[2024] Week 6 Recap: MRSH 35 - 20 APST

[dearden]

Huntington, West Virginia - Despite a back-and-forth start to the Old Mountain Feud, Appalachian State eventually fell away to Marshall 35-20.  After putting up their worst offense performance since their Week 1 loss to Indiana, the Mountaineers struggled to close the gap to the Thundering Herd's explosive offense, spearheaded by pre-season First Team All-Sun Belt selectee Tremaine Craig.  With their victory, Marshall improved to 5-1 (3-0) on the year, placing themselves at the fore of the Sun Belt East Division with the best overall and conference records within the entire Sun Belt.  For Appalachian State, it's time to "reflect and regroup."

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"It's plain and simple; they capitalized on key moments within the game, to take and build an insurmountable lead, and we didn't," observed Coach @dearden after the final whistle.  "Coming up short in a rivalry game is always tough, our guys are gonna have to internalize that feeling of disappointment - of hearing those Marshall fans celebrating as they headed back into the locker room ahead of a journey back home - and use that as motivation in our games going forward.  We've still got a long campaign ahead of us, but it'll be an uphill battle for sure.  Credit where credit's due: Marshall's a strong program - they were 9-4 (5-3) in 2021; 8-5 (4-4) in 2022; and 12-3 (9-0) last year as divisional and conference champions.  As far as I'm concerned, they're the team-to-beat in the Sun Belt right now.  While we were hoping to be the team to spoil their party this year, it just wasn't our game - we're gonna reflect on the defeat and regroup accordingly.  After our prior defeats to Indiana and #21 Kentucky, we'd taken the chance to analyze our weaknesses and turn them into strengths; we're gonna head home and do the same here.  Our goal going forward is the same as it always has been: we're gonna win football games.  We've just gotta keep showing the resilience and fight that've become synonymous with our brand of football - we want both division and conference titles when all's said and done at the end of the season, I'm confident we can get there, even as underdogs."

On Wednesday, the Appalachian State football program received two additional commitments, bringing the incoming class to a total of six.  The two newest members of the Mountaineer football family are:

Perry Brockamp (Inside Linebacker, 4*) - Virginia Beach, Virginia
Steven Most (Center, 3*) - Penn Laird, Virginia

The Mountaineers look to bounce-back as they host the Ragin' Cajuns of the University of Louisiana next Friday.