Appalachian State erased a 10-point halftime deficit Friday night, riding four rushing touchdowns from Jaquari Lewis and a strong performance from backup quarterback Henry Hasselbeck to defeat rival Coastal Carolina 35-32.
The Mountaineers (4-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) trailed 24-14 at halftime after Coastal Carolina scored 17 unanswered second-quarter points, including a school-record 58-yard field goal by Nico Cavanillas Alti as time expired. But App State answered with 21 consecutive points, taking the lead on Lewis’ fourth touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Hasselbeck, the son of former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, helped engineer the comeback after starter Malachi Singleton took a hit and lost a fumble just before halftime. Hasselbeck completed 9 of 12 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a team-high 125 yards on 21 carries.
Coastal Carolina (2-5, 1-2 Sun Belt) pulled within three points on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jaden Allen-Hendrix and a successful two-point conversion with 3:10 remaining. But the Mountaineers picked up a crucial first down on their final possession and ran out the clock, ending a four-game losing streak against the Chanticleers.
App State-Coastal Carolina: What to know
- Four touchdowns for Lewis: The App State running back finished with 85 yards on 13 carries, scoring on runs of 12, 1, 12 and 3 yards. He was the ultimate drive finisher, accounting for four of the Mountaineers’ five touchdowns.
- Hasselbeck delivers: App State used both quarterbacks in the first half before Hasselbeck took over for the third and fourth periods. Singleton completed 12 of 14 passes for 151 yards. Together, the two quarterbacks completed 21 of 26 attempts for 263 yards without an interception.
- The decisive surge: Lewis scored twice in the third quarter to turn a 24-14 deficit into a 28-24 lead. Hasselbeck then connected with Sam Pickett III on a 31-yard touchdown pass with 6:41 remaining, extending the advantage to 35-24.
- Coastal’s passing attack: Deuce Bailey completed 16 of 31 passes for 298 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Robby Washington caught five passes for 118 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
- A record-setting kick: Cavanillas Alti, a senior from Spain who transferred from South Carolina State, drilled a reported school-record 58-yard field goal to close the first half. He also has made field goals of 56 and 51 yards this season.
- App State controls the numbers: The Mountaineers finished with 516 total yards, including 253 rushing, and converted 8 of 14 third downs. They held a 33:16 to 26:44 advantage in possession time and collected 28 first downs to Coastal’s 21.
- Rivalry revenge: App State ended a four-game losing streak against Coastal Carolina. The rivalry intensified last season when Chanticleers players attempted to plant their flag on the field in Boone following a victory.
- Defensive contributions: Devin Henderson intercepted a Bailey pass and finished with six tackles. Alex Mitchell and Kaleb Purdy shared the team lead with seven tackles apiece.
What it means
This was a potentially season-altering victory for App State. A loss would have dropped the Mountaineers to 0-2 in Sun Belt play and intensified frustration among a fan base already growing restless during the first half.
Instead, App State snapped a four-game losing streak against Coastal Carolina, kept itself in the conference race and generated some much-needed momentum heading into Thursday night’s showdown with defending Sun Belt champion James Madison at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Plus, the Mountaineers showed they have options at quarterback. Hasselbeck provided a notable spark during the second half comeback.
What’s next
App State hosts defending Sun Belt champion and 2025 College Football Playoff participant James Madison on Thursday night. Coastal Carolina has a bye before visiting Georgia State on Oct. 31.
