Last Updated on November 5, 2016 8:33 pm
*Appalachian State Sports Press Release*
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State scored 28 unanswered points in the first half and quarterback Taylor Lamb tied a career high with four touchdown passes to lead the Mountaineers to a 35-10 win over Texas State on Saturday evening at Kidd Brewer Stadium.
App State (7-2, 5-0 Sun belt) has now won six consecutive games. The Mountaineers’ win sets up a meeting of Sun Belt unbeaten as the Apps face Troy next Saturday in Troy, Ala. Texas State (2-6, 0-4) falls for the fourth straight game.
Lamb found three different receivers on first half touchdown passes to help the Mountaineers build a 28-3 lead at the break. The Apps also had 225 yards rushing in the opening half, led by Jalin Moore’s 10 carry, 120-yard first half and Marcus Cox’ 37-yard touchdown run to give the defense all the points it would need. Lamb finished 12-of-19 with four TDs.
App held Texas State to 197 total yards – the second consecutive game holding an opponent under 200 yards – and had a season-high 13 tackles for loss to go with four sack. The Bobcats’ lone touchdown came on a 3-yard drive following a blocked punt in the third quarter.
Texas State held a brief 3-0 lead after a Marcus Ripley 25-yard field goal capped a 13-play, 67-yard drive to open the game, but that would be about all the Bobcats would manage on offense.
App answered with Cox’ 37-yard TD run to take a 7-3 lead in the final minutes of the first quarter. Cox and Moore both went over the 100-yard plateau for the second straight week.
App had 303 yards rushing on 38 carries. Cox had 118 yards on 15 rushes and needs 192 yards to become App’s all-time leading rusher. Moore went over 1,000 yards for the season with his sixth-straight 100-yard rushing game.
App quickly added to its lead to open the second quarter. Lamb set up Jaylan Barbour for 8-yard screen pass to push the lead to 14-3 two minutes into the quarter. Moore had five carries for 43 yards on the drive to set up the score.
Linebacker Eric Boggs’ interception of Texas State quarterback Tyler Jones to set up the Apps’ next score. Boggs’ interception was his third of the season and a nation’s best 16th for the Mountaineers.
Lamb would capitalize with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Jaquil Capel, the first TD reception of his career. Capel was originally ruled out at the one, but review showed he clipped the pylon before being forced out of bounds.
Lamb added TD passes to freshman Mock Adams – his first career TD – late in the second quarter, then found tight end Barrett Burns from three yards out to seal the win at the midway point of the third.
Texas State grabbed the first TD of the second half as Stedman Mayberry scored on a 1-yard run following a blocked punt by the Bobcats.
Linebacker Kennan Gilchrist had 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks to lead the Apps’ defense. The Mountaineers allowed only 14 yards rushing and kept Jones on the run holding him to minus-10 yards rushing and only 183 yards passing on 28 completions. Linebacker John Law added eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Darian Small added two tackles for loss.
The Mountaineers travel to Troy, Ala. next Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kick with Troy. The game will televised on ESPN3. Both teams enter the game unbeaten in Sun Belt play.
