Appalachian State’s struggles continue as they now have to win their next two games to become bowl eligible. The Mountaineers’ first test will be against a 5-5 Marshall team, coming off a win against Georgia State.
App State leads the all-time series 16-11, dating back to 1977. Marshall has won three of five since joining the Mountaineers in the Sun Belt Conference in 2020.
Despite the prospect of bowl eligibility hanging over his head, Appalachian State head coach Dowell Loggains is focused on Marshall.
“Obviously, we can’t really talk about bowl games until we get this one, and it’s a big one against a very skilled, well coached team,” Loggains said.
Game Vitals: Marshall (5-5) at Appalachian State (4-6)
Location: Kidd Brewer Stadium | Boone, NC
Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Kickoff Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
How to watch: ESPN+
Last Meeting: Marshall 52, App State 37 (Oct. 5, 2024)
Latest Lines: App State +4.5 | Over-under 55.5 (DraftKings)
App State 2025 Football: View complete schedule here
What happened last week?
Appalachian State’s losing streak stretched to four games with a 58-10 loss against James Madison this past Saturday. The Mountaineers’ last win came on Oct. 11 against Georgia State.
App State had 146 yards of total offense with only one net yard on the ground. Meanwhile, the defense allowed 303 yards through the air and 324 yards on the ground. Overall, it was an embarrassing showing.
“Obviously a disappointing loss against a very good JMU team. As a head coach, that starts with me,” Loggains said. “I ultimately take responsibility for all three phases in our performance.”
App State Key Players
Redshirt junior quarterback AJ Swann was carted off the field with a leg injury, after throwing for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback JJ Kohl will have to step into the starting quarterback role once again. In his seven games of action, Kohl has thrown 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Marshall allows 266.7 passing yards per game and Kohl is capable of reaching that number, throwing for 278 against Coastal Carolina.
Junior wide receiver Jaden Barnes struggled against the Dukes, with only 1 catch for 3 yards. However, against Georgia Southern two weeks ago, Barnes had 13 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. He will need to get back to this form to give the offense some life.
Redshirt sophomore Colton Phares is the backbone of the otherwise poor defense. Phares leads the defense with 74 tackles, 17 tackles more than the next Mountaineer.
Marshall Key Players
Redshirt junior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson starts for the Thundering Herd. So far this season, he has thrown for 1,761 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added 4 touchdowns on the ground.
Redshirt junior tight end Toby Payne is coming off a strong game with 5 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown against Georgia State. His season stats may seem underwhelming but he could be on the rise for a late push.
Redshirt junior linebacker Jibreel Al-Amin has totaled 49 tackles, 5 of which have been for loss. Last week he had a monster game with 10 tackles and a forced fumble.
Keys to Victory
The Mountaineers will need to get back to the early-season game plan and feed senior running back Rashod Dubinion. He leads the rushing attack with 821 yards and four touchdowns. Through the first five games of the season, he averaged 21 carries and 122 yards per game. Now in the last five, he has averaged 11 carries for 42 yards. If Loggains feeds Dubinion good things will happen.
Max Schwanz is the sports editor for The Appalachian, the student newspaper at Appalachian State University. A journalism major and digital marketing minor from Cornelius, N.C., you can find more of his work at The Appalachian.
