APP STATE READY TO OPEN SUN BELT CAMPAIGN AGAINST OLD DOMINION

Appalachian State will begin its 2026 Sun Belt Conference campaign on Saturday, October 10, when the Mountaineers host Old Dominion at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone.

The game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff and will be available on ESPN+. App State enters the contest with a 3-1 record after suffering its first defeat of the season against NC State in its previous outing.

A CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK

App State will return to action after a bye week following its 41-31 loss to NC State on September 26.

The Mountaineers were forced to fight back from a 21-0 deficit and entered the fourth quarter trailing 31-17. They produced an impressive comeback, scoring two touchdowns in just 107 seconds to level the game at 31-31.

However, NC State responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive before adding a late field goal to secure the victory.

Despite the defeat, App State's offense showed plenty of promise, producing 379 total yards, including 317 passing yards.

Malachi Singleton played a key role in the comeback, while Jaquari Lewis also found the end zone. Sam Pickett III and Gavin Barber caught touchdown passes during App State's fourth-quarter rally.

OLD DOMINION LOOKING TO RESPOND

Old Dominion enters the game with a 1-4 record and will be looking to stop a four-game losing streak.

The Monarchs opened their season with a 31-10 victory over Norfolk State but have since suffered defeats against Virginia Tech, East Carolina and James Madison.

Their most recent result was a 42-10 loss to Georgia State on October 3.

The result leaves Old Dominion with plenty to improve on heading into its trip to Boone, but App State will know that its opponent cannot be taken lightly.

HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY

Saturday's meeting will be another chapter in a relatively short but competitive series between the two programs.

App State currently leads the overall series 4-2 and has won all three previous meetings against Old Dominion at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

However, Old Dominion won the most recent meeting between the teams, defeating App State 24-21 in 2025.

The Mountaineers previously defeated the Monarchs 28-20 in Boone in 2024.

A BIG START TO CONFERENCE PLAY

The game could be an important one for App State as it begins a challenging stretch of Sun Belt football.

After hosting Old Dominion, the Mountaineers will travel to Coastal Carolina on October 16 before returning home to face James Madison on October 22. They will then travel to Georgia Southern on October 31.

Starting conference play with a victory would give App State valuable momentum after the disappointment of the NC State defeat.

The Mountaineers showed against NC State that they have the ability to fight back from difficult situations. Now, with a week of rest behind them and their conference campaign beginning at home, App State will be looking to turn that fight into a winning result against Old Dominion.