Despite having only about half of the total yards as their counterparts, the Charlotte 49ers were able to rely on a strong defensive effort to hold on for a 17-7 win over Southern Miss Saturday afternoon at Richardson Stadium.

With the win, Charlotte sits at 4-4 on the season and 3-2 in Conference USA play. "I like where we are. Our guys have bought into what we're talking about," Coach Brad Lambert stated after the game.

While the offense struggled to move the ball most of the day against the top-CUSA Golden Eagle defensive squad, the Charlotte defense stepped up to the challenge and help Southern Miss out of the end zone for most of the day. When the Golden Eagles did find some offensive rhythm, the 49ers defense worked together to shut them down, forcing three turnovers in the first half as well as a missed field goal.

Senior linebacker Juwan Foggie leads the NCAA with six interceptions

Juwan Foggie had a pick-six to end the first quarter and give the 49ers a fourteen-point lead. Foggie added another INT in the second quarter, giving him an FBS-leading six on the season. It was also Foggie's second interception return for a touchdown this season. "Coach had the perfect scheme drawn up. I just read the quarterback's eyes and made a play," Foggie said after the game.

Junior linebacker Jeff Gemmell was excited for how well his teammate was playing. "When guys like Foggie getting a pick-six, I went out there and hit like three or four of my teammates. When you're having fun and thankful for making good plays, you have that gratitude. That's really where it starts to kick in and you realize you have something special."

Safety Ben DeLuca had a team-high 12 tackles to lead the defense. The junior from Florida also added an interception to give the 49ers three on the day, tying a program record.

Redshirt senior Hasaan Klugh scored Charlotte's lone offensive touchdown on the day, a five-yard run that topped off an eleven-play, 75- yard drive early in the first quarter.

Lambert was happy about his team's performance. "All the way around, kicking game, offense, defense, the kids kept fighting. A good team win right here." Lambert was particularly excited about how his offense closed out the game. "We ran four straight plays to get that a first down and the games over. Everyone knew we were going to run it. They knew it, we knew it, everybody else knew it. And we got that first down. It's a good team win."

Charlotte (4-4, 3-2) plays out of conference next week at Tennessee (3-5) while Southern Miss (3-4, 2-2) hosts Marshall (5-2, 3-1).

STATESBORO, Ga. — No. 25 Appalachian State suffered its first Sun Belt Conference loss of the season Thursday, falling 34-14 at league co-leader Georgia Southern.

Anthony Flory had a team-high 10 tackles for the Mountaineers, who were playing their first game as a ranked team at the FBS level. They lost starting quarterback Zac Thomas to an injury three plays into the game and second-leading tackler Jordan Fehr to a targeting penalty in the first quarter.

Georgia Southern finished with 24 points off the five turnovers it forced, and App State was held to 288 yards of offense. Peyton Derrick and Jacob Huesman took snaps at quarterback the rest of the way after Thomas left the game, and Huesman threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Malik Williams with 10 seconds remaining.

The Mountaineers (5-2, 3-1) return to action Nov. 3 at Coastal Carolina (4-3, 1-2).

Demetrius Taylor's blocked punt and D'Marco Jackson's 15-yard return to the Georgia Southern 31 created the first scoring opportunity on a rainy night at Paulson Stadium. The Eagles (7-1, 4-0) immediately followed a goalline interception and long return to start the second quarter with Shai Werts' 57-yard touchdown pass to Darion Anderson.

App State answered back quickly, using Marcus Williams Jr.'s 23-yard run and backup quarterback Derrick's 50-yard pass to Corey Sutton to set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Williams.

App State's defense forced a three-and-out, with MyQuon Stout and Flory converging for the stop on a third-and-3 carry, but the Eagles made a fumble recovery at the Mountaineers' 10 following a muffed punt in heavy traffic.

Wesley Fields' 10-yard touchdown run on the next play put Georgia Southern ahead for good, and a three-and-out possession preceded a six-play scoring drive for the Eagles, who took a 17-7 lead on Tyler Bass' 42-yard field goal.

After Georgia Southern forced a three-and-out to open the second half, Fields rushed for 32 yards on a third-and-7 conversion and Werts scored on a 47-yard option keeper. The Eagles moved ahead 27-7 late in the third quarter on a 43-yard field goal that followed an interception on a tipped pass.

Huesman took over at quarterback for App State late in the third quarter, and one of the Eagles' four interceptions set up Fields' 18-yard touchdown run with 3:28 remaining. Huesman led a late scoring drive and threw the first touchdown pass of his career in the closing seconds.

POSTGAME NOTES

Appalachian State is now 30-4 in its last 34 conference games and 14-3 in its last 17 conference road games.

A week after batting down two passes, Demetrius Taylor recorded the first blocked punt of his career. With Steven Jones blocking two punts against Gardner-Webb and Tae Hayes blocking a field goal against South Alabama, the Mountaineers have four blocked kicks this season, a total that's tied for third place nationally.

Corey Sutton, who entered the game with a yards-per-catch average of 21.53 that ranked No. 9 in the nation, had his third reception of at least 40 yards this season. He hauled in a 50-yard reception to set up a first-half touchdown.

Cole Garrison, a sophomore, made his first career start at right guard.

Carolina Gridiron ranks the top fifteen teams in each classification weekly during the football season. Teams are ranked based on a number of factors including strength of schedule, wins, and quality losses. Interact with us on Twitter (@NCGridiron and @NCGridironNews) and let us know your thoughts using the hashtag #CGTop15.

BOONE — Appalachian State has made history again during its record-setting start in FBS football.

At 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference, the Mountaineers earned their first Top 25 ranking as an FBS member when the newly released AP Poll on Sunday listed App State at No. 25.

It's tied for the highest ranking ever for a Sun Belt team, as Troy's one-week appearance at No. 25 in the AP Poll during the 2016 season is the only other case of a Sun Belt team being ranked in either poll. With a school-record 78 voting points in this week's Amway Coaches Poll, the Mountaineers are one spot outside the 25th spot, 17 voting points behind Miami.

App State Earns First-Ever AP Top 25 Ranking

Led by head coach Scott Satterfield, Appalachian State is currently in its fifth season of FBS competition, and it's the only program with a bowl win in each of its first three eligible seasons following the complete transition. The Mountaineers are 40-10 in their last 50 games and 30-3 in their last 33 league games.

App State led in the final minute of a 45-38 overtime loss at Penn State to open the 2018 season, and it has won its last five games by a combined score of 231-49. That includes a 35-9 road victory on ESPN2 against Arkansas State, the preseason West Division favorite in the Sun Belt Conference, and a 27-17 home victory against Louisiana on Saturday. A touchdown by the Ragin' Cajuns with 1:03 left Saturday accounts for the only second-half points given up by Appalachian's defense since the Penn State game.

The Mountaineers are currently No. 5 nationally in scoring offense (44.8 points per game), No. 11 in scoring defense (15.7 points per game), No. 8 in yards allowed per game (294.8), No. 17 in offensive yards per game (476.0) and tied with Utah State for No. 1 in special teams touchdowns (four).

Appalachian was unofficially No. 29 in last week's AP Poll and No. 31 in last week's Coaches Poll. The Mountaineers return to action Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. road game at Georgia Southern on ESPNU.

The 2018 football team is the first App State team to be ranked nationally in the top 25 since the 2016-17 wrestling team closed that regular season at No. 19.

The Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas was first played on December 4, 1937, in Charlotte, N.C., making it the oldest high school football all-star game in the nation. The annual game featuring many of the top high school players from North and South Carolina is played to benefit the Greenville (South Carolina) Unit Shriners Hospital for Children and the 21 other Shriners Hospitals for Children across the nation.

Congratulations to the following players who were selected to represent North Carolina in the 2018 Shrine Bowl. This year's game will be played at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 15th at Wofford's Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.
DB	Alex Angus	Page	6'2"	195
DB	Shyheim Battle	Rocky Mount	6'2"	180
LB	Prince Bemah	Hunter Huss	6'0"	225
QB	Kennique Bonner-Steward	Hough	6'4"	215
WR	Elijah Bowick	Myers Park	6'1"	215
LB	Derek Boykins	Central Cabarrus	6'1"	225
WR	Khafre Brown	West Mecklenburg	6'1"	185
OL	Isaac Chapman	Alexander Central	6'2"	275
K/P	Matthew Chmil	Page	5'10"	170
DL	C.J. Clark	North Stanly	6'4"	305
OL	Jack Cutler	South Iredell	6'5"	290
DB	Tony Davis	Hunter Huss	6'2"	195
LB	Jurriente Davis	Dudley	6'0"	205
OL	Larry Dowdy	South Point	6'3"	290
OL	C.J. Elmonus	AC Reynolds	6'7"	270
DL	Keziah Everett	Farmville Central	6'2"	322
LB	Treveon Freshwater	Northeastern	6'3"	235
WR	Nolan Groulx	Hough	5'11"	190
OL	Billy Hambrook	Charlotte Catholic	6'3"	270
DB	Anthony Harris	Havelock	6'2"	172
DL	Joshua Harris	Person	6'3"	320
OL	Sam Hartsell	Concord	6'4"	280
OL	Isaiah Helms	West Caldwell	6'3"	315
QB	Sam Howell	Sun Valley	6'2"	220
DL	Savion Jackson	Clayton	6'3"	275
RB	Zonovan Knight	Southern Nash	6'0"	189
LB	Lee Kpogba	Parkland	6'2	210
LS	Drew Little	North Stanly	5'11"	230
DB	Khalid Martin	East Forsyth	6'1"	205
RB	Demetrius Mauney	East Rutherford	6'1"	190
DL	Jaden McKenzie	Wake Forest	6'3"	285
DB	JaQuan McMillian	West Forsyth	5'11"	175
RB	Syheam McQueen	Scotland	6'1"	215
OL	Jacob Monk	Corinth Holders	6'4"	300
OL	Parker Moorer	Mallard Creek	6'5"	280
DL	John Oxce	Southwest Guilford	5'11"	245
LB	Jacob Roberts	Mallard Creek	6'1"	220
LB	Jaylon Scott	Shelby	6'2"	230
WR	Emery Simmons	South View	6'2"	190
WR	Welton Spottsville	Havelock	6'0"	210
ATH/WR	Mateo Sudipo	Wake Forest	6'1"	185
LB	Drake Thomas	Heritage	6'1"	230
DB	Kam Walker	Clayton	6'1"	200
ATH/TE	Ken Walker	Pisgah	6'5"	240

BOONE — Another second-half statement from Appalachian State's defense. Another strong rushing performance from Darrynton Evans.

It added up to another Sun Belt Conference victory for the Mountaineers.

Evans rushed for a career-high 183 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns, including a tiebreaking one on a 20-yard reception late in the first half, as App State remained unbeaten in league play with a 27-17 home win against Louisiana on Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

The Mountaineers (5-1, 3-0) were close to pitching a second-half shutout for the fifth straight game, but the Ragin' Cajuns (3-4, 1-2) cut into a 27-10 deficit by scoring with 1:03 remaining. Akeem Davis-Gaither recorded a career-high 15 tackles while contributing to a pair of sacks, Noel Cook had a sack in his 13-tackle performance and App State limited the productive rushing attack from Louisiana (3-4, 1-2) to 140 yards on 41 attempts.

The victory sets the stage for a first-place showdown Thursday at rival Georgia Southern, which is 3-0 in the Sun Belt as an East Division co-leader.

"When you're teaching off of this kind of film and kind of game, you love for it to be a win, and that's what it was," App State head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We're setting ourselves up there at 3-0 in the league, right where we need to be in Sun Belt league play with a short week coming up. We're already gearing up for Georgia Southern (on Thursday), and that's on everybody's mind right now as we head toward this week."

Offensively, quarterback Zac Thomas threw for 106 yards and rushed for 43 more, contributing to the 266 yards on the ground from the Mountaineers. They forced defensive three-and-outs on six of the first nine drives by Louisiana, with Caleb Spurlin, Demetrius Taylor and Okon Godwin also contributing in the sack category, and Jordan Fehr's fumble recovery set up App State's first touchdown.

Evans broke a 10-10 tie with 2:11 remaining in the first half on his catch of a perfectly thrown pass from Thomas, who absorbed a hit on the throw, and Evans' 65-yard run to the Louisiana 6 on the second play of the third quarter set up another touchdown for a 24-10 lead.

On those two possessions, Evans had touches on nine of App State's 13 plays.

"The O-line was opening it up," Evans said. "I'm saying, 'If it's going to be like this, we might as well just keep running it and keep running the same plays.' The coaches, they had a good beat on the defense and were making great calls, and the O-line was moving people around."

Marcus Williams Jr. powered his way into the end zone from the 6 immediately after the career-long run from Evans, who cut between blocks from left guard Ryan Neuzil and center Noah Hannon in the middle of the field.

Evans rushed for his previous high of 115 yards on his 16 carries in App State's previous game at Arkansas State, where star running back Jalin Moore suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Evans made just his second career start Saturday.

"It's always nice knowing if you do your job, the person behind you is going to do theirs. That's kind of our motto on offense. We're DYJ – we do our job. Especially as an offensive line, you can't really control anything else. We just try to do our best at doing our job, and we've got some special backs in the backfield."

Evans said Moore's appearance and words on the pregame intro video that played on the Kidd Brewer Stadium videoboard had an inspirational effect, and Moore interacted with his teammates in a jubilant postgame locker room only a few days removed from surgery.

"Seeing him today just made us glow up," Evans said. "Even our motivational video, they had his voice on there, and everybody just got pumped."

The Mountaineers maintained a two-touchdown lead thanks to a defensive stand after Louisiana started a drive at the App State 32 late in the third quarter. Facing a third-and-2 situation from the App State 12 to open the fourth quarter, Desmond Franklin and Fehr stopped 221-pound back Elijah Mitchell for no gain.

When Mitchell took a handoff on the fourth-down play, true freshman linebacker Trey Cobb and Franklin again tackled him for no gain.

"I always call Trey my son," senior linebacker Anthony Flory said with a laugh about his much-younger teammate, "and whenever I see him, I say, 'Son!' Just to see him make that play felt good. It was just fun and good to see."

App State flipped the field by advancing to its 46-yard line before Clayton Howell drilled a 53-yard punt that rolled to a stop in Steven Jones' hands at the 1. Demetrius Taylor batted down a third-down throw to force a punt that enabled the Mountaineers to drive for a 29-yard, game-clinching field goal from Chandler Staton with 2:46 left.

"The defensive line did their part today," Davis-Gaither said. "They played extremely hard like they always do. They cleared the way for us to play fast and read our keys and make the plays we're supposed to."

App State took a first-quarter lead on a 2-yard touchdown run from Evans, whose score came five plays after Fehr's fumble recovery at the Louisiana 25, and the Ragin' Cajuns responded with an eight-play scoring drive that ended with Levi Lewis' 38-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell.

There was another tie early in the second quarter as a 40-yard field goal from Staton preceded a 43-yard field goal by Louisiana's Kyle Pfau. Evans put the Mountaineers ahead for good on the first touchdown catch of his young career.

Next up is the trip to Statesboro, Ga., for the ESPNU game with Georgia Southern on Thursday night.

"You have to put this one to bed really quickly and move forward because on Wednesday we'll be heading to Georgia," Satterfield said. "I'm proud of our guys and the way they fought and the way they continued to play and come up with enough plays to get the win."

MURFREESBORO, TN – The Charlotte 49ers dominated time of possession and total offense, boasted a 100-yard runner for the second straight game, but fell at host Middle Tennessee, 21-13, Saturday. The 49ers defense put up its best performance of the year, holding the Blue Raiders to just 144 yards of total offense, but Middle Tennessee cashed in on two interceptions in 49ers territory to post the win.

"I thought everyone on defense played well," head coach Brad Lambert said. "I thought (defensive coordinator) Glenn (Spencer), the defensive staff, the kids -- they had a really good plan and executed extremely well. That's a good offense, an offense that I was really nervous about because of (Blue Raider quarterback) Brent (Stockstill). I thought our defense really stood up. Bottom line is we've got to make a couple more plays and give ourselves a chance to win the game."

Charlotte (3-4; 2-2) struck quick, taking a 6-0 lead on Benny LeMay's 57-yard run on the 49ers first possession. It was the 49ers longest rushing TD of the season and the 10th TD of LeMay's career. LeMay had three carries for 64 yards on the opening drive to post the 49ers to the early lead.

LeMay (129 yards rushing) finished the game with his third 100-yard performance of the season. He finished the game with 187 yards of total offense, more than the Blue Raiders team.

Charlotte's defense held the Blue Raiders to 144 yards of total offense, their lowest offensive output of since 2007, when #2 LSU held them to 90 yards.

The Blue Raiders, however, took the lead midway through the second quarter on Stockstill's 29-yard TD pass to Ty Lee following a missed 48-yard field goal attempt by Jonathan Cruz. After Evan Shirreffs first interception of the year gave the Blue Raiders the ball at Charlotte's 15-yard line, Stockstill hit Lee for a second TD, this time from five yards out, to give the Blue Raiders a 14-6 halftime lead.

Another Shirreffs' INT, after being hit while he passed, landed Middle Tennessee at Charlotte's 22-yard line in the fourth quarter. A pass from Stockstill to Gatlin Casey was fumbled into the endzone, where Casey recovered for the touchdown and a 21-6 lead.

Charlotte scored late in the fourth on Shirreffs 23-yard TD pass to Mark Quattlebaum to cut the lead to one score, 21-13, but the Blue Raiders recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve the win.

 "You want to give yourself a chance to win the game," Lambert said. "The drive that really hurt us was the drive right out of the first half. We really moved the ball well, made first downs, tied up the clock and then we stalled. That's where we've got to learn to get better. Once we get in the score zone pushing the ball right down there."

LeMay has his second straight 100-yard rushing performance. Charlotte forced two turnovers, including r-Fr. LB Henry Segura's strip sack which landed the 49ers at the Middle Tennessee 23-yard line in the first half, but was unable to convert them into points. After the fumble recovery, an offensive pass interference call sent Charlotte back and Cruz was unable to connect on a 52-yard field goal attempt.

Charlotte returns home Saturday to face Southern Miss at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN3.

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Juwon Farri rushed for 239 yards and two touchdowns, helping Monmouth hold off visiting Campbell 38-21 in the Big South opener for both squads Saturday at Kessler Stadium.

The contest was the Big South debut for the Camels (5-2, 0-1 Big South), who spent the program’s first 10 seasons in the Pioneer Football League (2008-17). Monmouth moved to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in Big South play, ending Campbell’s three-game winning streak.

Campbell receiver Caleb Snead (Campbell Sports Information

Redshirt freshman Caleb Snead set Campbell single-game records with 188 receiving yards and 10 catches, adding two touchdowns.

Farri rushed 20 times, including touchdown runs in the second and third quarters, fending off Campbell threats.

Farri’s first score followed a missed CU field goal try from 29 yards, coming at the 4:09 mark of the second, a one yard punch-in to cap off a 12-play, 80 yard march to make it a 17-7 Monmouth lead.
Daniel Smith’s 12-yard rushing touchdown, however, cut the Monmouth lead to 17-14 with 38 seconds before the end of the first half.

After the break, Farri again led a Monmouth drive that included a 39-yard run, finding the end zone with a 24-yard scamper to give the Hawks a 24-14 cushion with 9:13 on the clock in the third.
Devell Jones’ one-yard run, set up by Vinny Grasso’s 62-yard punt return, extended the lead to 31-14.

After a second muffed punt return, Jayson DeMild found Caleb Snead for a 21-yard TD to again slice the Monmouth lead just before the end of the third quarter, but Monmouth answered with another touchdown from Jones on its next possession, as the Hawks ran for 298 yards in the win.

Monmouth led 10-0 after Reggie White, Jr.’s six-yard TD catch, set up by Juwon Farri’s 60-yard run. The Hawks scored on their opening possession with a 47-yard field goal from Matt Masquera before Smith put Campbell on the board with a 58-yard touchdown pass to Snead.

Campbell eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark for the first time this season with Smith and DeMIld combining for 333. Smith completed 15-of-31 attempts for 182 yards, while DeMild came off the bench for 151 yards on 13-of-29 tries.

Aaron Blockmon hauled in nine grabs for 76 yards, combining with Snead for 19 of Campbell’s 28 catches.

Kenji Bahar completed 14-of-29 passes for 105 yards and a TD, adding 51 rushing yards, while White collected five passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Tymere Berry posted a game-high 12 tackles for the Hawks, while Deontae Henderson paced Campbell with 10 stops. Dorian Jones, who added eight tackles, and Lester Axson, Jr. each recovered Monmouth fumbles, marking Campbell’s 33rd consecutive game with a takeaway.

Campbell returns to Barker-Lane Stadium next week, hosting Gardner-Webb for Homecoming. The game will be the Camels’ first home Big South Conference contest.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Despite a four-touchdown day from running back Wesley Dugger, Davidson football fell in a hard-fought double-overtime road Pioneer Football League contest at Marist Saturday at Tenney Stadium, 48-41.

With the loss, Davidson falls to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in PFL play, while with the win Marist improves to 3-4 and 2-2 in conference action.

Unable to settle the game in regulation, Davidson headed to overtime for the first time since 2015.

In the first overtime, the Wildcats gained a pair of first downs and set up Dugger’s fourth score of the day, a new career-high for the Henrico, Va., native.

Marist quickly responded with a strike from quarterback Austin Day to three-time All-PFL wide receiver, Juston Christian, his third of the day. The Red Foxes then scored on the first pass attempt of the second overtime to go up 48-41 and force Davidson to score a touchdown. They could not.

Davidson held a 34-23 advantage after three quarters, but a monster, 74-yard scoring strike to Christian and a Red Fox field goal with 98 ticks remaining forced overtime.

Dugger capped off two long Davidson drives with scores as the ‘Cats held over 11 minutes of possession time in the first frame.

Down 17-13 in the second and following a three-and-out on offense, with momentum swinging back towards Marist, freshman safety Dreylan Hines intercepted Day for his third of the season. The pick set up Dugger’s third of the day and gave the visiting sideline a boost.

On the first play of the next possession, sophomore linebacker TJ Elliott jumped a route and intercepted his second pass of the season with under two minutes to go in the half. The Wildcats quickly went from midfield to the end zone in 5 plays, capped off with a 10-yard scoring run from sophomore quarterback Tyler Phelps to take a 27-17 lead into the break.

Davidson junior James Story stretched the lead out to 17 (34-17) in the third with a 46-yard scoring run, extending his streak of four straight games with a touchdown.

Marist needed big plays and Christian provided the spark, catching a pair of scoring strikes from 74 and 68 yards to bring the Red Foxes within one possession and help force overtime.

Davidson rushed for 400 yards paced by Dugger’s 111 yards on 26 carries. Phelps (80), William Wicks (70) and Story (61) added to the running assault.

Junior linebacker Tony Collins made 7 stops to lead the Wildcat defense, while corner back Rayshawn McCall added 6 - including 5 solo stops. Senior defensive lineman Corey Coppola recovered a fumble to make it 3 gained turnovers on the day.

Davidson returns home Saturday, Oct. 27 when they play host to Stetson University. Kick off from Richardson Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.

Carolina Gridiron ranks the top fifteen teams in each classification weekly during the football season. Teams are ranked based on a number of factors including strength of schedule, wins, and quality losses. Interact with us on Twitter (@NCGridiron and @NCGridironNews) and let us know your thoughts using the hashtag #CGTop15.

It’s Homecoming on the ECU campus as the Pirates welcome defending American Athletic Conference champion UCF to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday. After falling to Houston last week to open a three-game homestand, ECU hopes to improve its AAC home record in October to 5-4 when it meets the Knights in Greenville for the 10th time in series history. The Pirates will also be looking to post their 13th-straight Homecoming victory when they battle UCF.

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

ECU’s all-time record at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is 187-100 (.652). The Pirates opened the facility on Sept. 21, 1963, with a 20-10 win over Brian Piccolo and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in front of 17,000 fans and celebrated the stadium’s 50th anniversary in 2013. Before a 2-5 record last year and 3-3 marks in both 2015 and 2016, ECU was 5-1 in 2014, 2013 and 2012 (15-3) and won a combined 10 of 12 home matchups in 2009 (6-1) and 2008 (4-1). Overall, ECU is in search of its 40th winning campaign at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this fall.

The arrival of new defensive coordinator David Blackwell has quickly resulted in impressively improved numbers for the Pirates so far this season. When comparing total yards per game allowed from 2017 (541.7) to 2018 (351.2), ECU’s improvement clip of 201.5 yards per game ranks first nationally. Of the Pirates opponents’ 82 offensive possessions this year, ECU’s defense has forced “three & outs” on 36 occasions (43.9 percent and 6.0 per game).

Since joining the AAC in 2014, the Pirates lead the league in passing yards per game over a combined four-plus-year period despite utilizing seven starting quarterbacks, three offensive coordinators and two head coaches. Trevon Brown currently stands sixth among all active FBS receivers in reception yards per game (66.5 ypg), while also ranking 8th in yards (2,329), 14th in TD grabs (18) and 19th in catches (151). Additionally, his 2,329 receiving yards tops all American Athletic Conference pass catchers heading into the UCF tilt. Along with serving as an FBS-best last week, Brown’s 13 receptions vs. Houston also marked a single-game high for an AAC receiver this season (and 5th-highest nationally). Lastly, his 153 yards against the Cougars ranks fourth among league WRs in 2018.

Kidd Brewer Stadium

Davidson heads to Marist for a Pioneer Football League clash with the Red Foxes at Tenney Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1:05 p.m. from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The ‘Cats are 31-82 (.274) all-time in PFL play. Davidson’s lone win over Marist came on the road in 2010, 28-21. The two have played every season since 2008, Marist officially joined the PFL in 2009. The Red Foxes have scored 31 points in each of the last three games against Davidson.

A win for Davidson would secure a winning season for the first time since 2007, halt a 7-game losing skid to the Red Foxes dating back to 2011, be the first at Marist since 2010, be the sixth of the season, which hasn’t happened since the ‘Cats went 6-4 in 2007.

The Wildcats broke a pair of single-season rushing records against Morehead State for yards (2,597) and touchdowns (32). The previous highs of 2333 yards and 29 TDs were previously set in 1977 and 1993, respectively. Davidson is outscoring opponents 115-47 in the first quarter this season and 225-104 in the first half. Senior place kicker Michael Matthews is tied for second all-time in PAT’s in a season with 37. Junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin ranks first in the PFL in tackles for loss (9.5) and second in sacks (3.5). Perry-Martin made a career-high 13 stops against Morehead State including 3.5 TFL and a sack. Perry-Martin has recorded career-high tackles in back-to-back games (11 - Jax, 13 - Morehead) Dugger ranks fourth on the all-time rushing list with 1943 yards. He sits 848 yards behind Eric Ferguson for third. Davidson welcomed 32 members to the Class of 2022 and a sophomore transfer; 17 are listed on defense, 14 on offense and 2 special teamers.

The 2018 ‘Cats reset a pair of single-season rushing records last Saturday against Morehead State. Davidson rushed for 264 yards to break the single-season rushing yards mark, they sit at 2649 and counting. The 1977 had the previous mark at 2333. The 1993 Wildcats squad rushed for 29 TD’s, the 2018 squad have 32 and counting.

Davidson fell for the first time at home last week, dropping a hard-fought game to PFL foe Morehead State, 35-28. Junior running back James Story found the end zone twice, his second consecutive multi TD game and third straight with a score overall. Junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin had a career day, making 13 stops, 3.5 for loss and 1.0 sack. Junior tight end Hunter Louthan caught his only ball of the game for his fourth TD of the season. Sophomore running back Wesley Dugger rushed 21 times for 93 yards. 

Charlotte (3-3; C-USA: 2-1) heads to Middle Tennessee, Saturday to take on the Blue Raiders who have an identical 3-3 record; 2-1 in Conference USA. Charlotte is coming off a 40-14 victory over WKU in the 49ers Homecoming Game.

Charlotte exploded for three third-quarter TDs and 34 unanswered points en route to the Homecoming win. The 49ers set school records for most points and largest margin of victory in a Conference USA game. RB Benny LeMay put up 152 yards of total offense (121 rushing) and scored two TDs, backup QB Evan Shirreffs replaced injured Chris Reynolds and engineered the second-half outburst and LB Juwan Foggie had a team-high eight tackles and tied a school record with two INTs that translated into TDs for the 49ers.

Charlotte had 448 yards of total offense, its most since the opener vs. Fordham, while the defense held WKU to 256 yards, the fewest allowed this season. The C-USA leader in rushing defense held the Hilltoppers to 42 rushing yards and forced a season-high three turnovers, all of which came in WKU territory and led to TDs.

Versatile Jr. RB Benny LeMay is second in C-USA in rushing (89.2/gm) and third in all-purpose yards (117.0/gm). He has scored five rushing TDs, which rank third in C-USA. R-Fr. WR Victor Tucker leads C-USA rookies with 6.0 rec./gm and a 77.7 rec. avg.

The 49ers defense, which leads C-USA in rushing defense (92.2 rush yds allowed) and ranks third in total defense (329.8 yds/gm), is paced by several veterans, including 2017 leading tackler R-Jr. LB Jeff Gemmell (team-high 42 tackles; 3.0 TFL; 8 QBh) and preseason all-C-USA Jr. S Ben DeLuca (40 tkls). Sr. LB Juwan Foggie leads C-USA with 4 INTs.

Following its bye week, Wake Forest returns to action on Saturday, October 20, as the Deacs hit the road to face Florida State. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Clay Matvick, Dan Orlovsky and Paul Carcaterra will call the action. Saturday’s game can also be heard on the Wake Forest Sports Network. Stan Cotten and Lary Sorensen have the call with Dave Goren reporting from the sidelines.

The Demon Deacons fell to 3-3 on the year following a 63-3 defeat to No. 4 Clemson on Saturday, October 6. Greg Dortch became the fastest player in program history to 100 career receptions, needing just 14 games to catch 100 passes. Additionally, Dortch ranks second in the country and first in the ACC in all-purpose yards per game with 176.17 while ranking second nationally in receptions per game (8.0) and 10th in punt return average (13.5). As a team, the Deacs have committed just 20 penalties on the season, the fewest in the ACC and the third-fewest in all of the FBS.

Florida State enters Saturday's contest with a 3-3 record and a 1-3 mark in ACC play Willie Taggart is in his first season at the helm of the Seminoles. It is the second coaching stop for Taggart in the state of Florida, as he served as the head coach for South Florida from 2013 to 2016. As a team, the Seminoles allow just 101.2 rushing yards per game, the eighth-fewest in the country. The Seminoles lead the all-time series, 29-6-1 and have won the last six meetings.

Redshirt sophomore WR Greg Dortch became the fastest Demon Deacon to record 100 career catches in a career. Against Clemson, Dortch had three catches for 37 yards, enough to push him over the century mark in just his 14th career game. He now has 101 career catches for 1,314 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 career contests. John Henry Mills (1989-92) had been the previous record-holder, hitting the 100-catch mark in his 22nd career game. Earlier this year against Boston College, Dortch became the quickest Deacon to ever reach 1,000 career receiving yards, surpassing the mark in his 11th game. The previous mark had been 19 games.

Dortch is second in the nation and first in the ACC in all-purpose yards this week, as the redshirt sophomore is averaging 176.2 yards per game in 2018, up from his 2017 season average of 161.2 YPG. Dortch also leads the ACC in receptions per game (8.0) while ranking second in the league in punt return average (13.5) and receiving yards (98.7) per game. He is fifth in the ACC in kickoff return average (23.2). His 8.0 receptions per game rank second nationally while also ranking in the top-10 in the country in punt return average (tenth). The redshirt sophomore remains the only player in FBS with two punt return touchdowns.

Dortch is just the second player in school history with 500 or more receiving yards, 150 or more punt return yards and 200 or more kickoff return yards. The only other Deacon to have accomplished this feat is Fabian Davis in 2002 when he finished the season with 575 receiving yards, 363 punt return yards and 363 kickoff return yards.

According to Pro Football Focus, Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman is the No. 5 freshman player in the FBS through the first six games of the season. Hartman is preceded by WR Jaylen Waddle of Alabama, QB Alan Bowman of Texas Tech, RB Pooka Williams, Jr. of Kansas and WR Jayden Reed of Western Michigan. Hartman this week ranks fourth in the nation among freshmen with 209.8 passing yards per game, fourth in completions per game with 17.0, tied for fourth with 10 touchdown passes and tied for fourth in points responsible for (points scored and passed for) with 66.

Hartman is ranked No. 2 in the nation among freshmen with 1,259 passing yards. Texas Tech’s Alan Bowman is the national leader with 1,680. Freshman QB Sam Hartman has two of the top 10 total offense play games in school history. Hartman debuted with 442 yards of total offense on 64 plays on Aug. 30 against Tulane. He added 64 total offense plays against Boston College on Sept. 13. The 64 total offense plays in a game are tied for the ninth-most in a single game. In addition, Hartman has become the first Wake Forest freshman with two games of 300 or more total offense yards. Along with his 442 yards vs. Tulane, Hartman had 306 yards vs. Towson.

Freshman PK Nick Sciba ranks sixth in the nation in field goal percentage among freshmen at .750. He has made 9-of-12 field goal attempts. Sciba is sixth in the nation among freshmen with nine field goals made. Sciba leads the Deacons with 49 points this season. The school record for most points scored by a true freshman is 60 by RB James McDougald in 1976. Sciba already owns the school mark for field goals made by a true freshman having surpassed the previous mark of four set by Danny Nolan in 1983.

NC State and Clemson will meet for the first “battle of the unbeatens” of October, as the No. 20 Wolfpack heads to Death Valley. It also marks the first time since 2000 that the Wolfpack will play in an October game that boasts two unbeaten teams. In that season, head coach Chuck Amato’s first as head coach, a 4-0 NC State squad headed to South Carolina to face a 4-0 Clemson squad. The Wolfpack lost that game, 27-34.

Since the beginning of the 2016 campaign, the Wolfpack has suffered 10 losses, posting a 21-10 record during that frame (7-6 in 2016, 9-4 in 2017 and 5-0 in 2018). Seven of those 10 losses have been by a touchdown (7 pts.) or less - including three of the four losses in 2017. Each of the past two losses to Clemson has been by just seven points - - a 17-24 overtime loss at Clemson in 2016 and a 31-38 loss in Raleigh last season. In0 the three years prior to that time frame (Dave Doeren’s first three seasons at NC State), the Pack suffered 20 losses. Of those, only one was by 7 points or less and only two were by less than a double-digit margin.

Graduate quarterback Ryan Finley has started 31 games for the Wolfpack (every game since he’s been at NC State) and posts a 21-10 record in those starts for a .677 winning percentage. That’s higher than any of the four former Wolfpack quarterbacks who are now playing in the NFL: Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Mike Glennon, and Jacoby Brissett and the third-highest mark in school history for players who started at least 25 games in their career.

RS - junior nickel Stephen Griffin has spent plenty of time in Clemson’s Death Valley, even though this will mark his first trip as a member of the Wolfpack. Griffin’s father, Steve, played for the Tigers from 1982-86 - at running back in 1982, ‘84 & ‘86 and at defensive back in 1985. He scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run in Clemson’s 35-34 win over the Wolfpack in Raleigh on Oct. 27, 1984. In 1986, he led the Tiger in kickoff returns. Stephen, Jr., started his career at Tennessee but transferred to NC State following the 2016 campaign. He sat out last season and was expected to be the starter at nickel for 2018. However, he missed all of fall camp with a foot injury and has yet to be 100% this season. In the meantime, true freshman Tanner Ingle has worked his way into the starter’s role at nickel.

188 rushing attempts + 188 pass attempts = a pretty balanced offense. That’s what the Wolfpack has fielded thus far in 2018. Offensive balance has been a hallmark of a Dave Doeren football team. In the three seasons under offensive coordinator Eliah Drinkwitz (2016-present), the Wolfpack has rushed the ball 51.7% of the team (1,188 total rushes) and thrown 48.3% of the time.

NC State is coming off its best conference record since 1994, as the six league wins in 2017 tied the school record. The Pack has won 10 of its last 13 ACC contests dating back to the 2016 season. The win over Boston College gave NC State a 2-0 start in ACC play for the second year in a row and for only the fifth time since 2000 (2017, 2006, 2004, 2002).

NC State is ranked in the top 20 in both national polls this week, checking in at No. 16 in the Associated Press poll and No. 15 in the Coaches’ Poll. Last season, the Pack was ranked 10 weeks during the season, reaching as high as No. 14 in late October. It marked the first time NC State was ranked in the AP poll since the final poll of the 2010 season. NC State was ranked 23rd in the final AP poll of 2017. If the Wolfpack finishes the season ranked in the AP poll, it will mark the first time NC State has been ranked in back to back final polls since 1991 and 1992 (26 years).

NC State is one of just eight remaining undefeated teams in the FBS in 2018, posting a 5-0 mark. It ranks only the sixth time in the ACC era (since 1953) that the Pack has won its first five games. Head coach Dave Doeren, now in his sixth season at NC State, is only the second coach in school history to lead his Wolfpack team to a 4-0 start three times. Doeren’s 2014 and ‘15 squads each opened with perfect records in the first four games prior to this year’s 5-0 start. The only other Pack head coach to lead three different squads to 4-0 records to start the season was Earle Edwards, who had a few more opportunities to accomplish the feat as head coach for 17 years. Edwards’ squads opened with a 4-0 mark in 1957, ‘60, ‘63, and ‘67.

The depth of the NC State wide receiver unit is evident in the load they are carrying in the Wolfpack’s passing game. Prior to 2018, the highest percentage of passes caught by wide receivers for the Wolfpack under Dave Doeren was 71.9% in 2013. In the past two seasons (2016-17) under quarterback Ryan Finley, the WRs accounted for 61% of the total receptions (355-579). That number has changed so far in 2018. Of 131 completions this season, 120 have been caught by the Wolfpack wideouts - a mark of 91.6%. That mark ranks fith in the FBS. Three Wolfpack wideouts rank in the top 10 in the ACC in receptions: Jakobi Meyers (2nd, 7.5/game), Kelvin Harmon (3rd, 6.6/game) and Emeka Emezie (10th, 4.0/game). In terms of receiving yards per game, Harmon leads the league (and ranks 6th in the FBS) with 106.8 ypg

Carolina goes back on the road Saturday when the Tar Heels visit Syracuse at the Carrier Dome at 12:20 p.m. The meeting will be the first between the two programs since the Orange joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. UNC is 1-4 on the year and 1-2 in the league following a 22-19 home loss to Virginia Tech last Saturday night. Led by a career-high 165 rushing yards by sophomore Michael Carter, the Tar Heels led for almost the entire second half before the Hokies scored the winning touchdown with 19 seconds remaining.

Syracuse is 4-2 and 1-2 in conference play following a 44-37 overtime loss at Pittsburgh on Oct. 6. The Orange, which had its open date last weekend, is led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Eric Dungey. Dungey leads the team in both rushing (435 yards, seven touchdowns) and passing (1,208 yards, 10 TDs). Saturday's game will be broadcast on Raycom Sports and locally on WRAL.

Carolina and Syracuse are meeting for just the fifth time in series history and the first time since the Orange joined the ACC. Each of the four previous meetings has been won by the road team. UNC was triumphant at the Carrier Dome in 1996 and 2002, while Syracuse won at Kenan Stadium in 1995 and 2003. The last meeting in the series was a shootout, with the Orange prevailing 49-47 after three overtimes in Chapel Hill in 2003. Darian Durant accounted for five touchdowns on the day, but Kelvin Smith stopped Jacques Lewis on a two-point try to win it for Cuse. The contest still stands as the only three-overtime game in UNC history.

The last meeting in the Carrier Dome came in 2002, a 30-22 Carolina victory. Durant threw a pair of fourth-quarter TDs and place-kicker Dan Orner tied an NCAA record with three field goals of at least 50 yards, including a school-record 55-yarder. Syracuse defeated the Tar Heels 20-9 in the 1995 season opener at Kenan Stadium. Carolina returned the favor with a 27-10 victory at the Carrier Dome the following season. The 1996 victory over No. 9 Syracuse was Carolina's first road victory over a top-10 opponent since 1966.

Duke returns home to entertain Virginia on Saturday, October 20. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m., with TV coverage from Regional Sports Networks. This week, Duke celebrates Family Weekend, Youth Sports Day, Throwback Day, Iron Dukes Day and Former Player Day. In addition, SpokeHub is the official game sponsor

Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium

Beginning with the September 22 contest versus N.C. Central, an “MD” helmet decal will be donned by the Blue Devils to honor Duke Athletics Hall of Fame member Mary Dinkins, who passed away on Tuesday, September 4, at the age of 68 This past Saturday, QB Daniel Jones threw three TD passes as Duke defeated Georgia Tech, 28-14. The win marked Duke’s fourth over the Yellow Jackets in the past five seasons. The Blue Devils limited Georgia Tech to 229 rushing yards -- 144 under the Yellow Jackets’ season average of 373.0 that led the nation entering the weekend.

Saturday’s game will mark the 70th on the gridiron between the two schools with Virginia leading the series, 36-33. The series began in 1890 with a 10-4 UVa win. Duke won 18-of-22 meetings between 1952-78. Virginia captured 17-of-19 games between 1989-2007. The Cavaliers won their third straight in the series last year (28-21 in Charlottesville). This week’s game features two of the top five scoring defenses in the ACC as Duke ranks third (17.7 ppg) and Virginia fifth (19.2). Dating back to the 2013 season, the Blue Devils are 39-23 (.629) in their last 62 regular season games

The Duke offense features three players — TE Davis Koppenhaver, WR Johnathan Lloyd & WR T.J. Rahming — who have four TD receptions each. Last week at Georgia Tech, Rahming became the fourth player in Duke history to reach the 200-grab plateau, joining Jamison Crowder (283), Conner Vernon (283) & Donovan Varner (207). In 43 career games, Rahming has 202 receptions for 2,387 yards and nine TDs.

Duke LB Joe Giles-Harris leads the team and ranks fourth in the ACC in tackles per game (8.3). Duke’s three QBs — Daniel Jones, Quentin Harris, and Chris Katrenick — have combined to throw 176 passes for 15 TDs and two INTs this season. In making the first start of his career, DE Chris Rumph II led Duke’s defensive effort last week at Georgia Tech with seven tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and one fumble recovery

Giles-Harris and Ben Humphreys have 282 and 254 career tackles, respectively, to form the only active duo in the ACC with 200+ total stops each. Duke RB Deon Jackson enters the week with a streak of four consecutive games with one rushing touchdown. Jackson leads the Blue Devils with five ground scores on the season

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs came up with four interceptions Saturday night, while redshirt freshman quarterback Shaw Crocker threw four more touchdown passes to lead the 'Dogs to a 35-25 victory over Catawba College in South Atlantic Conference football action at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. The Bulldogs move to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the SAC, while the Indians fall to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in league play.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH REICH

"The defense played great in spots, we just have to be a little bit more consistent against the pass and with our rush lanes. The four interceptions tonight, that definitely helps. When our offense wasn't committing penalties, we were running the ball really well. We mixed some good throws in there, but we were running the ball very effectively, but then we'd get a penalty and have to back up. If we were more disciplined and didn't' get those penalties, we could mash them up a little more, control the clock and expand our lead. We've got a lot of work to do, we need to get rid of some of the penalties. I like the aggressive mentality, but you have to be disciplined.

NOTES

- Wingate is now 14-17 all-time against Catawba and 6-5 at Irwin Belk Stadium
- The Bulldogs have won seven of the last eight against the Indians
- 17th straight win for the 'Dogs when scoring at least 30 points
- Wingate improves to 7-1 under the lights at Irwin Belk Stadium
- Snaps a two-game home losing streak
- WU has now scored 86 total points the last two weeks
- Cal Hanford had the first defensive TD for WU since Zack Singleton's pick-six Oct. 28, 2017

KEY TEAM STATS

- Wingate outgained Catawba 383-362
- The Bulldogs had 193 rushing yards and 190 passing yards
- The Indians threw for 275 yards and rushed for 87
- Catawba had four turnovers compared to Wingate's two
- Wingate had 185 penalty yards; Catawba had 88 yards in penalties
- The 'Dogs won the time-of-possession battle by nearly six minutes
- The teams combined for just three red zone trips, scoring TDs in all three
- Catawba was seven-for-15 on third down; WU went four-for-13

KEY BULLDOGS

- Shaw Crocker was 12-for-18, throwing for 190 yards and four TDs
- Reigning SAC Player of the Week Crocker has nine TD throws last two games
- Nijere Peoples had 151 rushing yards on 22 carries
- Domineke McNeill added 58 rushing yards
- J.T. Stokes hauled in five catches for 56 yards and two TDs
- Stokes has eight touchdown catches on the year and six his last four games
- Bryan Mitchell had three catches for 40 yards and a score
- Mason Flynt added two receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown
- Joe Kelly, Robbie Wallace, Cal Hanford and Cameron Mattison each had an interception
- Cardell Rawlings had nine tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 0.5 sacks and two QB hurries
- Elijah Gilmore added nine tackles, 2.0 TFLs and a sack
- Matthew Ellis-White had eight tackles and a pass break-up
- Kelly added seven tackles to go along with his pick
- Hanford scored his first career touchdown on his pick-six
- Chris Birozes had six punts for 49 yards, with two inside the 20 including one at the Catawba one
- McLean Robertson hit all five PATs

FIRST QUARTER

- Catawba went 59 yards on seven plays on the opening drive
- Ken Avent hit Will Sweeper for a 38-yard TD to make it 7-0
- A 16-yard BJ Muckelvene punt return set the 'Dogs up at the Catawba 33
- After a 13-yard Peoples run, Crocker hit Mitchell for a seven-yard TD to tie it

SECOND QUARTER

- Another good Muckelvene return put the 'Dogs back in Catawba territory
- Crocker hit Flynt for a 26-yard score on third-and-two to put Wingate on to 14-7
- Hanford put the 'Dogs on top by 21 midway through the quarter with a pick-six
- He picked it off right around midfield, taking it 52 yards to the house to make it 21-7
- Mattison's interception put the Bulldogs back around midfield
- A Peoples 14-yard run and Flynt 20-yard catch got it deep into Catawba territory
- Crocker found Stokes from seven yards out to make it 28-7
- Lee Brackman's 19-yard field goal got the Indians within 18 heading to halftime

FOURTH QUARTER

- Catawba's seven-play, 99-yard drive spanned the third and fourth quarter
- Avent followed a 21-yard pass with an 18-yard run to get it to WU territory
- Avent hit Dre Dunbar for a 37-yard score to make it 28-17
- Wallace picked off Avent to give Wingate good field position once again
- Crocker capped the 40-yard drive with a 24-yard hookup with Stokes to make it 35-17
- Catawba went 91 yards on 11 plays to get within 10 at 35-25
- Avent's 38-yard pass to Sweeper capped the drive, followed by the two-point conversion
- Wingate recovered the onside kick and went into victory formation

UP NEXT

- Wingate is at home next week for the sixth time in eight weeks
- WU hosts Mars Hill Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. on homecoming Saturday

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson head football coach Scott Abell saw a few encouraging signs immediately following his Wildcats’ 35-28 loss to Morehead State Saturday at Richardson Stadium.

First, he saw the Eagles celebrating the win on the field – a sign that it meant something for the visiting team to win in Davidson – and then he saw the reaction he wanted from his players in the locker room. They were disappointed.

“They expected to win the football game,” said Abell, now seven games into his first season. “And if you expect to win the football game, you probably feel like you just got kicked in the gut. That’s what it feels like.”

Davidson (5-2 overall, 2-2 Pioneer Football League) had its two-game win streak snapped in a game that was tied three times, including 21-all at the half. Morehead State (2-4, 1-2) pulled ahead for good on a Jovan Smith 30-yard touchdown run with 3:22 to play.

“At the end of the day, we didn’t make enough plays,” said Abell. “They made a few more than we did, they got a few more breaks than we did and it was a one-score game.”

Davidson ran for 264 yards on 55 carries, but opened the game’s scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Phelps to Hunter Louthan at the 8:33 mark of the first quarter. Wildcat James Story ran for two scores in the first half, and his 3-yard score with 50 seconds left in the second quarter tied it at 21-all. William Wicks’ 8-yard scoring run with 7:45 to play in the fourth quarter tied it at 28-28.

“Offensively, we didn’t feel like we could ever get in a rhythm,” said Abell. “We had some good drives and put some points on the board, but offense is rhythm.

Davidson started its final drive on its own 1-yard line and reached the Eagles’ 28 in the closing seconds, but Phelps’ throw into the back left corner of the end zone was deflected as time expired.

Still, there were more signs of the progress that’s been made at Davidson in 2018. 

Davidson set two single-season program rushing records Saturday. With three rushing scores, the 2018 team now has 32, which surpassed the previous high of 29, set in 1993. And with 264 rushing yards, the Wildcats now have 2,597 on the season, passing the 2,439-yard mark of 1977.

Wildcat junior defensive tackle Bryce Perry-Martin posted a career-high in tackles, making 13 total stops, including 3.0 for loss and a sack. Classmate Rayshawn McCall posted his second interception of the season and five tackles.

The Wildcats return to the road next week, when they visit Marist for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

“Our guys are resilient,” said Abell. “We’ve already shown that this year, so I’m really looking forward to get back to practicing, getting back to game week.”

Carolina Gridiron ranks the top fifteen teams in each classification weekly during the football season. Teams are ranked based on a number of factors including strength of schedule, wins, and quality losses. Interact with us on Twitter (@NCGridiron and @NCGridironNews) and let us know your thoughts using the hashtag #CGTop15.

JONESBORO, Ark. — Playing a nationally televised game on a Tuesday night, Appalachian State picked an opportune time to produce a dominant defensive performance.

Tae Hayes, Josh Thomas and Austin Exford intercepted passes from Justice Hansen, the reigning Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year, and the Mountaineers erased an early deficit by scoring 28 consecutive points in their 35-9 road victory against Arkansas State.

With ESPN2 televising the first meeting this year by two preseason division favorites, App State (4-1, 2-0 Sun Belt) won for the 14th time in its last 16 conference road games and improved to 40-10 in its last 50 games overall.

Appalachian's defense forced seven three-and-outs and allowed a total of nine points on the five Arkansas State drives that advanced to at least the Mountaineers' 35-yard line. Offensively, Darrynton Evans rushed for a career-high 115 yards with one touchdown in relief of Jalin Moore, who suffered an ankle injury on a 27-yard touchdown run in the first half, and quarterback Zac Thomas had a hand in three touchdowns while accounting for 220 yards of offense.

The Mountaineers scored at least 30 points for the eighth straight game, the second-best total in the country, with help from touchdown grabs by Corey Sutton and Collin Reed. App State's defense limited the Red Wolves to 336 total yards, including 219 through the air, as Jordan Fehr also contributed a solo sack.

Arkansas State (3-3, 0-2) opened the scoring with a pair of field goals in the first 18 minutes. Right after Evans burst through a hole on a 39-yard gain to the Red Wolves' 27 with App State trailing 6-0 early in the second quarter, Moore scored on a run up the middle.

Showing the heart and strength that helped make him a two-year captain for the Mountaineers, Moore pulled a defender the final 10 yards before suffering an ankle injury as he was brought down near the end zone, and the senior left the field on a cart.

The touchdown on his last touch Tuesday gave him 3,570 career rushing yards (sixth in school history) and 33 career rushing TDs (seventh in school history). The career rushing total ranks second among active FBS players, behind just the 4,609 yards from Washington's Myles Gaskin.

Blake Grupe's third field goal of the first half, a 33-yarder, gave Arkansas State a 9-7 lead that lasted less than two minutes.

Jalen Virgil's 41-yard reception set up Thomas' 25-yard touchdown pass to Sutton with 2:57 left in the second quarter, and Hayes intercepted a Hansen pass on the third play of the next series. Hayes' 19-yard return to the Arkansas State 3 led to Evans' 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds remaining in the half.

Josh Thomas intercepted a deep pass in the closing seconds of the first half, and Evans' 57-yard run to the Arkansas State 24 created another scoring opportunity in the third quarter. Thomas tossed a Tebow-like jump pass to Reed, a tight end, for a 2-yard touchdown that helped increase the Mountaineers' lead to 28-9.

Appalachian's third interception of Hansen occurred right after Exford and Steven Jones swallowed up an Arkansas State punt returner for a 5-yard loss. Exford then picked off a pass tipped by teammate Akeem Davis-Gaither for his first career interception, allowing the Mountaineers to record more interceptions off Hansen than he had totaled in the Red Wolves' first five games combined.

Zac Thomas capped the scoring with a 62-yard scamper in the fourth quarter, giving him 76 rushing yards in addition to his 144 through the air.

App State is off this Saturday before returning to action Oct. 20 with a Family Weekend home game against Louisiana.

Carolina Gridiron ranks the top fifteen teams in each classification weekly during the football season. Teams are ranked based on a number of factors including strength of schedule, wins, and quality losses. Interact with us on Twitter (@NCGridiron and @NCGridironNews) and let us know your thoughts using the hashtag #CGTop15.