Bobcats muzzled by Mountaineers on the road, 35-13

Texas State (3-8, 2-5 Sun Belt) fell to the top team in the conference last Saturday, losing to No. 24 Appalachian State (10-1, 6-1), 35-13, in Boone, North Carolina.

The Mountaineers scored a touchdown on their opening drive, a 45-yard pass from junior quarterback Zac Thomas to junior wide receiver Corey Sutton. The team never let go of the lead, but did run into some challenges by the Bobcats in the second quarter.

Sutton fumbled the ball on the second play of the quarter. Senior linebacker Frankie Griffin recovered it on the App State 30-yard line. Texas State didn’t pick up a first down on the ensuing drive, but stayed in range for senior kicker Joshua Rowland to connect on a 48-yard field goal get the Bobcats on the board.

Thomas tossed another score later in the second, this time a 19-yard throw to senior receiver Keishawn Watson. But the maroon and gold answered immediately on the next drive.

Junior running back Robert Brown Jr. rushed twice for 12 yards to begin the series, picking up a first down. On the next play, sophomore quarterback Tyler Vitt fired a deep ball to sophomore wideout Javen Banks for 53 yards and a touchdown, cutting the hosts’ lead to 14-10 just before halftime.

Texas State held the Mountaineers to a three-and-out on the first drive of the third quarter, setting up Rowland for another 48-yard kick that found the middle of the uprights. But Vitt was picked off on the Bobcats’ next drive and App State went on to score 21 unanswered points to pull away with the win.

Vitt finished the game completing 18-of-34 passes, throwing for 154 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Banks led the team with five catches for 82 yards and a score, followed by junior wide receiver Jeremiah Haydel with five receptions for 25 yards. Brown took eight handoffs for 35 yards.

Senior linebackers Nik Daniels and Bryan London combined for 21 tackles, four of them unassisted, and one tackle for a loss. London’s 10 tackles moved him up to second all-time for most in a career, surpassing Brad Fulk.

The Bobcats will play in the regular season finale this Saturday, Nov. 30, in Conway, South Carolina, taking on Coastal Carolina (4-7, 1-6) at 11 a.m.