App State Rallies Past Coastal Carolina 35-32 Behind Four Jaquari Lewis Touchdowns

CONWAY, S.C. — Appalachian State delivered a needed Sun Belt Conference road victory Friday night, overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Coastal Carolina 35-32 at Brooks Stadium. Jaquari Lewis rushed for four touchdowns, and the Mountaineers held the ball through the final three minutes to prevent a late comeback.

App State improved to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Sun Belt play. Coastal Carolina fell to 2-5 and 1-2. The result came six days after App State's 10-3 home loss to Old Dominion and gave the Mountaineers a strong response to a frustrating conference opener.

Lewis carried 13 times for 85 yards and accounted for four of App State's five touchdowns. He scored twice in the first quarter, on runs of 12 and one yard, to put the Mountaineers ahead 14-7. Coastal then took control of the second quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points and heading to the locker room with a 24-14 advantage.

The Chanticleers' explosive passing game caused problems. Quarterback Deuce Bailey threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, including a 71-yard scoring pass to Robby Washington. Coastal also connected on a school-record 58-yard field goal at the end of the first half to extend its lead.

App State seized momentum after halftime. Lewis scored on a 12-yard run to narrow the deficit, then found the end zone from three yards out following a Devin Henderson interception. The two third-quarter touchdowns moved App State in front 28-24. Henry Hasselbeck later threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Sam Pickett III, pushing the lead to 35-24 midway through the fourth quarter.

Coastal did not disappear. A late touchdown and successful two-point conversion cut the margin to three with 3:11 remaining. App State's offense then did exactly what it needed to do, securing three first downs on the final possession. Lewis converted a critical third-and-one with a two-yard run, allowing the Mountaineers to exhaust the clock.

The Mountaineers finished with 516 yards of total offense, including 253 on the ground. Hasselbeck contributed 125 rushing yards on 21 carries and completed nine of 12 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. The rushing production was particularly important in a game where controlling the ball at the end became the difference between a victory and another late defensive stand.

The victory is significant for a program looking to establish itself in Sun Belt play after the Old Dominion defeat. App State's offense demonstrated both big-play potential and the ability to finish a game with possession. The defensive staff will still have work to do after allowing 32 points and several explosive Coastal plays, but the Mountaineers leave Conway with a conference win and momentum.