App State Defeats Oregon State in An Entertaining Home Game

Image Courtesy Of App State Facebook

Appalachian State secured its first-ever meeting against Oregon State and first victory over a Pac-12 opponent, improving to 3-2 on the season while facing the westernmost opponent to ever visit Boone. The Mountaineers extended their Saturday home winning streak to 14 consecutive games and have now won nine of their last ten home contests dating back to 2023.

The 13th consecutive sellout at The Rock drew 35,021 fans, marking the sixth-largest attendance in Kidd Brewer Stadium history. App State’s home winning percentage since joining the FBS in 2014 improved to 84.3% (59-11), eighth-best nationally during that span. Over the last decade, the Mountaineers rank top ten among all FBS programs with 96 victories.

Defensive Dominance Secures Victory

App State’s defense delivered a masterful performance, producing three takeaways, two interceptions and one fumble recovery, while limiting Oregon State to just two scores on five red-zone opportunities. For the third time in five games, the Mountaineers held their opponent under 100 rushing yards, allowing only 98.

Colton Phares recorded a career-high 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, while making crucial plays during Oregon State’s late comeback attempt. He intercepted a third-and-goal pass in the end zone early in the fourth quarter before teaming with Myles Farmer to stop the Beavers’ fourth-and-goal attempt at the goal line with 1:49 remaining.

The defense’s finest moment came with 2:24 left in the game when Oregon State advanced to App State’s 1-yard line, trailing by only six points. The Mountaineers stopped three consecutive goal-line rushing attempts, with Farmer contributing to both the third-and-goal and fourth-and-goal tackles after earlier forcing a fumble on kickoff coverage.

Freshman cornerback Juan Berchal delivered the game-sealing play, forcing a fumble that Zyeir Gamble intercepted in the closing seconds. Rondo Porter provided the game’s only sack at a critical moment, tackling quarterback Maalik Murphy for a 13-yard loss from the App State 25-yard line with just 29 seconds remaining.

Offensive Balance Prevails

Quarterback JJ Kohl, making his first collegiate start, engineered scoring drives on his first three possessions, a field goal followed by back-to-back touchdowns. He completed 13 of 28 passes for 218 yards with one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown, and crucially, no turnovers. App State won the turnover battle 3-0, snapping a three-game streak of committing more turnovers than their opponent.

Rashod Dubinion carried 19 times for 98 yards and a touchdown, rushing for 95-plus yards in all five games to rank among the nation’s rushing leaders. First-time starter Davion Dozier caught four passes for 140 yards (35-yard average) and a touchdown, providing explosive plays throughout the contest. True freshman running back Jaquari Lewis posted season highs with 10 rushing attempts for 42 yards.

Special Teams Excellence

Kicker Dominic De Freitas contributed nine points in the four-point victory, connecting on field goals of 49 and 45 yards while converting all three extra point attempts. His 49-yard field goal that opened the scoring represented the longest by a Mountaineer since Michael Hughes’ game-winning 54-yarder at ULM in 2023.

Myles Farmer created immediate impact following De Freitas’ first field goal, forcing a fumble from Oregon State’s kick returner that Ronnie Porter recovered, setting up the Mountaineers’ first touchdown drive.

Historic Milestones Achieved

The victory marked multiple important achievements for the program. Beyond defeating their first Pac-12 opponent, the Mountaineers demonstrated their continued excellence at home while maintaining their position among college football’s winningest programs over the past decade. The defensive resilience displayed during Oregon State’s late surge showed the championship mentality that has defined App State football’s sustained success.

As the Mountaineers navigate their 2025 campaign, this victory provides crucial momentum while validating their ability to compete successfully against Power Conference competition at The Rock.