Troy Athletics

BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State jumped out to a 21-point lead and held off Troy, 21-10, Saturday at Kidd-Brewer Stadium in the Sun Belt finale for both teams. Troy and App State finish the season tied at the top of the Sun Belt East standings, but App State earns the title game bid to winning the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Four critical replay reviews went against Troy (9-3, 7-1 Sun Belt) in the game with two setting up a short field for App State (9-2, 7-1) and another putting six points on the board for the Mountaineers.

Already up 7-0 thanks to a 98-yard drive following a booming 70-yard punt by Tyler Sumpter, App State started at the 50-yard line after replay overturned a call on the field after Sumpter found Blace Brown for a 9-yard completion and first down on a fake punt. On App State’s ensuing drive, another overturned call on the field reversed an incomplete pass into a 15-yard touchdown pass from Zac Thomas to Corey Sutton.

On Troy’s first play on its next drive, replay once again overturned the call on the field ruling that Deondre Douglas fumbled on a 10-yard reception. App State took over on Troy’s 36-yard line and scored five plays later to build a 21-0 lead just four minutes into the second quarter.

Sumpter put Troy on the board with a 26-yard field goal midway through the second quarter and the Trojans were driving late in the quarter looking to pull closer. Sidney Davis appeared to make a catch near midfield and Troy ran another play, a catch by Luke Whittemore down to the App State 35-yard line. However, a late replay was triggered and overturned Davis’ catch. Troy would eventually have to settle for a 46-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide right.

Douglas pulled the Trojans within two scores, 21-10, with a touchdown reception on Troy’s second drive of the second half.

The Trojan defense forced App State into three-and-outs on all five of its third-quarter drives, but the Trojans could not take advantage offensively to make it a one-score game.

App State mustered success only one drive in the second half and it was a big one as the Mountaineers bled more than eight minutes off the clock with a 12-play drive to open the fourth quarter.

Thomas completed just 12-of-24 passes for 113 yards with a pair of touchdowns, both to Sutton while Darryngton Evans rushed for 108 yards on 20 carries. Sawyer Smith finished 17-of-34 for 160 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans with Douglas pulling down six passes for 69 yards.