App State loses Sun Belt opener to Jags

BOONE, NC — App State football opened its Sun Belt Conference schedule on Thursday night with a 48-14 home loss to South Alabama at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Five days after a hard-fought, low-scoring victory at East Carolina, the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1) fell behind in the opening minutes, their nine-game winning streak in Sun Belt openers snapped by an opponent that had scored 87 points the previous Thursday.

With 34,133 fans in attendance for the ESPN midweek game, App State sold out The Rock for the seventh consecutive year. The Mountaineers are off this Saturday and return to action with a home game against Liberty on Sept. 28.

Joey Aguilar threw for 266 yards, with a Hail Mary touchdown to Dalton Stroman when the first half ended, and Kaedin Robinson led the offense with six catches for 85 yards. Maquel Haywood scored a 2-yard run in the final minute and led the team with 47 rushing yards.

Defensive end Santana Hopper forced a fumble during a sack for the second time in a row, with Shawn Collins the quick recovery and safety DJ Burks recorded 14 tackles in his first start, the most of his career.


App State trailed 14-0 in the second quarter. Conner Maynards The second punt inside the 10-yard line bolstered South Alabama’s offense, but a 95-yard touchdown drive gave the Jaguars (2-2, 1-0) a 21-0 lead with 5:30 minutes left before halftime.


App State, which was scheduled to receive the ball early in the second half, had a chance to get back into the game thanks to a drive inside the South Alabama 10 in the final three minutes of the second quarter. Instead, Jordan Scruggs lined up to block a pass at the goal line and sprinted 96 yards to the App State 4. Christian Horns A touchdown-saving tackle briefly prevented the Jaguars from extending their lead, but two plays later they scored.


The Mountaineers at least went into the break with momentum after Stroman caught a 47-yard touchdown on Aguilar’s Hail Mary throw on the final play of the half.


App State had possession early in the second half and approached the halfway line before a pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-six attempts as the Mountaineers needed points to pressure the Jags. South Alabama reached the end zone three plays later and extended the lead to 34-7, heading into the fourth quarter with a 41-7 lead.