STATESBORO,Ga. – App State‘s comeback attempt fell short Saturday as the Mountaineers lost to Georgia Southern 25-23 in a tightly contested Sun Belt Conference matchup. Despite a strong second-half rally led by quarterback Joey Swann and wide receiver Christian Barnes, app State couldn’t overcome an early deficit.
Swann, making his return to the starting lineup, threw for 348 yards with two touchdowns, completing 34 of 51 passes. Barnes was his primary target, finishing with 13 receptions for 160 yards and a score – the most receptions by a Mountaineer since Sean Price had 13 against Illinois State in 2012.
Georgia Southern built an early lead, forcing App State to play from behind for much of the game. The Eagles extended their advantage with short field goals following key defensive stops by Aiden Benton, who had a 2-yard loss, and Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, who made a tackle for a 1-yard gain.
App State chipped away at the lead in the third quarter, highlighted by a 1-yard touchdown reception by Jalin Larkins, set up by a 32-yard connection with Barnes on a fourth-and-2. However, Georgia Southern answered, maintaining a narrow lead.
The mountaineers continued to battle, with running back Nick Lewis scoring a touchdown after a 15-yard run, aided by blocks from offensive linemen griffin Scroggs and Will Flowers. Late in the game, Swann connected with Barnes for a crucial first down on an 11-yard run on the first play, and sealed the game by converting a fourth-and-inches run from the App State 27 with 34 seconds remaining.
defensively, Colton phares delivered a key third-down sack to force a punt, and DJ Burks led the team with 12 tackles. Barnes also made a diving grab for 6 yards on a fourth-and-1 to keep a drive alive, and had an improbable 22-yard catch on a fourth-and-14. However, a late interception by Georgia Southern thwarted a potential game-winning drive.
App State will return to action next weekend, traveling to face division-leading James Madison at 3:30 p.m. in Harrisonburg, Va.
