App State Counter-Punches ULM, Runs Away With 59-14 Win

After going down 14-10 early in the second quarter, App State used a long touchdown drive and a goal line stand to turn a four-point deficit into a 45-point victory as the Mountaineers demolished the ULM Warhawks 59-14 Saturday night in Monroe.

The App effort was held up by Taylor Lamb going 8-15 for 261 yards and three touchdowns, plus seven carries for 106 yards on the ground. A week after having his seven-game streak of rushing for 100 yards broken, Marcus Cox had 22 carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns.

In the losing effort, Garrett Smith went 17 of 30 for 192 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, both by Eric Boggs. Hunter Kissinger turned in a monster defensive effort for the Warhawks with 18 tackles, 10 of them solo including a tackle for loss.

The Warhawks looked to make it a game early, taking the opening drive down the field and scoring on a 35-yard pass from Smith to Kaylon Watson. After the Apps couldn't answer and punted it back, Boggs' first interception of Smith took the ball down to the ULM 2, where Cox punched it in to tie the game 7-7.

After a Warhawks' punt, the Apps drove the field, but had to settle for a 38-yard Zach Matics field goal to go up 10-7. ULM responded by going down the field with Marcus Green taking in a pass from 31 yards out on a 3rd down to put ULM back up 14-10 early in the second.

App State responded in short order with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Jones to go back up 17-14. The Warhawks next drive look to retake the lead, but a 4th and 2 from the App 4 was snuffed out and the Apps got the ball back. After a 78-yard Lamb run, Lamb finished things off with a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 24-14.

Smith was intercepted again by Boggs on the ensuing drive, but the Mountaineers fumbled the ball right before half. But with the ball coming out of the break Lamb found Bobo Beathard across the middle and 58 yards later, it was 31-14,

After a quick three and out, Marcus Cox took control of the next drive, but was overshadowed by a fake punt on 4th and 1 with Bentlee Critcher finding longsnapper Elias McMurry for 14 yards.

With the Warhawks will broken, Cox finished the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to make it 38-14. ULM then drove into App territory, but a 4th down pass feel incomplete and four plays later, Lamb found Simms McElfresh from 37 yards out to make it 45-14 in what quickly became a rout.

ULM next' drive again went nowhere and as the third became the fourth, App got over half a hundred with a Terrence Upshaw eight-yard score to make it 52-14. With backups in, ULM did drive into the App red-zone, but a 4th down pass was dropped. After trading punts, App's Ricky Fergeson added an exclamation point with a 46-yard touchdown with seconds left to make it 59-14.

App State moves to 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in Sun Belt play. ULM falls to 1-5 and 0-2 in league play, The Mountaineers face a quick turnaround as they will host rivals Georgia Southern this Thursday night on ESPNU. The Warhawks fly up to Idaho next Saturday for a 5:00 pm ET kickoff.