CONWAY, SC – A disastrous finish to the first half left Appalachian State trailing by 10 points Friday night at Coastal Carolina. But with Henry Hasselbeck taking control of the offense and Jaquari Lewis finding the end zone four times, the Mountaineers turned a frustrating evening into a much-needed Sun Belt Conference victory.

Lewis rushed for 85 yards and four touchdowns, while Hasselbeck accounted for 237 yards of total offense as App State rallied for a 35-32 victory at Brooks Stadium, snapping a four-game losing streak against the Chanticleers.

The Mountaineers (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) trailed 24-14 at halftime before scoring 21 unanswered points to seize control of the game. Coastal Carolina (2-5, 1-2) pulled within three points late in the fourth quarter, but App State's rushing attack delivered the final first downs needed to preserve the win.

"We made some nice adjustments and manned them up a lot more than playing all those zones," App State head coach Dowell Loggains said of the defensive turnaround. "We just made a stronger commitment, you know, to the run game."

That commitment produced 253 rushing yards and helped the Mountaineers finish with 516 yards of total offense.

Hasselbeck, who split first-half quarterback duties with injured starter Malachi Singleton before playing the entire second half, rushed for 125 yards on 21 carries. His performance ranks second among App State quarterbacks in the program's FBS era, just one yard shy of Taylor Lamb's 126-yard outing against Toledo in the 2016 Camellia Bowl.

Hasselbeck also completed 9 of 12 passes for 112 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to Sam Pickett III that extended App State's lead to 35-24 with 6:41 remaining.

The touchdown capped a remarkable offensive reversal after the Mountaineers failed to score during the second quarter.

Coastal Carolina had taken control with 17 unanswered points before halftime, including a 58-yard field goal by Nico Cavanillas Alti as time expired. The kick followed a costly App State possession in which the Mountaineers reached the Coastal 1-yard line before a chop-block penalty and a fumbled snap by Singleton erased the scoring opportunity.

Instead of potentially tying the game, App State entered the locker room facing its largest deficit of the night.

Loggains acknowledged that the sequence required more than tactical adjustments.

"If you want to be the team we want to be, you can't find ways to lose a game," Loggains said. "In that scenario, we found a way to lose the half."

The Mountaineers responded by leaning on their offensive line, their quarterback's mobility and Lewis' ability to finish drives.

After both teams opened the third quarter with punts, Hasselbeck directed a nine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. Lewis capped the possession with a 12-yard run, cutting Coastal's lead to 24-21 with 7:59 remaining in the period.

App State's defense then supplied the game's pivotal turnover.

Safety Devin Henderson intercepted Coastal quarterback Deuce Bailey, giving the Mountaineers possession near midfield. Henderson had dropped a potential interception one play earlier but immediately capitalized on his second opportunity.

"I feel like it was a game changer play," Henderson said afterward.

The offense made the turnover count, covering 58 yards in 10 plays. Hasselbeck and J'Marion Burnette helped move the ball on the ground before Lewis scored from 3 yards out to give App State a 28-24 lead with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter.

It was Lewis' fourth rushing touchdown of the night, placing him among a small group of Mountaineers to accomplish the feat in the program's FBS era.

Only Cam Peoples and Daetrich Harrington had previously scored at least four rushing touchdowns in an FBS game for App State. Peoples holds the program's FBS single-game record with five against North Texas in the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Lewis credited the offensive line for creating the opportunities.

"All week I preached to O-line, just get me the hole open and I'm going to make sure they're satisfied," Lewis said.

While the offense found its rhythm, App State's defense began limiting the explosive plays that had fueled Coastal Carolina's first-half success.

The Chanticleers had scored on their opening possession when Bailey connected with Tristian Gardner for a 21-yard touchdown. After App State answered with two Lewis touchdowns to take a 14-7 lead, Bailey found Robby Washington for a 71-yard score early in the second quarter.

Bailey later threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Ben Verges, giving Coastal a 21-14 advantage before the long field goal extended the margin.

The Coastal quarterback finished with 298 passing yards and three touchdowns, but App State held the Chanticleers scoreless in the third quarter.

Loggains said the defensive improvement came after a first half in which the Mountaineers surrendered too many big plays.

"I don't think we played well enough on defense," he said. "We played just well enough to win the game, but gave away too many yards, way too many explosive plays."

App State's offense provided some breathing room midway through the fourth quarter.

Following a Coastal punt, Hasselbeck needed only four plays to move the Mountaineers 69 yards. He opened the possession with a 17-yard completion to Pickett, then helped set up the touchdown with a 12-yard run.

On the scoring play, Hasselbeck connected with Pickett for a 31-yard touchdown, the quarterback's first career touchdown pass.

Hasselbeck said the offense had emphasized getting the ball to its playmakers during halftime.

"We told him in the locker room at halftime like, 'Hey, we're going to come to you,'" Hasselbeck said of Pickett. "That moment, it was Sam Pickett's time to shine."

Pickett finished with five receptions for 78 yards, while Singleton completed 12 of 14 passes for 151 yards before giving way to Hasselbeck for the second half.

Coastal Carolina refused to go quietly.

Bailey led a 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with Jaden Allen-Hendrix scoring on a 2-yard run with 3:11 remaining. A successful two-point conversion pass to Dominic Lee-Knicely brought the Chanticleers within 35-32.

But Coastal never got the ball back.

Hasselbeck opened App State's final possession with an 11-yard run, and Lewis followed with a 16-yard gain. The Mountaineers eventually faced third-and-1 at the Coastal 39, where Lewis gained 2 yards to secure the first down and allow App State to run out the clock.

The victory ended App State's three-game losing streak at Brooks Stadium and marked its first win over Coastal Carolina since 2021.

For the Mountaineers, the performance offered evidence of an offense capable of controlling games on the ground, even with uncertainty surrounding its starting quarterback.

For Hasselbeck, the opportunity to take over in the second half came with confidence in the players around him.

"A strong part of it is trust," he said. "We got as many guys in that locker room and I trust all of them and I know they trust me."

App State will have little time to celebrate. The Mountaineers return to Boone for a Thursday night Sun Belt matchup against James Madison, with the game scheduled to air nationally on ESPNU.

CONWAY – East Carolina delivered a dominant defensive performance and explosive second-half offense to shut out Coastal Carolina 38-0 Saturday night at Brooks Stadium, marking the Pirates' first road shutout in nearly 25 years.

The victory improved ECU to 2-1 while dropping the Chanticleers to 1-2 in a game that showcased the stark contrast between teams moving in opposite directions. East Carolina's defense forced five turnovers and allowed just 239 total yards, while the offense accumulated 497 yards behind quarterback Katin Houser's efficient passing attack and a ground game that wore down Coastal Carolina in the final quarter.

Early Struggles Give Way to Dominance

The Pirates entered halftime with just a 10-0 lead despite controlling nearly every statistical category. ECU outgained Coastal Carolina 247-88 in the first half and held possession for over 19 minutes, but failed to capitalize on prime scoring opportunities inside the red zone.

East Carolina's first touchdown came on a methodical nine-play drive in the opening quarter, with Houser connecting on his first eight passes of the game. The drive culminated in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Yannick Smith, capping a series that featured two completions each to Anthony Smith, Yannick Smith, and Brock Spalding.

Nick Mazzie extended the lead to 10-0 with a 36-yard field goal late in the first quarter, but the Pirates left points on the field throughout the opening half. After recovering a fumble at Coastal's 48-yard line, ECU drove to the 19 before failing on a fourth-down attempt. Later, following Ja'Marley Riddle's interception at Coastal's 5-yard line, the Pirates reached first-and-goal at the 9 but settled for a field goal attempt that was blocked.

Defense Sets the Tone

ECU's defensive unit, which has allowed just 10 points over its last 10 quarters, suffocated Coastal Carolina's offense from the opening drive. The Chanticleers managed to reach the red zone just once, missing a 48-yard field goal attempt on their opening possession after driving to ECU's 31-yard line.

Coastal Carolina quarterback Tad Hudson, making his first start of the season, completed 19 of 39 passes for 172 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked five times. The Pirates' pass rush, led by five different players recording sacks, accumulated 28 yards in losses and nine tackles for loss overall.

Riddle intercepted Hudson in the first half and returned it 35 yards, while Rasheed Reason added another interception in the fourth quarter. The Pirates also recovered three fumbles, with Kendrick DuJour, Kieran Davis, and Julien Davis each forcing turnovers.

Smith Shines in Breakout Performance

North Carolina State transfer Anthony Smith provided ECU's offensive catalyst, establishing career highs with 11 receptions for 136 yards. Smith's 64 yards after catch proved crucial in extending drives and setting up scoring opportunities. The receiver was one of 10 different Pirates to catch at least one pass from Houser, who completed 28 of 37 attempts for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

Houser's distribution kept Coastal Carolina's defense off balance throughout the contest. Beyond Smith's big night, Brock Spalding contributed four catches for 43 yards, while Yannick Smith hauled in both of Houser's touchdown passes despite finishing with just four receptions for 25 yards.

Ground Game Takes Control

While ECU's rushing attack struggled early, gaining just 91 yards on 33 carries through three quarters, the Pirates dominated the fourth quarter on the ground. East Carolina rushed for 113 yards in the final period alone, finishing with 204 yards on 49 carries for a 4.2-yard average.

London Montgomery led the rushing attack with 59 yards on 15 carries, while Parker Jenkins added 42 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Northwestern transfer Mike Wright Jr. made a significant impact in limited action, gaining 37 yards on just three carries, including an 18-yard touchdown run that extended ECU's lead to 31-0.

Fourth Quarter Explosion

The Pirates transformed a close game into a rout with three fourth-quarter touchdowns. ECU broke the game open early in the final period when Houser found Yannick Smith for his second touchdown pass, a 4-yard connection that capped a 10-play, 59-yard drive.

Wright's 18-yard scoring run came four plays after Reason's interception, showcasing the Pirates' ability to capitalize on turnovers. TJ Engleman Jr. added the final touchdown with 4:08 remaining, scoring from one yard out after Kieran Davis recovered a Coastal Carolina fumble.

Coastal Carolina's Offensive Struggles

The Chanticleers' offense never found rhythm against ECU's aggressive defense. Coastal Carolina managed just 67 rushing yards on 26 attempts, with no individual rusher gaining more than 25 yards. The team's longest play from scrimmage was a 39-yard pass from Hudson to Robby Washington.

Penalties compounded Coastal Carolina's problems, as the Chanticleers were flagged seven times for 55 yards. Two particularly costly penalties in the third quarter wiped out gains of 47 and 21 yards, stalling potential scoring drives.

The Chanticleers entered the game having scored just 13 points in their previous contest, and their offensive struggles continued against ECU's stingy defense. Coastal Carolina converted just 5 of 14 third-down attempts and failed to convert their lone fourth-down opportunity.

Historic Defensive Performance

ECU's shutout marked the program's first road blanking since a 38-0 victory at Duke on September 2, 2000, ending a streak of 306 games. The performance continued a remarkable defensive stretch for the Pirates, who have allowed double-digit scoring in just one game this season.

The defense's statistical dominance extended beyond turnovers and sacks. ECU limited Coastal Carolina to 3.7 yards per play and held the Chanticleers to 26:05 of possession time. The Pirates forced three three-and-out drives and never allowed Coastal Carolina to establish sustained offensive momentum.

Saturday's crowd of 21,634 represented the third-largest in Brooks Stadium history, but the home fans had little to celebrate as ECU controlled the contest from start to finish. The shutout loss marked Coastal Carolina's first since falling 42-0 at Stony Brook on October 29, 2011.

The victory positions ECU well heading into next week's home matchup against undefeated BYU, while Coastal Carolina must regroup and address offensive concerns that have limited the team to just 20 points through three games this season.0

East Carolina and Coastal Carolina have announced they will play against each other in 2025 and 2028. This announcement was made together by both schools on Wednesday.

These two teams have only played against each other once before. This game happened on December 27, 2022, at the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl. East Carolina won that game with a score of 53-29. This was the 10th time East Carolina won a bowl game.

The first game of the series will be played at Benton Field inside Brooks Stadium on September 13, 2025. The second game will be at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on September 9, 2028.

Jon Gilbert, the Athletics Director at East Carolina, said, “We are excited about this series with Coastal Carolina. Both schools have fans who really love their teams, and this series will be something that everyone will enjoy.”

Coastal Carolina is now part of ECU’s 2025 schedule. They will also play against NC State, Campbell, and BYU that year. Coastal Carolina is the third team that ECU will play against in 2028. The other two teams are NC State and Wake Forest.

BOONE – The App State Mountaineers faced off against Coastal Carolina in a nationally televised Sun Belt Conference match that culminated in a thrilling 27-24 victory for Coastal Carolina. The game unfolded before a packed Kidd Brewer Stadium, where suspense and déjà vu seemed to rule the night.

Two years prior, a similar scenario had played out when App State strategically kept from crossing the end zone, opting to run down the clock and position themselves for a short field goal. Chandler Staton delivered with a 24-yard kick as time expired, securing a 30-27 home win over the Chanticleers. This time, Coastal Carolina managed to execute almost the same strategy to perfection.

The evening began with App State trailing 14-0 within the first eight minutes, following a touchdown on Coastal Carolina's opening drive. Despite the early deficit, App State (with a record of 3-3, 1-1) managed to claw their way back, drawing even with the Chanticleers at 17-all in the third quarter and again at 24-all in the fourth. Notably, a pivotal moment occurred in the fourth quarter when Caden Sullivan made a crucial stop, pushing Grayson McCall's fourth-and-2 keeper into a 1-yard loss from the Mountaineers' 14-yard line. This marked App State's first possession of the game without a deficit.

The game had its share of dramatic turnovers. App State's Joey Aguilar completed a pass to Milan Tucker for a remarkable 69-yard gain, only for Coastal to force a fumble at the end of the run on Coastal's 20-yard line with 4:43 remaining. Defender Abraham Temoney managed to make a sliding recovery just before the ball crossed the sideline.

The Chanticleers (with a record of 3-3, 1-2) responded with an impressive 11-play, 77-yard drive, inching as close as the App State 2-yard line, thanks in part to a 21-yard gain by CJ Beasley, who stopped just short of the end zone in the final minute.

The game saw a strong performance from App State's Aguilar, who threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a game-tying fourth-and-4 touchdown pass to Dalton Stroman from the Coastal 6 with 8:47 remaining. This followed a 67-yard completion to Makai Jackson. Unfortunately, Nate Noel, the nation's second-leading rusher, was sidelined after just two offensive touches due to a lower-body injury. The running load was then shared by Kanye Roberts, Maquel Haywood, and Ahmani Marshall, who combined for 22 carries, 104 yards, and one score.

On the defensive side, Andrew Parker Jr. led the Mountaineers with 12 tackles, and Sullivan delivered a career-high of nine tackles.

The Mountaineers managed to level the score for the first time at 17-all when Aguilar connected with David Larkins for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter. However, Coastal Carolina quickly regained the lead with a seven-play, 77-yard touchdown drive. McCall's 32-yard touchdown pass to the wide-open Kendall Karr followed a defensive pass interference penalty on third-and-5.

App State had fallen behind early in the game as McCall orchestrated a 40-yard and a 31-yard pass on the opening drive. His 51-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Tucker only added to the pressure.

McCall maintained a perfect 9-for-9 record, passing for 220 yards in the first half. App State managed to reduce the 14-0 deficit with Michael Hughes' 29-yard field goal and closed the gap to 17-10 after Marshall's 3-yard touchdown run with 3:25 remaining in the first half. Aguilar's short completion to Eli Wilson on a fourth-and-10 pass from the Coastal 38 turned into a 32-yard gain to the 6-yard line, showcasing Wilson's impressive weaving through traffic.

The second half witnessed both teams making pivotal fourth-down stops near midfield. In response, App State pulled out all the stops on a fourth-and-3 incompletion from their 46-yard line. Haywood, helped by a defensive pass interference call, embarked on a series of rushes, gaining 32 yards, including a 20-yard run, which set the stage for Aguilar's short touchdown pass to Larkins. Hughes' extra point successfully knotted the game at 17-all.

With a crowd of 34,252 fans in attendance, the matchup between the App State Mountaineers and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers proved to be a nail-biting, back-and-forth affair that will likely be remembered for some time to come.

CONWAY, SC – Grayson McCall completed 11-of-16 passes for 273 yards and two scores to lead Coastal Carolina to a 43-21 win over Campbell Friday night at Brooks Stadium.

Playing a second-consecutive FBS opponent on the road and on national TV, the Camels (0-2) drew within two scores early in the fourth quarter, but could not pull off the upset in front of an ESPN audience.

Coastal Carolina (2-0), which won its opener 38-23 at Kansas, scored on its first three possessions and sacked Campbell quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams five times.

The Chanticleers outgained the Camels 468-342 and both teams finished 4-of-4 in red zone opportunities.

Coastal scored twice in the first quarter, capitalizing on good field position after a turnover; then stopping the Camels on downs.

CJ Marable capped a 5-play, 56-yard march with a two-yard run, set up by Alex Spillum’s interception and 39-yard return.  

Shermari Jones’ three-yard run plus Massimo Biscardi’s PAT pushed the Coastal lead to 14-0 with 0:34 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Camels drove inside the Coastal 40 on each of their first four possessions and converted 12-of-19 third downs, but could not contain the Chanticleer option attack.

Marable finished with 54 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns, while Isaiah Likely had three receptions for 96 yards and a score for Coastal.

Williams completed 12-of-25 passes for 137 yards, while adding 62 yards and a score on the ground on 18 carries.  C.J. Freeman rumbled for 81 yards on 14 rushes and one TD, while Bryant Barr carried 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown.  Barr (36 yards) and Jalen Kelsey (32 yards) both finished with three receptions for the Camels.

Campbell RB Bryant Barr Photo Credit: Campbell Sports Media

Robert Brown’s 45-yard field goal that trimmed the deficit to 14-3 with 11:18 to play in the second quarter.  Freeman’s 28-yard run, plus a targeting penalty gave the Camels a first down at the Coastal 14. However, an incompletion and sack pushed the Camels back to set up Brown’s field goal.

McCall found Jaivon Heiligh down the right side for a 21-yard touchdown catch that ended an 11-play, 86-yard march and extended the lead to 21-3 with 6:23 left in the opening half.

Campbell answered with an 11-play, 85-yard march finished by Freeman’s nine-yard run.  A bobbled hold on the point after left the deficit at 21-9 with 0:59 to play in the half.  The Camels converted two long third down situations – on Julian Hill’s 20-yard reception and Barr’s 23-yard catch and run – to extend the drive.

Coastal out-gained the Camels 222-193 in the opening half and sacked Williams three times.  McCall completed 8-of-11 passes for 139 yards before the break, while Williams was 7-of-15 for 95 yards. Freeman rambled for 53 first-half yards on nine carries.

Reese White’s three-yard TD run ended a 60-yard scoring drive where the Chanticleers kept the ball on the ground for all eight plays.  Biscardi’s point after pushed the lead to 28-9 with 6:02 remaining in the third quarter.

The Camels marched 75 yards in 13 plays and pulled within 28-15 on Barr’s 7-yard run on 4th and two.  The two-point conversion failed, however, but the Camels were within two scores with 14:57 to play.

Coastal responded just three players later when McCall connected with Kameron Brown on a 65-yard completion to set up Marable’s nine-yard scoring run.  McCall hit Heiligh on a two-point conversion to stretch the gap to 36-15 with 13:55 remaining.

McCall found Likely on a 57-yard scoring pass to push the margin to 43-15 with 11:42 remaining.

Williams ran in from four yards out to trim the margin to 43-21 with 3:02 remaining after engineering a 14-play, 72-yard drive. 

The Camels return to action next Saturday (Sept. 26) at No. 23 Appalachian State in the third of its four-game schedule this fall, all against FBS opponents.