In Week 2, it’s Appalachian State vs #6 Texas A&M. The Sun Belt vs the SEC on Saturday at Kyle Field. The Aggies are coming off a 31-0 shutout of Sam Houston State, while the Mountaineers took the North Carolina Tar Heels down to the wire before losing a heartbreaker 63-61.
It will be the first meeting ever between the two schools.
Appalachian State vs #6 Texas A&M
Appalachian State
The Mountaineers gave North Carolina all they could handle last Saturday. The Mountaineers scored 40 points in the 4th quarter to get within two points before coming up short. Both teams combined for 1218 total yards and 67 first downs.
QB Chase Brice was 25 of 36 (69.4%) passing for 361 yards, 6 TDs, and an INT. He threw touchdowns to six different receivers. WR DeShaun Davis led the way with six catches for 72 yards and a score.
In the running game, Nate Noel and Cameron Peoples combined for 181 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. Noel averaged over 8-yards per rush. As a team, Appalachian State rushed for 275 yards (6.70-yard rush), more than double what the Aggies gained on the ground against Sam Houston.
For the game, they gained 649 yards of total offense. On defense, the Mountaineers recorded three sacks and five tackles for loss. LB Nick Hampton posted 2.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss to go along with five tackles. LB Andrew Parker led the team with eight tackles.
Texas A&M
The Aggies held Sam Houston State to less than 200 yards of total offense. QB Haynes King was named the starter and completed 20 of 31 yards for 364 yards, 3 TDs, and 2 INTs. He tossed touchdown passes of 66 yards, 63 yards, and 43 yards.
At least nine different receivers caught passes against Sam Houston. WR Ainias Smith caught six passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns (24-yard average). WR Yakieth Brown caught two of King’s passes for 68 yards and two scores (34-yard average).
True freshmen wide receivers Evan Stewart and Chris Marshall caught five passes for 57 yards, and 4 passes for 41 yards, respectively.
In the rushing department, the Aggies gained just 110 yards rushing (for an average of just 3.44 yards per carry). RB Devon Achane was the leading rusher with just 42 yards on 18 carries (2.33-yard average) and one score. It was the only Aggies rushing touchdown of the game.
On defense, the Aggies posted 6 tackles for loss and three sacks. Four players each made five tackles. Freshman DL LT Overton recorded a sack and a tackle for loss, to go along with two tackles. The Aggies also recorded an INT.
Appalachian State vs #6 Texas A&M-A Prediction
Ranked #6 in the country, Texas A&M has been hyped up all offseason and is arguably one of the most overrated teams in college football. But, the Aggies are a -19 point favorite at home over the Mountaineers.
The Mountaineers are 73-20 since 2015 and are one of the most consistent Group of Five programs in the country.
If you are a true college football fan, you know Appalachian State has a history of playing Power 5 teams really tough, like last week’s game vs the Tar Heels, and the epic victory over the mighty Michigan Wolverines way back in 2007.
Even though the Mountaineers gave up 63 points and 567 yards to North Carolina, their defense is still much better than Sam Houston’s. The two-headed monster at running back for Appalachian State also known as Noel and Peoples is going to be a real test for the Aggies early in the season. And Brice will be the best quarterback on the field on Saturday.
The odds makers predict a blowout in College Station.
Appalachian State will come into Kyle Field on a mission to do what they should have done last week-get an upset win over a Power 5 team.
UPSET ALERT: Appalachian State 34-Texas A&M 31
Thanks for reading.
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