App State Will Host the Sun Belt Championship

Photo: Appstate Athletics

With their 21-10 victory this past weekend against Troy, the Appalachian State football team solidified their spot as the Sun Belt East Division champions.  In addition, App State will host the inaugural Sun Belt Championship game at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, NC this Saturday against the Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana Rajun Cajuns.

Appalachian State (9-2, 7-1) and Louisiana (7-5, 5-3) have already played once this season, with the Mountaineers winning that one 27-17 in Boone.  In that game, App received a superb performance from running back Darrynton Evans, who rushed for 183 yards and collected two touchdowns.  Quarterback Zac Thomas only passed for 106 yards that day, but rushed for 43, contributing to 266 total rushing yards from the Mountaineers in that game.  The Rajun Cajuns have a very powerful running game themselves however, as they have two players that rank in the top five in rushing yards in the conference, and three in the top ten.  The mighty App State defense will have to control Louisiana’s running game in order to win this game.  This will be a match between one of the league’s top defenses against one of the top offenses.

Kickoff is set for noon Eastern Time and will be featured on ESPN.  The forecast is calling on a high temperature of 49 degrees with a 90% chance of rain, but expect Kidd Brewer Stadium to be packed.  The students and fans of Appalachian State love nothing more than their football, and they will certainly bear the elements to watch their team attempt to win the first ever Sun Belt Championship game.  The winner of this game will receive a bid to play in the R+L Bowl game in New Orleans on December 15.  Go Mountaineers!

Garett