Appalachian State Holds Off East Carolina 27-24
Three points. That is all that separated East Carolina from a comeback that started too late, and it is why the Pirates are 0-2. Mitch Griffis threw a 7-yard touchdown to Ja'Keith Hamilton with 0:21 left to make it 27-24, and that was the end of the scoring.
It looked like it would not be close for a while. East Carolina scored first on a 2-yard run by Michael Allen, and then Appalachian State took over. Malachi Singleton ran for a 4-yard score, Jaquari Lewis added a 10-yarder, and Treyaun Webb made it 24-10 early in the third quarter. The Mountaineers trailed only at 7-0 and 7-3 in the first quarter, and led from the 10-7 score on.
Then Griffis started throwing. A 61-yard touchdown to Jason Dickerson made it 24-17, James London kicked a 37-yarder to answer, and that is where the scoring stayed until the last minute. East Carolina outgained Appalachian State 417 yards to 395 but turned it over twice, an interception and a lost fumble, while the Mountaineers gave it away zero times. Lose by three with two turnovers and you will do the math yourself.
Appalachian State is 2-0, East Carolina is 0-2. All three Appalachian State touchdowns were runs, and the quarterback who threw for 267 yards did not throw one. That is a fine way to win. For fantasy, Griffis was the top scorer with 26.4 points despite completing 21 of 37, and Jeremiah Melvin had a quiet 94 yards on seven catches.