Red Wolves Edge Mountaineers 27-26 in Season Finale Heartbreaker

Image Courtesy Of App State Facebook

Arkansas State secured bowl eligibility with a 27-26 victory over Appalachian State on Saturday, ending the Mountaineers’ season at 5-7 in a game tied after each of the first three quarters. App State maintains a 4-2 all-time series lead over the Red Wolves despite suffering its first loss this season when winning the turnover battle.

Attendance Milestone

Season attendance at Kidd Brewer Stadium totaled 190,878 fans for a 31,813 average, fourth-highest in school history and marking the fifth consecutive season exceeding 30,000 per game.

Offensive Production

JJ Kohl completed 26 of 39 passes for 271 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, throwing four touchdowns without an interception over his final three games. True freshman Jaquari Lewis topped 100 rushing yards for the second consecutive game, finishing with 22 carries for 108 yards plus four catches for 21 yards.

Sam Mbake recorded a career-high nine receptions for 68 yards and his first Mountaineers touchdown, his second straight game with career-best catches.

Senior Day Performances

In his final collegiate game, Dalton Stroman made three catches for 64 yards, including two spectacular diving receptions and his fourth touchdown of the season. His 16 career touchdown receptions rank ninth in program history.

Tight end David Larkins posted career highs with six catches for 72 yards in his finale.

Defensive Efforts

App State forced three turnovers for the second consecutive game. Seventh-year senior Kevin Abrams-Verwaynefinished his career with highs of 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while Ethan Johnson also recorded a career-high 10 tackles in his finale.

Elijah McCantos posted career-best nine tackles before exiting after a targeting call. Colton Phares snagged his third interception early in the fourth quarter, setting up App State’s go-ahead score for a 26-23 lead.

DJ Burks forced a fumble, while Kyle Arnholt and Brayshawn Littlejohn each recovered fumbles.

Special Teams Drama

Freshman Dominic De Freitas attempted a school-record seven field goals, converting five (one blocked, one missed). His potential game-winning 45-yarder fell short as time expired.

De Freitas finished his rookie season with 20 field goals, tying Chandler Staton’s program record set in 2021, capping a remarkable debut campaign despite the heartbreaking finale.

The narrow defeat ended App State’s season one win shy of bowl eligibility, while Arkansas State advanced to postseason play.