BOONE – Three years after ending James Madison's perfect season in overtime, App State did it again Thursday night.

James London connected on a 40-yard field goal in overtime, and the Mountaineers knocked off previously unbeaten James Madison 34-31 before a sold-out crowd of 33,322 at Kidd Brewer Stadium, dealing a major blow to the Dukes' College Football Playoff aspirations.

The victory improved App State to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play while dropping James Madison to 7-1 and 4-1. The Dukes entered Thursday as one of just six remaining unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision and a leading contender for the College Football Playoff berth reserved for the highest-ranked conference champion from the Group of Six.

The result carried a familiar sting for James Madison. In November 2023, App State traveled to Harrisonburg and handed a 10-0 JMU team its first loss, winning 26-23 in overtime. Nearly three years later, the Mountaineers delivered another setback to an undefeated Dukes squad, this time on their home field.

Thursday's finish was every bit as dramatic.

App State appeared headed for a regulation victory when Henry Hasselbeck found Luke Douglas for a 4-yard touchdown with 5:52 remaining, giving the Mountaineers their first lead of the night at 31-24. The touchdown came just 24 seconds after London had tied the game with a 36-yard field goal.

But James Madison responded with a 15-play, 71-yard drive that consumed nearly the entire remaining clock. Quarterback Camden Coleman capped the possession with a 6-yard touchdown run with just three seconds left, and Morgan Suarez added the extra point to force overtime at 31-31.

The Dukes had an opportunity to extend the game in the extra period, but Suarez missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. App State needed just three plays before turning to London, whose 40-yard kick completed the upset.

London finished a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, connecting from 48, 27, 36 and 40 yards. His performance proved essential on a night when App State managed just 81 rushing yards against a James Madison defense that entered the contest allowing only 16 points per game.

The Mountaineers instead leaned heavily on quarterback Malachi Singleton, who completed 26 of 40 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Singleton also delivered one of the game's most unusual scoring plays, catching his own 5-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

The touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion erased a 21-13 deficit, pulling App State even at 21-21 with 13:15 remaining.

Singleton's first touchdown pass came late in the second quarter, when he connected with Alexander Sanchez for a 19-yard score that cut James Madison's lead to 14-10 at halftime. Earlier in the period, London had put the Mountaineers on the scoreboard with a 48-yard field goal.

App State continued chipping away after halftime, using London's 27-yard field goal to pull within 14-13. James Madison answered with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Coleman to Cole Keller late in the third quarter, restoring an eight-point advantage.

The Dukes had controlled much of the early action. George Pettaway opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and JC Evans connected with Braeden Wisloski for a 70-yard touchdown pass in the second.

James Madison finished with 423 yards of offense compared with 366 for App State, but the Mountaineers repeatedly found ways to keep the game within reach.

The App State defense limited a JMU rushing attack that entered the game averaging 223.7 yards per contest to just 92 yards on 30 carries. Pettaway, the Sun Belt's leading rusher entering Thursday, managed 57 yards on 15 attempts.

The Mountaineers also intercepted Coleman once, with Colton Phares recording the takeaway and returning it 21 yards. App State finished with seven points off turnovers while committing none of its own.

Coleman completed 22 of 39 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, while Evans added 99 passing yards and another score in limited action. Together, the two quarterbacks accounted for 331 passing yards as James Madison attempted to preserve its unbeaten season.

For App State, Nate Branch led the receiving corps with six catches for 73 yards, while Sam Pickett III added six receptions for 63 yards. Chris Lofton caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, and Jamel Howse contributed five receptions for 49 yards. Jaquari Lewis led the rushing attack with 74 yards on 13 carries.

The victory also continued an eventful stretch for the Mountaineers under second-year coach Dowell Loggains. After opening Sun Belt play with a 10-3 home loss to Old Dominion in difficult weather conditions, App State rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Coastal Carolina 35-32 last Friday.

Six days later, the Mountaineers produced an even more consequential result against a James Madison program that entered the week leading the Sun Belt in both scoring offense and scoring defense.

The loss complicates the Dukes' path toward a conference championship and a potential College Football Playoff appearance, while App State moves back into contention in the Sun Belt East Division.

For the Mountaineers, the next challenge comes Oct. 31 at Georgia Southern. They will make that trip with consecutive conference victories and another overtime upset of an unbeaten James Madison team to add to the program's history.

BOONE – The first warning came from above the scoreboard.

Kickers were warming up at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday afternoon when lightning flashed near the large App State "A" atop the scoreboard. Thunder followed almost immediately, exploding through a stadium where the surrounding mountains seem to hold onto the sound.

Then came two more quick flashes.

Players warming up on the field ran for cover. The bands, which had just made their way into the stadium, hurried back out.

The waiting began.

What was supposed to be a 6 p.m. kickoff between App State and Charlotte became 7, then 8, then 9. Every additional lightning strike restarted the process. Updates posted to social media became obsolete and needed to be updated again.

Fans were forced to leave Kidd Brewer Stadium. Some returned to their tailgates. Students went back to their dorms. By about 90 minutes into the delay, cars could be seen leaving parking lots around the stadium.

Saturday's Old North State Showdown was slowly losing its crowd before either team had played a down.

But it didn't lose all of it.

When the gates finally reopened, a few hundred App State students rushed toward the student section behind the Mountaineers' bench and the hill in the south end zone. More trickled in over the next hour, some arriving well into the first quarter.

By halftime, the student sections looked surprisingly normal.

The rest of Kidd Brewer did not.

Three and a half hours after the game was scheduled to begin, at 9:32 p.m., Charlotte finally kicked off to App State.

And those who stayed made themselves heard.

The students roared after big hits. The first App State touchdown brought a blast from the cannon, fireworks and a cheer that sounded larger than the crowd that remained.

It wasn't the Black Saturday atmosphere envisioned when the game was scheduled for 6 p.m. under the lights.

But after three and a half hours of waiting, it was still football.

That alone seemed worth celebrating.

The players had been waiting even longer.

App State coach Dowell Loggains pointed out afterward that the delay didn't simply mean sitting around a locker room until the storm passed. Players had begun preparing hours earlier.

"You start taping about 3:00," Loggains said. "You're starting to do all these stretches and warm-ups and starting to get ready, and then you got to cool down, you got to get going again. You got to cool down, you got to get going."

Charlotte had its own logistical problem.

The 49ers had eaten their pregame meal at 1:20 p.m. By the time kickoff arrived, more than eight hours had passed.

Charlotte coach Tim Albin said staff members scrambled during the delay to get additional food for the players, even making a store run and putting together peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Albin admitted he began wondering just how late they could realistically start.

He was concerned kickoff might be pushed to 10.

Instead, at 9:32, there was finally football.

And perhaps fittingly after such an unusual pregame, neither team played particularly clean football once it began.

Charlotte received an early opportunity when App State muffed a punt and former Mountaineer Khamani Alexander recovered it at the App State 36.

For a 49ers team that entered the night 0-2, it was an opportunity to seize immediate momentum.

They couldn't.

Charlotte's ensuing field-goal attempt was disrupted, and the 49ers came away empty.

App State responded with a 41-yard James London field goal and began establishing itself as the better team, though never quite delivering the blow that would put Charlotte away.

The Mountaineers extended their lead late in the second quarter with a 14-play, 74-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes. Jaquari Lewis finished it with a two-yard touchdown run.

It was 10-0.

Charlotte's offense had struggled to establish much of anything. The 49ers couldn't consistently run the football, couldn't stay ahead of the chains and repeatedly stalled on third down.

Then, just before halftime, something clicked.

Cole Gonzales directed an eight-play, 68-yard drive in only 71 seconds. A 33-yard completion to Jaylen Hampton helped push Charlotte downfield before Alexander scored from one yard out with 35 seconds remaining.

The former Mountaineer had pulled Charlotte within 10-7.

But the 35 seconds Charlotte left behind mattered.

App State quickly moved into field-goal range, and London connected from 47 yards as time expired.

After a three-and-a-half-hour delay, the teams finally went to halftime with App State ahead 13-7.

The Mountaineers looked like the better team.

They just didn't look like a team ready to finish Charlotte off.

That continued early in the second half.

App State drove to Charlotte's 1-yard line on its opening possession but was stopped on fourth down.

For the 49ers, it was exactly the kind of stand that could change a game.

Then they gave the opportunity back.

With Charlotte backed up near its own end zone, Khalil Conley intercepted Gonzales and gave App State the ball at the Charlotte 27.

Four plays later, Malachi Singleton found Chris Lofton for a three-yard touchdown.

App State led 19-7.

Early in the fourth quarter, Singleton connected with Jackson Grier for another score.

Now it was 26-7.

There were 12:08 left.

After hours of weather delays followed by nearly three quarters of football, this finally appeared to be the moment App State would land the knockout punch.

It never came.

Instead, Charlotte started making plays.

The 49ers drove 75 yards in 12 plays, with Alexander again finishing from one yard out. He ran in the two-point conversion himself.

26-15.

Still, it felt more like a late score that made the final margin respectable than the beginning of a comeback.

App State needed to run out the clock.

When Dre Walker intercepted Gonzales with 2:17 remaining, it appeared finished.

Charlotte had no timeouts remaining. App State had possession.

Game over.

Except this Old North State Showdown had already spent the entire evening refusing to operate according to schedule.

On third-and-five, Singleton threw.

Charlotte defensive back Collin Gill read it, stepped in front of the pass and suddenly had nothing but open field between himself and the end zone.

Thirty-six yards later, Charlotte had a touchdown.

26-21.

The reaction from the App State crowd wasn't anger as much as disbelief.

Silence washed over the home fans.

How was this happening?

North Carolina football fans had already seen one bizarre ending earlier Saturday. NC State's game against Vanderbilt had ended in stunning fashion when a Wolfpack fumble in the end zone on the final play was recovered by the Commodores.

Now, after midnight in Boone, another strange finish suddenly seemed possible.

A game App State had led by 19 points had come down to an onside kick.

Afterward, Loggains took responsibility for the decision that opened the door.

"I don't think we put Malachi in a good spot," he said. "We've got to put him in a better spot in that situation. So you can put that one on me."

Charlotte's sideline had life.

The App State crowd had nerves.

And the whole scene felt surreal.

Six hours earlier, nobody knew when, or even whether, the game would begin. Fans had been sent away. Players had warmed up and cooled down repeatedly. Charlotte staff members had gone looking for food. Cars had disappeared from parking lots. Students had gone back to their dorms.

Now it was Sunday morning, and all of it had come down to one bouncing football.

Charlotte lined up for the onside kick.

App State recovered.

Only then was it finally over.

The Mountaineers kneeled out the remaining seconds and escaped with a 26-21 victory, improving to 3-0 while Charlotte fell to 0-3.

The final score made the game look considerably closer than much of it had been.

App State finished with 435 yards to Charlotte's 247 and held the ball for more than 33 minutes. The Mountaineers converted seven of 16 third downs while Charlotte managed only one conversion in 11 attempts. Charlotte rushed for just 36 yards.

Singleton completed 28 of 42 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns. Lofton caught six passes for 90 yards and a score, while London made both of his field-goal attempts.

For Charlotte, Gonzales finished with 211 passing yards. Jaden Barnes, another former Mountaineer, caught 10 passes for 97 yards. Alexander managed only 18 rushing yards on 13 attempts but scored both of Charlotte's offensive touchdowns and added a two-point conversion.

And Gill turned what looked like a routine App State finish into something nobody inside Kidd Brewer expected.

Charlotte never completed the comeback, but Albin's team did fulfill one promise its players said they had made to one another.

"We're going to keep fighting no matter what the scoreboard is," Gill said afterward. "We don't care about the scoreboard. We're going to keep fighting till the clock hits zero."

On this night, getting the clock to zero took longer than anyone could have imagined.

By the end, only a couple thousand fans remained inside Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Those who stayed had spent much of their Saturday waiting. Waiting for lightning to clear. Waiting for another update. Waiting for the gates to reopen. Waiting for kickoff. And finally, waiting to see whether App State could survive a Charlotte comeback that had materialized almost from nowhere.

Midnight came and went without much ceremony.

By then, everyone had been there too long for changing the date to feel particularly important.

What began as Black Saturday had become Sunday morning.

At 12:33 a.m., the clock finally reached zero.

This time, there was nothing left to wait for.

BOONE – App State wasted little time showing what its revamped roster could be capable of Saturday.

The Mountaineers overwhelmed Maine on both sides of the ball, piling up 647 yards of offense and forcing two turnovers in a 55-3 victory before 33,664 fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Quarterback Malachi Singleton led the way for App State, completing 22 of 24 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns as the Mountaineers built a 31-0 halftime lead and never allowed the Black Bears to make the game competitive. App State finished with 348 passing yards and 299 rushing yards while averaging 9 yards per offensive play.

Maine, meanwhile, managed 250 total yards and 12 first downs. Quarterback Eddie Buehler completed 18 of 32 passes for 198 yards but was intercepted twice, while the Black Bears were held to 52 rushing yards on 28 attempts.

App State's first possession ended with a turnover deep in Maine territory, but that proved to be one of the few opportunities the Mountaineers failed to capitalize on.

Treyaun Webb opened the scoring midway through the first quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run that capped a four-play, 78-yard drive. James London then extended the lead to 10-0 with a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter.

From there, Singleton took control.

He found tight end Darrin Fugitt for a 5-yard touchdown with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter, pushing the advantage to 17-0. Less than six minutes later, Singleton connected with Samuel Pickett III for a 14-yard touchdown. Pickett struck again just before halftime, hauling in a 7-yard scoring pass with seven seconds left to send App State into the locker room with a 31-point cushion.

That final first-half score was set up by one of the game's biggest defensive plays.

Maine had moved into App State territory late in the second quarter before Buehler was intercepted by Caleb Pitts at the App State 30. Pitts returned the interception 15 yards to the 45, giving the Mountaineers enough time to add another touchdown before the break.

The pressure continued after halftime. Colton Phares intercepted Buehler on Maine's opening possession of the third quarter after pressure from Dre Walker, and App State answered with a seven-play, 69-yard drive. Jaquari Lewis finished it with a 12-yard touchdown run for a 38-0 lead with 9:14 remaining in the period.

Maine finally broke through with 51 seconds left in the third quarter when Samuel Tremblay converted a 40-yard field goal, completing an 18-play, 52-yard possession and cutting the deficit to 38-3. It would be the Black Bears' only scoring drive of the afternoon.

App State's reserves kept the offense moving in the fourth.

Henry Hasselbeck helped direct a 75-yard drive that ended with receiver Nate Branch racing 36 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 45-3. Three minutes later, Jackson Grier broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run to make it 52-3. London added a 32-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining to complete the scoring.

Pickett finished with five receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while Fugitt caught four passes for 47 yards and a score. Branch contributed 55 receiving yards and 44 rushing yards, including his touchdown.

App State spread its rushing production throughout the lineup. Lewis led the Mountaineers with 69 yards on 11 carries, while Ja'Quez Cross added 66 yards and Hasselbeck rushed for 53. The Mountaineers scored four times on the ground and three times through the air.

For Maine, Rashawn Marshall led the rushing attack with 37 yards on 13 carries. The Black Bears' longest offensive gain came on a 47-yard Buehler completion to Corey Rideout in the fourth quarter, but the possession ended on downs.

The result gave App State a convincing opening victory in its second season under head coach Dowell Loggains, while Maine fell to 1-1.

BOONE - Appalachian State was seconds away from securing bowl eligibility, but a late penalty erased a would-be game-clinching touchdown and opened the door for Arkansas State’s 30-29 comeback win Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Leading 26-23 with under two minutes to play, App State appeared to seal the game when J.J. Kohl delivered a fourth-and-one touchdown strike to Dillon Galloway from the Arkansas State 6. Kidd Brewer Stadium erupted – until an illegal-formation flag wiped the score off the board. Backed up to the 11, the Mountaineers settled for a 29-yard Dominic De Freitas field goal with 1:34 left, extending the lead to six instead of ten.

That margin proved fatal.

Arkansas State (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) raced 75 yards in seven plays, with quarterback Jaylen Raynor completing five straight passes in a rapid 52-second march. His 34-yard strike to Corey Rucker put the Red Wolves on the doorstep, and Kenyon Clay scored from a yard out with 42 seconds remaining. The extra point gave Arkansas State its first lead since early in the fourth quarter.

App State (5-7, 2-6) still had a final chance, but De Freitas’ 45-yard field goal attempt on the last snap fell short, ending the Mountaineers’ bowl hopes in the first season under head coach Dowell Loggains.

Before the chaotic finish, App State had turned the game around after trailing 16-13 at halftime. Kohl opened the third quarter with a sharp seven-play, 66-yard scoring drive capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass to Sam Mbake, part of a strong day for the sophomore quarterback. He finished 26-for-39 for 271 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

Mbake caught nine passes for 68 yards, while Jaquari Lewis paced the ground game with 108 rushing yards on 22 carries.

De Freitas kept the Mountaineers in front for much of the second half, hitting five field goals from 48, 45, 43, 38 and 29 yards. His only misses were the desperation kick at the end and a second-quarter attempt that Arkansas State blocked.

App State’s defense repeatedly bent but held Arkansas State to field-goal range on key possessions in the second half. Kevin Abrams-Verwayne led the way with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks, part of a unit that produced several backfield stops before Arkansas State’s final, decisive possession.

Raynor, though, was the difference late. He threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns and repeatedly found Rucker, who caught 10 passes for 90 yards and two scores.

Arkansas State managed only 85 rushing yards, but Raynor’s accuracy and the Red Wolves’ quick-tempo passing game eventually broke through.

App State had controlled much of the early action, jumping ahead 13-3 in the second quarter after Kohl found Dalton Stroman for a 37-yard touchdown. But a late-half meltdown flipped momentum when Arkansas State scored twice in 17 seconds—first on an eight-yard pass to Rucker, then on a short-field strike to Tyler Fortenberry after a muffed kickoff.

The Mountaineers steadied themselves with a late field goal before halftime and carried the lead into the fourth quarter, but could never extend it far enough to withstand the penalty-marred final sequence.

The loss ended the Mountaineers’ season at 5-7 and denied them a chance to reach the postseason for the first time under Loggains.

BOONE – App State kicker Dominic De Freitas connected on a 23-yard field goal with 2:02 remaining to lift the Mountaineers past Marshall 26-24 on Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina.

The victory improved App State to 5-6 overall and 2-5 in conference play, while Marshall fell to 5-6 and 3-4. The game featured five lead changes and came down to a frantic final quarter that saw both teams commit costly turnovers.

App State's winning drive covered 35 yards in eight plays over 3:31, capitalizing on a Marshall fumble deep in Herd territory. Running back Jaquari Lewis carried the ball 33 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mountaineers' ground attack.

Marshall quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson accounted for two rushing touchdowns and threw for 146 yards, while running back Joshon Barbie added 102 yards and a score on 10 carries. Despite outgaining App State 438-276 in total offense, the Herd could not overcome two lost fumbles in the fourth quarter.

The game turned in the fourth quarter after Marshall had taken a 24-23 lead on Lorcan Quinn's 25-yard field goal with 5:29 left in the third quarter. The Herd appeared poised to extend their advantage when they drove from their own 1-yard line to the App State 40 in a seven-play drive that consumed more than three minutes. But running back Michael Allen fumbled at the App State 42, and Colton Phares recovered for the Mountaineers at the 39 with 5:33 remaining.

App State methodically moved into field goal range, with Lewis gaining 13 yards on first down to the Marshall 9. After three more plays, De Freitas came on for the game-winning kick, his second successful field goal of the afternoon.

Marshall had one final chance after receiving the kickoff at their own 25 with 2:02 to play. The Herd moved the ball to the App State 39 before Allen fumbled again with less than a minute remaining, effectively ending Marshall's comeback hopes.

The first half belonged to Marshall's offense, particularly Del Rio-Wilson. After App State took a 3-0 lead on De Freitas's 32-yard field goal, Marshall answered with an eight-play, 41-yard touchdown drive capped by Barbie's 5-yard run.

App State regained the lead early in the second quarter when Lewis scored from 18 yards out to make it 9-7, but Marshall responded with two quick touchdowns. Del Rio-Wilson rushed for scores of 16 and 4 yards on consecutive possessions, giving the Herd a 21-9 advantage with 8:14 left in the half.

The Mountaineers cut into the deficit before halftime with a 75-yard drive that ended with J.J. Kohl's 19-yard touchdown pass to David Larkins with 53 seconds remaining. The score pulled App State within 21-16 at the break.

App State seized momentum to start the third quarter with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 5:33. Lewis capped the march with a 5-yard run, giving the Mountaineers their first lead since the opening quarter at 23-21.

Marshall's response came on a nine-play, 64-yard drive that stalled at the App State 7, forcing Quinn's field goal attempt. The successful kick put Marshall ahead 24-23, setting up the tense fourth quarter.

Wide receiver Demarcus Lacey led all receivers with 12 catches for 134 yards, consistently moving the chains for Marshall. Del Rio-Wilson completed 13 of 21 passes for his 146 yards, while backup Zion Turner added 54 yards on 8-of-9 passing.

For App State, Kohl finished 19-of-27 for 134 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Sam Mbake caught seven passes for 39 yards, while Lewis added five receptions for 39 yards to complement his rushing performance.

Marshall's defense registered two sacks and five tackles for loss, led by linebacker Jayland Parker's 15 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks totaling 24 yards. App State's defense forced three turnovers, including the crucial fourth-quarter fumble recoveries, and recorded two sacks.

The statistics told a stark story: Marshall converted just 5 of 12 third-down attempts and averaged 6.3 yards per play compared to App State's 3.9. Marshall possessed the ball for 30:09 to App State's 29:51. But the Mountaineers scored three points off turnovers while Marshall managed none, proving decisive in the close contest.

Marshall's offensive balance was evident with 238 rushing yards and 200 passing yards, but the team went 0-for-2 in the red zone with field goal attempts, including a blocked kick in the fourth quarter. App State converted all five red zone opportunities into scores, including three touchdowns and two field goals.

The loss marked Marshall's third defeat in conference play and fourth in their last six games overall. App State snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory.

Top Performers:

• Jaquari Lewis (App State): 33 carries, 175 rushing yards, 2 TDs; 5 receptions, 39 yards
• Joshon Barbie (Marshall): 10 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD
• Demarcus Lacey (Marshall): 12 receptions, 134 yards
• Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (Marshall): 13-of-21 passing, 146 yards; 14 carries, 71 yards, 2 TDs
• Jayland Parker (Marshall): 15 tackles, 2 sacks, 2.5 TFL