APP State has a Date with Destiny Again:FG wins it for Mountaineers as they down Chanticleers

Field Goal As Time Expires Lifts App State over No. 14 Coastal
from www.appstatesports.com:

BOONE, N.C. — Sellout crowd. Ranked opponent.

And a field flooded with fans after a tiebreaking, game-winning kick.

Chandler Staton’s 24-yard field goal as time expired lifted App State to a dramatic 30-27 win against No. 14 Coastal Carolina on Wednesday night in front of 31,061 fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The victory moved the Mountaineers into first place in the Sun Belt’s East Division.

With the Chanticleers as the highest-ranked FBS team to ever visit The Rock, which drew an above-capacity crowd for a midweek game being shown on ESPN2, the Mountaineers posted their second-ever win against a ranked opponent — and first since the 34-32 win against Michigan when App State was an FCS program.

App State’s defense came up huge in the fourth quarter, forcing three Coastal punts, the last one being fair-caught by Thomas Hennigan(Northwest Guilford HS) at the App State 38 with 3:53 remaining. Chase Brice had back-to-back throws of 16 and 19 yards to Malik Williams to get the Mountaineers in scoring range.

App State had a pair of 100-yard receivers for the third time this season, as Williams caught 10 passes for a career-high 206 yards and Corey Sutton added 113 yards on six catches. Brice threw for a career-high 347 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite facing an early 14-point deficit, App State took its first lead on Brice’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Sutton with 9:39 left in the third quarter.

The Chanticleers responded with an 83-yard touchdown drive, moving ahead 27-21 on Shemari Jones’ short scoring run with 4:36 left in the quarter, but App State tied the game at 27-all on a 43-yard touchdown run by Camerun Peoples.

Coastal Carolina jumped out to a 14-0 lead with touchdowns on its first two drives, but App State rallied to tie the game thanks to the tandem of Brice and Williams, with a surprise connection between Michael Hughes and Milan Tucker playing a key role in the tying score.

Back-to-back completions of 45 and 32 yards to Williams set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Peoples early in the second quarter, and Coastal Carolina was caught off-guard when Hughes drilled a short, line-drive kick toward the right sideline. Tucker made a diving catch off one hop before it went out of bounds, and a third-and-9 predicament from the Coastal Carolina 47 turned into a long touchdown pass to Williams. Chandler Staton went over 400 career points with his second extra point of the night.

Coastal Carolina did retake the lead and extend it with a pair of field goals in the final 2:23 of the half, as Massimo Biscardi made a 50-yard field goal and then, after a lost fumble by App State, hit a 46-yarder to end the half.

App State outscored Coastal 16-7 in the second half, setting off a wild celebration in Boone.