Appalachian State is looking to add another major achievement in the Sun Belt Conference this season. Maybe more than one. Like another conference title.
And perhaps a spot in the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff. Appalachian State was picked to win the Sun Belt's East Division in preseason selections, led by quarterback Joey Aguilar as expected offensive player of the year. Coach Shawn Clark believes his team is ready for something special.
Appalachian State, a school of about 19,000 in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has overcome long odds before, most memorably in 2007 when the then-FCS program defeated fifth-ranked Michigan in the Big House, 34-32. Since joining the Sun Belt, the Mountaineers have won two league crowns, in 2018 and 2019. The Mountaineers enter the season with a lot of momentum after closing 2023 by winning six of their final seven games to go 9-5.
Their only loss in that stretch came in the Sun Belt title game, losing 49-23 at Troy. But they rebounded by defeating Miami (Ohio) 13-9 in the Cure Bowl. Clark said his team competed hard all season but did not get the breaks during a 3-4 start.
“I knew we had a great football team, but sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way," he said. "It was a matter of conveying to our players that we were so close, and all we have to do is keep working.” Led by Aguilar, there's very little convincing to do about App State's offense.
Aguilar set school records with 3,757 yards, 33 touchdowns, 4,002 yards o.