Week 8 Preview: Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State

It’s rivalry weekend in Boone as Coastal Carolina heads to Appalachian State for a pivotal Sun Belt showdown. Both teams enter fresh off conference victories, remaining in the hunt for a shot at a Sun Belt title.

Coastal Carolina

The Chanticleers found their rhythm when it mattered most, relying on a dominant run-heavy attack to secure a crucial 23-8 win over UL Monroe last Saturday to improve to 2-1 in conference play and 3-3 overall.

On a rainy night in Conway, South Carolina, Coastal turned to its ground game— and it delivered. Coastal piled up 286 rushing yards in the win, led by quarterback Samari Collier, who truly made a difference, hoping to continue that momentum into the rivalry matchup.

Quarterback Tad Hudson exited late in the first quarter with an apparent injury, forcing Collier to step in when the team needed him most. Coastal has yet to find stability under center this season, cycling through multiple quarterbacks in search of a consistent leader.

Suppose the Chanticleers hope to leave Boone with a win on Saturday. In that case, they’ll need to emphasize ball security, especially in the red zone against a Mountaineers defense ranked No. 8 nationally in red zone defense. Coastal Carolina has already recorded 15 fumbles this season, with seven of them resulting in lost possessions. They also have a disappointing five turnovers in the red zone so far this season.

First-year defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson’s defense has been the backbone of the program so far this season, allowing just one third-down conversion on 13 attempts against ULM. Coastal is ranked fifth in the Sun Belt in defensive scoring, allowing 26.8 points per game.

App State

The Mountaineers climbed past Georgia State in a dominant 41-20 win last Saturday, improving to 1-1 in conference play and 4-2 overall.

Quarterback JJ Kohl distributed the ball to eleven different receivers for 309 yards and four touchdowns. His top option was senior tight end Izayah Cummings, who finished with six receptions for 94 yards and a score late in the third quarter. Cummings ranks fifth among FBS tight ends in catches per game and 10th in yards per game.

The Mountaineers broke the game open in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns while capitalizing on an interception and a turnover on downs.

Appalachian State averages 420.3 total yards per game and ranks 26th nationally in passing offense with about 278 passing yards per game.

Defensively, App State’s run defense is ranked sixth nationally, allowing just 81.5 yards per game on the ground.

Given Coastal’s 286-yard rushing performance last week, this power-versus-power matchup shapes up as a compelling storyline to watch.

The status of quarterback Tad Hudson will be a game-time decision, according to head coach Tim Beck. Beck noted during his weekly press conference that both Samari Collier and MJ Morris have been taking reps in practice this week. He also had high praise for Collier when asked about the junior college transfer’s potential start on Saturday and his ability to carry last week’s momentum into Boone.

“I thought he did fantastic to be honest. I thought he took care of the football, I thought he made really good decisions in a really tough environment in terms of the weather… I was proud of the way he played,” Beck said.

Senior linebacker and team captain Shane Bruce is also a game-time decision after missing last week’s game against ULM due to injury. The veteran has been a cornerstone of Coastal’s defense this season, and his absence would be a significant blow in this rivalry matchup.

This game carries major implications in the Sun Belt East race, as both programs remain in contention for a conference title. Coastal enters the weekend sitting second in the East division, with Appalachian State close behind in fourth.