Mountaineers Dominate in Atlanta, Crushes Georgia State 41-20

Image Courtesy Of App State Facebook

Appalachian State delivered an entertaining team performance Saturday, securing a dominant 41-20 road victory at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium in their first 2025 matchup against a Sun Belt Conference East Division opponent. The Mountaineers improved to 12-0 all-time against Georgia State while evening their conference record to 1-1 and moving to 4-2 overall. Importantly, App State captured their first Sun Belt road victory after being shut out away from Boone last season.

Kohl Commands Offensive Showcase

Quarterback JJ Kohl needed only three quarters in his second consecutive start, completing 21 of 32 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns without committing a turnover. His scoring connections with Davion Dozier, Jaden Barnes, Dalton Stroman, and Izayah Cummings built a commanding 38-6 advantage before he exited the game.

Ten different receivers caught passes from Kohl, with tight ends accounting for 161 of the 309 yards. Cummings paced the receiving corps with six receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown, while Rashod Dubinion and Jaquari Lewis both exceeded 50 rushing yards, with Lewis finding the end zone during a second-half surge.

Defensive Dominance and Special Teams Excellence

App State’s defense held Georgia State (1-5, 0-2 SBC) scoreless for 40 minutes, limiting the Panthers to just 78 rushing yards. Linebacker Colton Phares delivered a crucial early second-half interception that ignited the Mountaineers’ offensive explosion. Thomas Davis, Aiden Benton, and Caleb Sandstrom recorded sacks, while Ronnie Porter made a critical fourth-down stop in the first half.

The tone was set early when pregame captain DeNigel Cooper blocked a 28-yard Georgia State field goal attempt, preventing the Panthers from ever holding a lead. Kicker Dominic De Freitas connected on two field goals, including a 46-yarder that marked his fourth make of 45-plus yards this season.

Building the Lead

App State established a 17-0 halftime advantage through methodical execution. Kohl completed a crucial third-and-9 pass from the Mountaineers’ own 3-yard line to Dozier for 18 yards, sparking a 13-play, 98-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a 12-yard scoring strike to Dozier.

After Porter stuffed Georgia State’s fourth-and-2 attempt from the App State 34, Kohl orchestrated a 10-play, 83-yard touchdown drive. Dubinion converted fourth-and-1 from the App State 41, and consecutive completions of 17 and 18 yards to Cummings set up Kohl’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Barnes with 2:37 before halftime.

De Freitas’ 32-yard field goal as time expired extended the lead to 17-0 after a Thomas Davis sack disrupted Georgia State’s final first-half possession.

Second-Half Surge

Phares’ leaping interception on the fifth play of the third quarter led directly to Lewis’ 14-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 24-0. After a fourth-down stop, Cummings’ 24-yard reception and Kanen Hamlett’s 27-yard catch set up Kohl’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Stroman in the end zone’s back-left corner.

Following Georgia State’s first score with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter, App State answered immediately after recovering an onside kick. David Larkins’ career-long 40-yard reception preceded consecutive Cummings catches, including his 3-yard touchdown.

App State hosts Coastal Carolina next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium.