Last Updated on September 23, 2017 7:22 pm
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State lost 20-19 to Wake Forest on Saturday in the Demon Deacons' first-ever visit to Kidd Brewer Stadium, which drew a record-breaking crowd of 35,126 fans.
The total topped the mark of 34,658 set last year during Miami's visit to Boone. It's also an App State-Wake Forest series record, as the attendance of 33,400 in 1987 was the largest crowd in the 22 previous meetings that were all in Winston-Salem.
The sixth lead change occurred on Mike Weaver's 25-yard field goal with 7:22 left, and Wake Forest (4-0) blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt in the last 10 seconds. Taylor Lamb completed 26 of his career-high 50 pass attempts for 372 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mountaineers (2-2).
After Wake Forest scored a field goal on its first drive of the game, App State's defense forced five consecutive three-and-outs and allowed only one first down on the Deacons' last six possession of the first half.
The Mountaineers took a 6-3 lead with 2:49 left in the first quarter on Lamb's 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Levi Duffield. Lamb handed the ball to Terrence Upshaw, who ran right before flipping the ball backward to receiver Malik Williams. As Williams ran back to the left, he lateraled the ball to Lamb, who fired a pass down the right sideline to Duffield.
Michael Rubino‘s 38-yard field goal with 1:58 left in the second quarter gave App State a 9-3 halftime lead, and the Mountaineers answered Wake Forest quarterback John Wolford's 10-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dortch with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter with a go-ahead touchdown 50 seconds later. Lamb's shovel pass to speedy receiver T.J. Watkins turned into an 84-yard touchdown that pushed the Mountaineers ahead 16-10.
Lamb, whose career-long pass before Saturday was a 68-yard touchdown to tight end Collin Reed in the Sept. 9 home opener, posted App State's first pass of at least 80 yards since Richie Williams connected with Jermane Little for 88 yards against Eastern Kentucky in 2005. Watkins' reception was the seventh-longest in school history.
Wake Forest moved ahead 17-16 on Wolford's 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cam Serigne with 3:24 left in the third quarter, and App State regained the lead again on Rubino's 39-yard field goal with 10:35 remaining. Weaver's field goal put the Deacons ahead 20-19, setting up a dramatic finish.
