App State Holds Off Charlotte 26-21 After Late 49ers Comeback

Appalachian State remained unbeaten with a 26-21 victory over Charlotte on Saturday night at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone.

The Mountaineers improved to 3-0, while Charlotte dropped to 0-3. The game was delayed by more than three hours because of lightning, with kickoff eventually taking place at 9:32 p.m.

App State Takes Control

App State opened the scoring in the first quarter when James London converted a 41-yard field goal with 9:50 remaining.

The Mountaineers extended their lead in the second quarter when Jaquari Lewis scored on a two-yard touchdown run following a 14-play, 74-yard drive.

Charlotte responded late in the half through Khamani Alexander, who scored on a one-yard rushing touchdown with 35 seconds remaining.

London then connected on a 47-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, sending App State into halftime with a 13-7 lead.

Mountaineers Pull Away

App State extended its advantage in the third quarter when Malachi Singleton connected with Chris Lofton for a three-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 19-7.

The Mountaineers added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Singleton found Jackson Grier for a seven-yard touchdown with 12:08 remaining, giving App State a 26-7 lead.

Charlotte then began its comeback.

Alexander scored his second rushing touchdown of the night on a one-yard run with seven minutes remaining. The 49ers then moved closer when Collin Gill returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown with 1:58 left.

Charlotte's final touchdown made it 26-21, but App State recovered the ensuing onside kick and was able to run out the remaining time.

Singleton Leads App State

Singleton completed 28 of 42 passes for a career-high 331 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 14 yards and caught a 14-yard pass from Henry Hasselbeck.

Chris Lofton led the Mountaineers with six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. Sam Pickett III added six catches for 67 yards, while Alexander Sanchez recorded four receptions for 56 yards.

Jaquari Lewis led App State's rushing attack with 11 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown.

Charlotte's Offense Held in Check

Charlotte finished with 247 total yards, including 211 passing yards and just 36 rushing yards.

Cole Gonzales completed 22 of 35 passes for 211 yards and two interceptions. Jaden Barnes led the 49ers with 10 receptions for 97 yards.

Henry Rutledge rushed seven times for 29 yards, while Khamani Alexander finished with 18 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

App State Defense Makes Key Plays

The Mountaineers recorded two interceptions, with Khalil Conley and Dre Walker each coming away with a pick.

Devin Henderson led App State with eight tackles, while Colton Phares recorded six tackles. Caleb Sandstrom added a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.

App State finished the game with 435 total yards compared with Charlotte's 247. The Mountaineers also held a 22-15 advantage in first downs and possessed the ball for 33:28.

Mountaineers Stay Unbeaten

The 26-21 victory moved App State to 3-0 for the first time since 2019 and extended the Mountaineers' winning record against Charlotte to 5-0 all-time.

App State will now turn its attention to another in-state matchup against NC State.