Mountaineers among top teams in Sun Belt
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2017 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team. Sun Belt, Sun Belt
7 tied Appalachian
State Scott Satterfield (32-18, entering fifth season; 32-18 overall) 10-3, 7-1 in for first in
Appalachian State opened the 2016 with a splash, pushing host Tennessee to OT before falling 20-13. The team rolled past Old Dominion and was fired up for arguably the biggest home game in school history. However, the Mountaineers couldn’t keep up with a high-powered Miami Hurricanes offense and fell 45-10. App State would regroup and go on a six-game win streak. Following a 28-24 setback at Troy, the Mountaineers won their final two regularseason games and a share of the Sun Belt title. Appalachian State closed the season with a dramatic 31-28 Camelia Bowl win over Toledo. It was the team’s second consecutive Camelia Bowl appearance and victory, building on the team’s steady FBS rise after jumping from the Football Championship Subdivision level in 2013.
OL Parker Collins, OL Beau Nunn, RB Marcus Cox, TE Barrett Burns, DB Mondo Williams, DL Dezmin Reed, LB Kennan Gilchrist,
QB Taylor Lamb, RB Jalin Moore, OL Colby Gossett, WR Shaedon Meadors, DB Clifton Duck, DB A.J. Howard, DL Tee Sims, DL Myquon Stout, LB Eric Boggs
Veteran QB Taylor Lamb returns to lead the Appalachian State offense after accounting for 24 touchdowns last season.
RB Jalin Moore, the 2016 Sun Belt offensive player of the year, is one of many playmakers helping Lamb on offense. Moore led the Sun Belt with 1,367 yards rushing on 221 attempts for a league-leading 6.2 average.
On the defensive side of the ball, DB Clifton Duck is back after earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. He tied for second in the league and ranked first among freshmen with five interceptions in 2016. Duck returned one of the picks for a touchdown. Appalachian State loses some
it foul, and I thought it was foul. But what I heard in the dugout, it might have been fair. So I’m just glad they called it foul. Obviously, that’s a pretty big situation.”
Lange ran into trouble in the third when he walked three batters and gave up a double. Only one more batter advanced past first against him, and he retired eight in a row before he turned the game over to closer Zack Hess with one out in the eighth. Hess retired the last five batters, four by strikeout, for his fourth save.
LSU opened the second inning with a double and two singles and led 2-0 when Beau Jordan’s safety-squeeze bunt scored Zach Watson.
The Beavers’ two hits were their fewest since they had four in their season opener against Indiana.
“We believe in ourselves, and we’re still 56-5 or whatever we are,” Casey said. “We need to put that behind us and get ready to play tomorrow.” talent on both lines, with OL Parker Collins, OL Beau Nunn and DL Dezmin Reed all exhausting their eligibility.
While the Mountaineers primarily rely on the rushing attack, the passing offense could use a little more bite. The team ranked No. 105 nationally out of 128 teams in passing offense (179 yards per game.)
The inability to take pressure off the run game contributed to the team ranking No. 113 in thirddown conversion last season (0.34).
The Mountaineers boast veteran leadership and have the potential to repeat as Sun Belt champions.
that in the CWS since Florida’s Richie Martin in 2015. Watson is 8 for his last 12 after going 0-for-4 against Florida State last Saturday.
Oregon State will start Tampa Bay Rays’ firstround draft pick Drew Rasmussen (3-0) against Caleb Gilbert (6-1). Rasmussen returned from Tommy John surgery in April. Gilbert has been used mostly in relief but is being pressed into the starter’s role because of a forearm injury to Eric Walker.
Something for LSU fans to chew on before the winner-take-all bracket final: Since losing five straight games from May 6-13, 2016, Oregon State is 62-6 and has not lost consecutive games.