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Mountaineers Look To End Wofford’s Hopes of SoCon Championship, Playoff Berth Saturday

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By Jesse Wood

Nov. 15, 2013. Appalachian State football plays its last away game in the Southern Conference on Saturday, Nov. 16, when it travels to Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C., to face No. 24 Wofford. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Tale of the TapeWhile the Mountaineers enter Saturday’s matchup with a 2-8 record (2-4 in the SoCon), the Terriers are 4-2 in the SoCon with a 5-4 record overall.

According to pre-game notes, this game will be the last in the foreseeable future between the two teams. Wofford joined the SoCon in 1997, but the first matchup between them was in 1960. App State leads the series 17-12.  If only counting the past decade, though, the Mountaineers hold a slighter edge with a 6-5 record. 

Both teams have lost back-to-back games, and while the Mountaineers are playing mainly for pride and the competitive spirit inside, a Wofford loss would end the Terriers’ hopes for a conference championship and likely eliminate the Terriers from playoff contention.

Another loss by the Mountaineers would give App State its most losses in a season since 1977. 

Appalachian State football hits the road for the final time in Southern Conference play on Saturday when it travels to No. 24 Wofford. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

RADIO 
Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on the Appalachian IMG Sports Network. Live coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. withPigskin Prelude. Click HERE for a full list of Appalachian IMG Sports Network affiliates or click HERE to listen live online.

OTHER MATCHUP NOTES

• Saturday’s game at Wofford’s Gibbs Stadium is Appalachian State’s 148th and final SoCon road game. The Mountaineers are 88-57-2 (.605) in conference road games since joining the SoCon in 1972.

• However, over the past decade, the series has turned into one of the SoCon’s fiercest matchups. Appalachian holds a slight 6-5 edge in 11 meetings versus Wofford since 2002 while either the Mountaineers or Terriers have won at least a share of eight of the last 10 SoCon championships.

• Appalachian State is coming off a strong showing at Southeastern Conference powerhouse Georgia last Saturday. The Mountaineers trailed the Bulldogs, who moved back into the Associated Press top 25 this week, 14-6 at halftime and 17-6 with less than five minutes to go in the third quarter before UGA pulled away for a 45-6 victory that was much closer than the final score would indicate.

• Like Appalachian (2-8, 2-4 SoCon), Wofford (5-4, 4-2 SoCon) has lost back-to-back games with defeats to SoCon front-runners Samford (34-27 on Oct. 26) and Chattanooga (20-10 last Saturday).

• As is usual in the Appalachian State-Wofford series, Saturday’s matchup pits two distinctively different offensive styles. With its spread offense, Appalachian ranks second in the SoCon in passing (275.7 ypg). Utilizing a triple-option attack, Wofford is third in the league and seventh in NCAA Division I FCS in rushing (262.1 ypg). 

• Appalachian State senior wide receiver Andrew Peacock needs just four catches on Saturday to become the program’s all-time leader in receptions, breaking the record of 202 set by current St. Louis Ram Brian Quick from 2007-11.

For all of the information on Saturday’s matchup, including links to live video, audio and stats, both teams’ rosters, depth charts, game notes and much more, click HERE to visit appstatesports.com’s official Gameday Centralpage.