David Katzenmeyer
Football 10/24/2024 10:04:00 PM
Story Links BOONE, N.C. – App State returns to The Rock on Saturday, bringing together a football program’s fan base as they work collectively to lift each other up while supporting a historically challenged High Country community.
A Sun Belt Conference matchup with Georgia State at 1 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium will be the Mountaineers’ first home game in 37 days — and their first Saturday game in Boone since the opener on Aug. 31, spanning 56 days.
After playing a Thursday night home game against South Alabama on September 19, the impact of Hurricane Helen on September 27 and later forced the cancellation of the September 28 home game against Liberty, and the Mountaineers played a back-to-back road game. Games before we bid farewell to last weekend. On Saturday, App State (2-4, 0-3) and Georgia State (2-4, 0-3) will look to make a breakthrough in league play.
To continue to support recovery efforts in the High Country, fans should consider carpooling in-game to reduce road traffic and take advantage of AppalCart or rideshare options if possible. Also consider purchasing tailgate supplies from local businesses.
Home giving
App State Fans – As the High Country and all of western North Carolina continue to recover from Hurricane Helen, App State invites everyone to consider this weekend a home giveaway and donate to two local charities that directly support recovery efforts in our community.
Donate to the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation or Quiet Givers today, or visit them at Jerry Moore Plaza outside Kidd Brewer Stadium on your way to Saturday’s football game against Georgia State.
Support local businesses
App State Fans – As you travel to Boone for Saturday’s football game against Georgia State, we encourage you to support local High Country businesses as they recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene on our region. Below is a list of official partners of App State Athletics.
Restaurants
Arby’s, Best Cellar – Rugged Inn, Blowing Rock Town Tavern, Bojangles, Bunshine Brewing Company, Casa Rustica, Chick-fil-A, Clean Eats, Daniel’s Bone Inn, Hungry Hoy’s, Jamba Juice/Auntie Anne’s, Linville Falls Winery, Makoto, Milo Mushroom, McDonald’s, Panera Bread, Penn Station East Coast Subs, Peppers, Rivers Street Ale House, South End Brewing, Steak Boy Bread Company, Subway, The Bacon, The Canteen at Roads Motor Lodge, The Cardinal, Vicious Biscuits, Wendy’s
Grocery Partners
Lion Foods, Harris Teeter, Ingalls, Lowes Foods
Retail partners
Alumni Hall, App State Campus Store, Mast General Store, Mountaineer Mania, Sports Fans, Yosef’s Locker
In recent weeks, volunteer efforts among coaches, staff and players from coach Sean Clark’s program have included unloading and organizing donated goods at a local church and loading generators and other supplies onto helicopters from a humanitarian aid organization.
The Mountaineers have lost three straight games, including back-to-back road contests since returning to play after Helen’s start, but the defense performed much better during a 34-24 loss in which Louisiana scored on 33, 7 and 32 yards after an App State turnover. The Mountaineers limited the Ragin’ Cajuns to 364 total yards, had one turnover on a fourth-quarter interception from Jordan Favors and led in tackles by Brendan Harrington, who made his first start in a league game since Nov. 27, 2021.
Offensively, four of App State’s five turnovers occurred in the fourth quarter, negating the balanced effort that was missing earlier in the season. The Mountaineers rushed for a season-high 180 yards at Marshall on Oct. 5 and then capitalized on a career-high 148 yards by Louisiana’s Kanye Roberts.
App State has a 10-0 record in the series against Georgia State, which has its own schedule oddities in 2024. Led by first-year head coach and former Georgia assistant Dale McGee, who was hired in late February, the Panthers have played their own team. home to Atlanta in each of their first five games. The App State game is the second of four straight road games.
Georgia State followed a season-opening loss at Georgia Tech with four straight home games, including a 36-32 win over Vanderbilt to improve to 2-1, but home losses to Georgia Southern and Old Dominion preceded a Thursday night loss at Marshall last week.
In that game, the Panthers trailed 28-20 when they took the ball with 9:28 left and took the lead to the Marshall 10 before an incomplete fourth down with 1:52 remaining on a 14-play drive. Moments later, Marshall sealed the win with an 88-yard run.
Georgia State made a change at quarterback after quickly falling behind 18-0, turning to Akron and Georgia Tech transfer Zach Gibson to replace Penn State and Pittsburgh transfer Christian Filo. Gibson threw for 192 yards with two touchdowns in relief while also gaining at least 5 yards on six different rushing attempts, and Freddie Brock’s 124 yards on 18 carries included a 56-yard gain.
Brock played at Maine before joining Georgia State’s program in 2023 and rushed for 276 yards in a win over Utah State last year after totaling just six carries during the regular season.
Georgia State’s defense is allowing 194.2 yards per game, but the Panthers have been disruptive in the backfield thanks to the efforts of outside linebacker Kevin Swint (four sacks, 5.5 TFLs) and defensive tackle Henry Bryant (three sacks).
