Week 2 Preview: App State vs. Lindenwood

The wait is over in Boone.

App State fans will pack a sold-out Kidd Brewer Stadium this Saturday as the Mountaineers make their home debut under first-year head coach Dowell Loggains. Fresh off a convincing 34-11 win at Bank of America Stadium against Charlotte, App State now turns its attention to FCS opponent Lindenwood, a program looking to rebound after losing the week prior.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

App State

The Loggains era couldn’t have opened much better. App State dominated Charlotte 34-11 with a stretch of 27-unanswered points that put the game away early.

Quarterback AJ Swann looked steady in command, throwing for 368 yards and setting a debut record for App State after Loggains chose him over JJ Kohl and true freshman Noah Gillon to start under center. Arkansas transfer Rashod Dubinon powered the ground game for 111 yards and a wildcat score.

Defensively, the Mountaineers smothered Charlotte from the start, holding them to just 52 passing yards in the first half. Ja’Den McBurrows and Dylan Hasz both forced turnovers that led to points. DJ Smith’s 4-2-5 scheme is already making an impact early. The defense will be without two starters for the first half next week due to targeting calls against linebacker Jalen Willis and safety Elijah Mc-Cantos.

Health-wise, the Mountaineers escaped Charlotte without any major injuries– only suffering cramps throughout the game. Khalifa Keith, the Tennessee running back transfer who was listed as questionable last week, could make his Boone debut this week if all goes well.

Even in victory, Coach Loggains, in his post-game press conference, stated, “I’m ticked off about the nine penalties and we should’ve beat them by more.”

Coach Loggains said they are not taking this game lightly.

Lindenwood

Lindenwood’s season started on a sour note, falling 35-13 to St. Thomas. The result was particularly shocking after the Lions had throttled the Tommies 64-0 just last year. Despite 450 yards of total offense and 318 of those being from the air, the Lions could not capitalize on their drives with 3 missed field goals, leaving points on the field and momentum lost.

Under longtime head coach Jed Stugart, Lindenwood has built its identity around the run game. Last season, the Lions averaged 173 rushing yards per contest, a strength that helped them to a 5-7 finish in their second season at the Division I level. It will be a difficult task to challenge the App State defense that stifled Charlotte on both levels of offense, with the 49ers only gaining 76 total rushing yards and 142 total passing yards.

But for Lindenwood, Saturday is about more than just the scoreboard. Games like this serve as benchmarks, offering the Lions of Missouri a chance to measure their progress against an established FBS program.