Larance Shaw vs. Appalachian State 2019
Douglas Davis
7
ULM ULM 3-4 , 2-1
52
Winner Appalachian State APP 6-0 , 3-0
ULM ULM
3-4 , 2-1
7
Final
52
Appalachian State APP
6-0 , 3-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ULM ULM 7 0 0 0 7
APP Appalachian State 21 10 7 14 52

Game Recap: Football |

ULM Falters in Showdown At No. 24 App State

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

BOONE, N.C. – ULM faltered in its first-place showdown with No. 24 Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers (6-0, 3-0 Sun Belt) scored on their first four possessions, rolled up 572 yards of total offense and cruised to a 52-7 win over the Warhawks (3-4, 2-1) at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

"We weren't ready to play and really, that's my fault," ULM coach Matt Viator said. "It's my job to get them ready to play and we got beat everywhere."

Quarterback Caleb Evans completed 9-of-19 passes for 75 yards with an interception in a short outing before ULM inserted backup Colby Suits to finish up with the score out of hand. Running back Josh Johnson rushed for 75 yards on 13 attempts before his third-quarter exit as ULM's reserve players saw extended action through the second half.

On a chilly, rainy day, the Warhawks managed just 213 yards of offense in the game. Third-down conversions were a notable statistic as ULM was 2 of 13 and App State 13 of 18. The Mountaineers had 27 first downs, compared to nine for the Warhawks.

"We never did anything offensively after the first drive," Viator said. "We never did anything on defense or special teams."
       
App State running back Darrynton Evans gained 136 yards and scored one touchdown as the Mountaineers rushed for 302 yards. Evans also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Zac Thomas, who threw for 214 yards and three scores. App State was six-for- six scoring in the red zone.

The early leader in the Sun Belt's West Division, ULM got off to a promising start, then fell in a deep hole in an action-packed first quarter.

The Warhawks made a statement with their opening drive as they marched 82 yards in 12 plays to take the early 7-0 lead. Kayin White powered in a 1-yard touchdown run with 11:09 remaining in the first quarter.
       
On their third offensive play, App State's Evans dashed 59 yards to tie the score at 7-7. It was his third run of 50-plus yards this season and 11th TD.
       
After forcing a punt, the Mountaineers scored on a second-straight possession with a 12-play, 76-yard drive. Thomas found Thomas Hennigan in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard TD to give App State a 14-7 lead with 4:46 left in the first quarter.

The game took a turn for the worse for the Warhawks as App State recovered a Johnson fumble and returned it 24 yards to the ULM 24. Five plays later, Thomas walked into the end zone for a 1-yard score that gave the home team a 21-7 advantage with 1:19 showing in the opening quarter.
       
App St. scored on a fourth-straight series as Chandler Staton booted a 27-yard field goal to end a 10-play, 75-yard drive with 11:14 left in the second quarter. 

The Mountaineers extended the lead to 31-7 as Thomas flipped a 1-yard touchdown pass to Collin Reed with 1:19 to go in the half.

"We went down and scored then turned it over twice," Viator said at the half. "We got one turnover on defense, but we're not making enough stops or plays on offense. We're dropping balls too."

In the first half, App State outgained ULM, 376-169, in total yardage while converting seven-of-nine third-down opportunities.

The narrative didn't change after intermission.
       
App State's opening drive of the second half covered 75 yards in 12 plays and chewed almost six minutes off the clock. Evans scored his second TD for the Mountaineers on a 15-yard pass from Zac Thomas to increase the lead to 38-7.

The Mountaineers led 45-7 after Marcus Williams Jr. scored App State's third rushing touchdown of the afternoon on a 1-yard run with 12:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.

A 56-yard touchdown pass from App State's back-up quarterback Jacob Huesman to Jalen Virgil closed out the scoring at 52-7. 

"It's one loss and we'll have to regroup," Viator said. "I'm really disappointed in the way that we played and I'm really disappointed in the job I did."

ULM has an open date before playing its Homecoming game against Arkansas State on Nov. 2 at Malone Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.   

"We'll go back to work," Viator said. "We've got five games left and we had five pretty tough games there in a row. We'll regroup and go back to work. It's all you can do."

Tail feathers: Evans passed for 61 yards on the first series to become the third quarterback in school history with 8,000 career passing yards. ULM's career leaders are Kolton Browning, 2010-13: 10,263 career passing yards; and Steven Jyles, 2002-05: 8,987. … ULM game captains were QB Caleb Evans, DL Donald Louis Jr., DE Kerry Starks and OT Eastwood Thomas. … DE Sam Miller was carted off with a lower leg injury in the second quarter. … The Mountaineers improved to 4-1 in the all-time series with ULM, including a 3-0 record in games played in Boone, North Carolina. In the last meeting on Nov. 4, 2017, Caleb Evans accounted for 403 yards total offense and five touchdowns to lead ULM to a 52-45 win over App State. … In the second quarter, Keilos Swinney hit Raykwon Anderson for a 4-yard loss, forced a fumble and recovered it at the App State 49. The Warhawks have recorded at least one takeaway in eight consecutive games. … ULM CB Jordan Oliver picked off App State's Zac Thomas in the third quarter for his first career interception.
 
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