 when under Helton when scoring eight or more points in the fourth quarter. • The Eagles are 5-1 under Helton when completing 35 passes or more in a game. • Southern is 12-3 when having a combined 60 or more rushes and completions under Helton (4-0 with 65+). • GS is 14-7 when rushing for 100 or more yards in a game under Helton, 4-1 when rushing for 200 or more yards. The Eagles are 12-5 when tallying 30 or more rushes in a games and 9-1 when winning the rushing battle (10-17 when losing it). • Since 2000, the Eagles are 117-16 when they’ve rushed for 300 yards or more. • Dating back to the start of the 2018 season, GS is 30-10 in games when having at least one 100-yard rusher. • Since joining the FBS in 2014, Georgia Southern is just 11-32 when rushing for less than 150 yards in a game. • Dating back to 2019, the Eagles have won 16 of their past 20 games when not committing a turnover. • Dating back to 2020, the Eagles are 23-5 when winning the turnover battle, 4-22 when losing it, and 3-5 when the margin is tied. Under Clay Helton, the Eagles are 13-2 when winning the battle, 4-13 when losing it and 2-3 when it’s tied. • As a member of the FBS (since 2014), the Eagles are 50-9 when scoring 30 or more points, 22-56 when scoring less than 30 points. The Eagles are 14-5 under Clay Helton when scoring 30 or more points, 5-13 when scoring less than 30 points. • Georgia Southern is 225-1 all-time when having a lead of 18 or more points at any point in the game. That lone loss came in 2005 when the Eagles led at Texas State 35-16 in the third quarter and lost 50-35. • The Eagles have won 82 straight games when holding a lead of 17 or more points at any point in a game dating back to that 2005 Texas State game. • Since 1983, Georgia Southern is 204-17 when allowing 17 points or less. The last time the Eagles lost a game when allowing 17 points or less was in 2013, a 16-14 loss to Furman at home. The current streak of victories when allowing 17 or less points is at 32. • Georgia Southern had won 90 games in a row when scoring 40 or more points before scoring 45 points and losing to Boise State in this year’s opener. Overall, the Eagles are now 150-3 all time, including 99-1 at home when scoring 40 or more points in a game. Georgia Southern is 7-1 under Helton when scoring 40 or more points in a game.
Marshall Thundering Herd at James Madison Dukes
7:00 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday’s meeting will be the fifth all-time meeting between Marshall and James Madison. Marshall currently leads the all-time series between the two teams by a 3-1 margin. The Herd won a 26-12 battle at Bridgeforth Stadium in 2022, but the Dukes paid the favor back in a 20-9 win in Huntington last year.
Marshall Thundering Herd Notes
Getting To The QB!
When Marshall and James Madison line up on Saturday, it will be a battle of two teams who really know how to put pressure on the opposition. The matchup represents the Sun Belt’s top two teams at getting to the quarterback and two of the top-15 teams in the nation in sack production. James Madison comes in at No. 9 in FBS with 34.0 sacks on the season. The Dukes are led by two of the top-20 players in FBS in sacks in Eric O’Neill, who is No. 10 in FBS with 9.0 sacks, and Khairi Manns, who is No. 20 in FBS with 8.0 sacks. Marshall comes into the game at No. 13 overall in FBS in sacks with 32.0 on the season. The Herd is led by defensive end Mike Green, who is No. 1 in all of FBS with 15.0 sacks on the year. Green also leads all of FBS in sack yardage (126), tackles for loss (20.0), TFL yardage (137) and tackles by a defensive lineman (76).
Protecting The Football!
Every college football matchup typically comes down to taking care of the football and who wins the turnover battle. When it comes to winning the turnover battle, there are few teams that do it better than these two teams. James Madison has turned the ball over just eight times in 11 games this season and owns the best turnover margin in FBS at +17. That is 1.55 turnovers gained over opponents each week. Marshall is not far behind the Dukes, having just nine turnovers on the season while sporting a +9 turnover battle – a per-game advantage of 0.82.
With a win on Saturday…
…Marshall would clinch a spot in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Championship game at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 in a game to be televised nationally on ESPN. The site for that championship would be determined following Saturday night’s contest between Marshall and JMU. A win would also give Marshall a six-game winning streak to end the regular season and a 7-1 mark in SBC play.
James Madison Dukes Notes
DUKES CLOSE REGULAR SEASON WITH HERD
• James Madison wraps up the 2024 regular season Saturday when it hosts Marshall at Bridgeforth Stadium. • It will be Senior Day, as those playing in their final game in Harrisonburg will be honored prior to kickoff. • JMU also has the chance to finish the home campaign with an unbeaten record on its home turf. • Saturday’s game is sponsored by United Bank, and the 2024 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
SEEKING UNBEATEN HOME SEASON
• While JMU can’t advance to its first Sun Belt title game this season, it can still finish off the regular season with a perfect record inside Bridgeforth Stadium. • A win over Marshall would mark JMU’s 11th unbeaten home record since the start of the program in 1972 and for the first time since 2020 (season played in spring 2021). • Over the past nine seasons, JMU has been incredible at home, going 58-4 (94%) since 2016. • During that span, JMU has finished the year undefeated in Harrisonburg four times, going 5-0 in 2020, 9-0 in both 2017 and 2019 and 8-0 in 2016. • This season, JMU has won its five home games by an average of 37.0 to 8.4 • JMU has allowed just four touchdowns to opposing teams at home in 2024
BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME
• JMU is bowl eligible for the first time in school history after notching its sixth win on Oct. 26 against Southern Miss. • While the Dukes are bowl bound for the second time in as many years, JMU was not technically considered bowl eligible in 2023 due to the FCS to FBS reclassification. • The Dukes competed in the 2023 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl versus Air Force due to there not being enough bowl eligible programs, coupled with JMU being in year two of the reclassification process with at least six wins. • Last season, a record 12 Sun Belt Conference teams competed in bowl season, and JMU became the second conference school to clinch eligibility, behind SBC West leader Louisiana. • Entering this week, six Sun Belt teams are eligible, adding in Georgia Southern, Marshall, Arkansas State and Texas State.
BOWL SEASON NEXT
• Following the regular-season finale, JMU will await its postseason fate when the bowl selections are announced on Dec. 8. • JMU is making its second straight bowl appearance and its first as a fully reclassified FBS program. • The Dukes played Air Force in the 2023 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl last December, but media pundits currently have JMU projected in eight different possible bowl games.
LEADING FBS IN TURNOVER MARGIN
• JMU had won the turnover battle in every game up until last week’s game at App State, yet the Dukes still lead the country in turnover margin (+1.55) entering Saturday’s bout. • The JMU defense is also second nationally in total takeaways (25) and interceptions (17) and 20th in fumble recoveries (8). • On the other side of the ball, JMU is second in the FBS with just three interceptions thrown, which is second nationally, tied for the Sun Belt lead and first among teams not running the triple option.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
WIN AND IN
With one-game advantages in their respective divisions, Louisiana and Marshall can each clinch a spot in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship with a victory on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Ragin’ Cajuns visit in-state rival ULM at 11 a.m. on ESPNU, while the Thundering Herd travels to James Madison at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Louisiana owns a 33-26 mark in the all-time series with ULM, including winning five of the past six and 13 of the last 16 meetings. The Warhawks won the most recent meeting in Monroe, 21-17, in 2022. Marshall leads the all-time series with James Madison 3-1, with the Dukes breaking through for their first victory, 20-9, in Huntington in 2023.
IN THE HUNT
South Alabama and Georgia Southern remain in contention for the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship entering the final weekend of the regular season. The Jaguars can qualify with a victory and a Louisiana loss, while the Eagles need a win and a Marshall loss. South Alabama hosts Texas State at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, on ESPN+. The Bobcats own a 5-4 lead in the all-time series, with the home team being undefeated in nine prior meetings. Georgia Southern hosts rival App State at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, on ESPN+. The Mountaineers lead the series, 22-16-1, though the Eagles are 11-7 all-time in Statesboro.
HISTORIC BERTHS
Three of four teams that remain in contention for the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship would be first-time qualifiers for the event, which was established in 2018. South Alabama out of the West Division and Marshall and Georgia Southern out of the East Division would be first-time qualifiers. Louisiana would be the first-ever five-time qualifier for the championship game, breaking a tie with App State (4) for the most appearances in conference history. App State (4), Louisiana (4), Coastal Carolina (2) and Troy (2) have each qualified for the championship game since it was instituted.
SEEKING BOWL ELIGIBILITY
Three teams—App State, Coastal Carolina and ULM—will attempt to clinch bowl eligibility with victories in Week 14. A win would get App State bowl eligible for the ninth time in 10 eligible seasons at the FBS level, Coastal Carolina bowl eligible for the fifth-straight campaign and ULM bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. App State and ULM can play spoiler in the aforementioned matchups with 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship implications, while Coastal Carolina will seek its sixth win at Georgia State at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, on ESPN+. The Sun Belt, which is coming off a 2023 season in which it led the nation with 12 bowl eligible programs, currently has seven bowl eligible teams—Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Louisiana, Marshall, South Alabama and Texas State—tied for the most among non-autonomy conferences.
