South Alabama Dominates App State in Sun Belt Opener

BOONE - In a coming-out party for new head coach Major Applewhite’s squad, the South Alabama Jaguars overwhelmed the Appalachian State Mountaineers 48-14 in their Sun Belt Conference opener on Thursday night. The game, televised on ESPN, drew a sellout crowd of 34,133 to Kidd Brewer Stadium, marking the seventh consecutive capacity attendance for App State.

South Alabama (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) set the tone early, scoring on their opening drive and never looking back. The Jaguars, fresh off an 87-point performance the previous week, continued their offensive onslaught, building a 28-0 lead before halftime.

App State (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) struggled to find rhythm, ending their nine-game winning streak in Sun Belt openers. The Mountaineers’ only first-half points came on a 47-yard Hail Mary pass from Joey Aguilar to Dalton Stroman as time expired in the second quarter.

The Jaguars’ ground game proved unstoppable, with two players surpassing the 100-yard mark - a first in App State’s history as a defensive victim. Fluff Bothwell led the charge with 116 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Gio Lopez added 105 yards and a score on the ground.

Photo Credit: Scott Donaldson | South Alabama Athletics

Lopez also shone through the air, completing 16 of 24 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. His primary target, Jamaal Pritchett, hauled in six receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.

For App State, Aguilar threw for 266 yards and a touchdown, but also suffered a crucial interception near the goal line that resulted in a 96-yard return by South Alabama’s Jordan Scruggs. This pivotal play late in the second quarter shifted momentum decisively in the Jaguars’ favor.

Defensively, South Alabama’s Blayne Myrick led all tacklers with nine, while App State’s DJ Burks recorded a game-high and career-best 14 tackles in his first start at safety.

The loss marks App State’s most lopsided defeat to a conference opponent in a regulation game since 2017. The Mountaineers will have a few extra days to regroup before hosting Liberty on September 28th.