Southern Miss Takes Down App State

Appalachian State’s Sun Belt opener turned sour on Saturday night as the Mountaineers fell 38-22 to Southern Miss at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Despite outgaining the Golden Eagles in total yardage, App State was undone by costly turnovers, untimely injuries, and missed tackles. The defeat dropped App State to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in conference, while Southern Miss improved to 2-1, 1-0 in conference.

Mountaineers Start Fast, Then Stumble

App State looked sharp out of the gate. Quarterback AJ Swann guided the offense down the field, which led to a Rashod Dubinion score.

But what looked like a promising night quickly unraveled as Southern Miss responded with 24 unanswered points spanning through the first and third quarters. The biggest momentum swing came late in the second quarter, when Dubinion bobbled a short catch in the red zone and linebacker Ian Foster caught the ball after it ricocheted off the hands of Dubinion and had a 99-yard interception to the endzone. Instead of App State pulling within one score, the Golden Eagles went into the locker room ahead 17-7 and never looked back.

The night went from bad to worse after AJ Swann threw his third interception of the night and then had to exit the game with a lower-body injury. That forced true freshman Noah Gillon into extended action, where he threw 109 yards but also faced constant pressure. The offensive line, already missing depth, took another hit when starting left tackle Jayden Ramsey left the game, leading to fellow freshman Dennell Nix Jr. being thrown in to significant snaps.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for the Mountaineers. Backup quarterback JJ Kohl, expected to be the No. 2 option this season, suffered an injury in practice earlier this week, leaving the depth chart to true freshmen Noah Gillon, Gregory Fee, and veteran Billy Wiles after redshirt freshman Matthew Wilson switched to defensive back earlier this week. That left App State relying heavily on inexperienced players in critical moments against a Southern Miss defense that smelled blood in the water.

Even with the injuries, App State had chances. The Mountaineers actually outgained Southern Miss 470-389 in total yardage, but their undoing came in the red zone. Swann had three interceptions inside the 10-yard line, wasting drives that could have closed the gap.

Swann finished 15 of 23 for 217 yards before leaving the game. Wiles came into the game to end the game, but was 5/5, including App State’s only score in the 4th quarter. Dubinion was once again a bright spot, posting 95 yards on 24 carries with a touchdown. Wideouts Dalton Stroman and Jaden Barnes, along with TE Izayah Cummings, all provided sparks throughout the game, but the fire couldn’t catch.

But in the end, App State’s mistakes and attrition were too much to overcome.

Golden Eagles Rise in Key Moments

Southern Miss didn’t dominate the stat sheet on offense, but it dominated the moments that nattered. Quarterback Braylon Braxton looked like his 2024 SBC Player of the Year self and stayed composed, throwing two touchdowns and avoiding turnovers to keep the offense steady. Running back Jeffery Pittman added two short rushing scores, giving the Golden Eagles balance and red-zone punch.

The defense was the real difference. J’Mond Tapp broke out with three sacks, and the secondary came up with three interceptions inside their own 10-yard line. each one swinging momentum squarely in Southern Miss’s favor. The defense as a whole recorded 5 sacks on an App State offensive line that had only given up 2 sacks before the game. Wide Receiver Tychaun Chapman also made his mark with over 100 yards, stretching the field along with Elijah Metcalf, who made plays on both offense and special teams, helping the Golden Eagles pull away.

This win gave Southern Miss its first win over another Sun Belt member in nearly 2 years, with the last conference win over the Ragin Cajuns on November 9th, 2023.

What It Means

For App State, this loss highlights how thin the margin of error can be in conference play. The Mountaineers moved the ball, but injuries and turnovers derailed their rhythm. With a bye week before traveling to Boise State on Sept 27th, the focus will be on getting players like Swann, Kohl, Ramsey, Dozier, and Mbake all healthy while accelerating the development of the younger players who are now in line to play.

Southern Miss, meanwhile, makes an early statement in the Sun Belt West. Huff’s team showed balance, toughness, and an ability to rise in key moments, the kind of formula that can keep them in the hunt for a division crown. If Braxton continues to protect the football and the defense keeps generating takeaways, the Golden Eagles will be a difficult outing for anyone on their schedule.