There’s something about a fall weeknight in Boone, NC.
The air is crisper. The foliage more scenic. The black and gold striped overalls more abundant. And the upsets are riper for the picking.
James Madison entered the environment Thursday night as one of six remaining undefeated FBS teams. It left blemished, stunned by an Appalachian State team that utilized its homefield advantage to overcome a double-digit deficit and emerge victorious in overtime, 34-31.
The Mountaineer fans stood anxiously, wondering if the upset opportunity passed them by. On the final drive of regulation, a trailing James Madison converted two fourth downs by the skin of its teeth. Then with eight seconds remaining, the Dukes snapped the ball from the 6-yard line, and quarterback Camden Coleman found a free running lane to the end zone, knotting the game at 31-31.
App State won the overtime coin toss, decided to defend first, and the conditions for an upset strengthened on the first play of the extra period. James Madison attempted a trick play, placing running back Seth Cromwell behind the center in shotgun formation. Cromwell fielded a direct snap and handed the ball off to quarterback JC Evans. Before the quarterback could survey downfield, App State’s nickel corner Ja’Den McBurrows already met Evans in the backfield, tripping him 11 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The Dukes never returned to the original line of scrimmage, and on 4th-and-14, Morgan Suarez’s 47-yard field goal attempt collided with the left upright, leaving the door wide open for an upset.
App State’s offense didn’t need to travel far in overtime. Instead, the Mountaineers trusted their kicker. They sent James London onto the field on 3rd-and-7 to deliver the game-winner, and the 40-yard attempt sailed through the uprights, initiating a field storm at Kidd-Brewer Stadium.
Long before the field storm, App State found itself trailing 14-3 in the second quarter. But a methodical 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, ending in an Alexander Sanchez touchdown reception, thinned the deficit to 14-10 at halftime. That generated the momentum the Mountaineer offense needed to compete in the second half. They further cut the deficit to 14-13 on the opening drive of the second half, and then they knotted it at 21-21 on a Malachi Singleton to Chris Lofton connection and a 2-point conversion.
After the teams traded field goals, App State finally recorded the breakthrough play it needed to put JMU on alert. With roughly six minutes remaining in a 24-24 ballgame, middle linebacker Colton Phares sat in front of a route, intercepting Coleman and returning the ball to the JMU 14-yard line. A pass interference set Hasselbeck for another touchdown strike, this time to tight end Luke Douglas for the lead.
Although James Madison tied it up on a gutsy final drive — despite losing star running back George Pettaway to injury in the process — the Mountaineers prevailed in overtime, just like they did against the Dukes in 2023. In fact, Thursday night marked James Madison’s sixth Sun Belt defeat since 2023, and it was the third in overtime fashion.
This Sun Belt East matchup was particularly unique as both teams deployed two-quarterback systems. App State used Singleton as the primary option but inserted Hasselbeck for certain packages. The two combined to finish 29-of-44 with 285 yards passing and three touchdowns without an interception. Meanwhile, James Madison alternated Coleman and Evans, who collectively threw for 331 yards on a 27-of-46 showing, complete with two touchdowns and an interception.
The offenses were similar in other respects, too. Neither team had consistent success running the ball, and both passing attacks distributed the wealth evenly. Nine Mountaineers caught a pass, as did 10 Dukes. No player finished with more than six catches or 84 receiving yards in a game defined by quarterback production.
One striking difference between the Sun Belt opponents was special teams. James Madison finished 1-of-3 on field goals, while London sunk all four of his attempts for App State, including the 40-yard game-winner.
London’s field goal jumpstarted a black and gold celebration at midfield, representing a rebirth for App State football. The program was fresh off its first two losing seasons since joining the FBS in 2014, and now, it stands one win away from returning to bowl eligibility. Second-year head coach Dowell Loggains secured his signature victory Thursday, as App State improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play.
On the flipside, head coach Billy Napier suffered his first defeat at James Madison. Napier fell to 32-8 all-time against Sun Belt opponents, and five of those eight defeats were to App State. The Dukes are no longer perfect, snapping a 17-game regular season win streak. While the window remains open, James Madison’s chances of a second-straight College Football Playoff appearance took a significant hit Thursday night in Boone.