App State Football Falls Short in Comeback Against Georgia Southern
App State Football rallied with three touchdowns in the last 20 minutes, needing one more score to complete the comeback. However, Georgia Southern managed to run out the clock for a 25-23 victory at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Thursday night.
Key Defensive Plays
App State’s red zone defense kept their hopes alive by forcing Georgia Southern to settle for field goals from 21, 26, 23, and 24 yards during the midweek rivalry game, witnessed by 31,876 fans.
Scoring Breakdown
- Mountaineers (4-5, 1-4) trailed 19-0 before Dominic De Freitas kicked a 36-yard field goal at the end of the first half.
- The team was down 22-3 before scoring touchdowns with:
- David Larkins’ 1-yard reception at 4:51 remaining in the third quarter.
- Jaquari Lewis’ 27-yard run with 13:50 left in the fourth quarter.
Late Game Action
Georgia Southern (4-5, 2-3) extended their lead to two scores with a field goal at 9:05 in the fourth quarter. AJ Swann's 16-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Barnes with 1:56 remaining kept App State's comeback hopes alive.
“Georgia Southern recovered the onside kick but still needed to move the ball given that App State had all three of its timeouts remaining.”
The Eagles secured a crucial first down with an 11-yard run and sealed the win by converting a fourth-and-inches play from the App State 27-yard line with 34 seconds left.
Game Summary
Despite a strong late rally, App State fell just short as Georgia Southern’s resilience and clock management secured a narrow win.
Author’s Summary: App State mounted a late, spirited comeback but Georgia Southern’s steady defense and clock control preserved a tight 25-23 victory.