Ladd-Peebles Stadium – Mobile, Alabama
ESPN
For a team that has only held Football Bowl Subdivision status for two-plus seasons, Appalachian State has been very successful – especially in bowl games. The Mountaineers have gone to bowls in each of the past two seasons and won both.
Each of those wins was against a Mid-American Conference team, as ASU downed Ohio in 2015 and Toledo last year. Both contests were played at the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery.
The Mountaineers return to Alabama again this year, although they will be in Mobile as part of the Dollar General Bowl this time.
Joining them in the matchup is a Toledo Rockets team that has . . .
This is the second meeting between App State and Toledo. The first was in last year’s Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. Neither team led by more than seven points and Kareem Hunt’s 1-yard run late in the third quarter tied things at 28-all.
App State’s Michael Rubino converted a 39-yard field goal with 5:14. Toledo responded with a seven-play drive to the Mountaineers 13. Facing fourth-and-seven, they went to kicker Jameson Vest, who missed a 30-yard field goal. App State then ran out the clock.
Running back Kareem Hunt, now with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, won’t be back for the rematch, but Vest will – as will a number players for both squads.
► The App State vs Toledo matchup is one of only three bowl games pitting conference champs against each other.
► Moutaineers head coach Scott Satterfield is in his fifth season with the program. He was an assistant (QB coach and passing game coordinator) for one season (2009) under then-head coach Tim Beckman.
► App State is averaging 33.4 ppg – third in the SBC and 33rd nationally. It allows 21.9 ppg.
► The Mountaineers are relatively balanced, averaging 215.0 rushing ypg and 223.3 passing ypg.
► App State’s last outing was a 63-14 thrashing of Louisiana-Lafayette.
► Senior QB Taylor Lamb has completed 61.7 percent of his passes, good for 2,606 yards with 27 TDs and six interceptions. He leads all active FBS quarterbacks with 50 career games and is 35-13 as a starter. He holds the App State and Sun Belt records with 90 career touchdown passes.
► Two receivers have over 40 catches: Ike Lewis (47 receptions, 666 yards, 8 TDs) and Thomas Hennigan (44 receptions, 556 yards, 7 TDs).
► RT Beau Nunn, RG Colby Gossett and LT Victor Johnson all made the All-Sun Belt First Team. It was the first time in league history that three offensive line members of the same team earned first team honors in the same year.
► The Mountaineers were second in the Sun Belt and 18th nationally in rushing yards (241.8 ypg).
► After rushing for 1,402 yards in 2016, junior Jalin Moore owns 912 yards over 10 games this season. He missed one full game and practically the entire second half of two others.
► Senior linebacker Eric Boggs has 342 career tackles, 12.0 sacks and eight interceptions. No other FBS player with at least 12 sacks and eight interceptions has more than 325 career tackles.
► Since the start of 2015, led by its “Legion of Boone” secondary, App State is second nationally with 53 interceptions.
The Mountaineers are tieed for 18th nationally in interceptions per game (1.25 and 20th nationally in sacks per game (2.83) Only seven teams ended the regular season in the top 20 in both categories.
► With 55 three-and-outs in 149 possessions Apps defense is third among Group of Five teams and 14th nationally with a 4.58 average per game.
► Kicker Chandler Staton has been perfect on all 27 PATs, as well as all six field goal attempts. He has a long of 53 yards.
TOLEDO ROCKETS (11-2, 7-1 MAC)
► The Rockets have won three straight and eight of their last nine outings. The only loss was Nov. 8 at Ohio.
► UT’s last outing was a 45-28 victory over Akron in the MAC Championship game.
► Six Rocket players earned All-MAC First Team honors. Five were offensive players and one came from special teams.
► Toledo’s offense has averaged 509.9 yards and 39.1 ppg this season. The atter ranks 11th nationally, while total offense is eighth.
► Senior Logan Woodside was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and was also the Vern Smith Leadership Award winner.
► Woodside completed 248 of 382 attempts for 3,758 yards (8th nationally) and 28 touchdowns (12th nationally).
► Sophomore WR Diontae Johnson has 1,257 yards, just 12 yards behind the school record set by teammate Cody Thompson last year. Johnson grabbed 72 passes and scored 13 touchdowns this season.
► Wideout Cody Thompson led UT receivers last year against App State, grabbing five aerials for 99 yards and a score. An injury earlier this year cut his season 2017 short.
► Jon’Vea Johnson has collected 41 passes for 675 yards with five TDs.
► The Rockets ground game is powered by senior Terry Swanson (231 carries, 1,319 yards, 14 TDs). Soiphomore Shakif Seymour has provided another 12 touchdowns while running 113 times for 704 yards. Sophomore Art Thompkins also has over 100 carries (102 for 618 yards, 2 TDs).
► Toledo is fifth among MAC teams in scoring defense (25.6 ppg), fourth in rushing defense (166.4 ypg) and sixth in pass defense (213.0 ypg).
► The Rockets are plus-5 in turnover margin, with five fumble recoveries and 15 interceptions.
► Junior O. Adeniyi has 19.5 tackles for loss (2nd MAC). Sophomore Kahlil Robinson has four interceptions.