SoCon Powers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern Square Off Saturday

Appalachian State-Georgia Southern. Enough Said.

Nothing seems to matter when the fourth week of October rolls around and Appalachian State takes to the gridiron against the Georgia Southern Eagles.

Despite the Mountaineers being the only team sporting a ranking entering this season’s matchup, the prestige can be gauged in the fact that the two schools have combined for nine national championships and 17 SoCon titles.

In fact, the last two meetings between Georgia Southern and Appalachian State have been decided by a total of four points and in 2006, the game was decided by seven points in favor of the Mountaineers in overtime at Paulson Stadium. At the Division I level, you’d be hard-pressed to find a rivalry that boasts that type of success.

Appalachian State enters Saturday’s contest against the Eagles, winners of 15-straight Southern Conference games, with the last team to defeat the Black and Gold being Georgia Southern back on Oct. 20, 2007.

The Eagles and Mountaineers will be squaring off for the 25th time on Saturday afternoon, with the Mountaineers holding a 12-11-1 all-time series edge. The game is especially crucial for the Eagles, who are in search of their post-season bid in four years, which is Georgia Southern’s longest playoff drought since the rebirth of football in Statesboro in 1982.

Georgia Southern’s playoff hopes hang by a tiny thread entering Saturday’s showdown at The Rock, having already dropped three games on the 2009 season. A fourth loss to Appalachian State on Saturday would likely spell the end of Georgia Southern’s playoff hopes for a fifth-straight season.

The Eagles and Mountaineers always know what’s at stake when the two square off on 24. the gridiron in mid-late October. No other rivalry at the FCS level boasts two programs with as much success as the two that will square off on Saturday afternoon at The Rock.

Georgia Southern, which enters Saturday’s contest with its only conference loss coming to Elon (28-14) back on Sept. 29, could go a long way in getting back some of that swagger the Eagles once had earlier this decade under the direction of current Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson.

The Eagles and Mountaineers are two of the most successful FCS programs this decade. Appalachian State, which boasts a 94-32 (.744) record since 2000, is second to only Montana in wins and winning percentage. Georgia Southern, who has compiled an 80-38 mark (.675), is eighth in victories and winning percentage during that same time span.

The Mountaineers and Eagles have also combined to win four of the 10 national titles in the past 10 years.

Georgia Southern enters Saturday’s contest with Appalachian State riding a bit of a wave of momentum, having won a 30-20 decision over Chattanooga on Saturday evening at Allen E. Paulson Stadium. In the victory over Chattanooga on Saturday, it was a banner day for the running game, as Adam Urbano rushed for a career-high 153 yards and a couple of TDs en route to the victory over the Mocs.

Coming into Saturday’s game against Appalachian State, Georgia Southern is led by quarterback Lee Chapple.

The 6'1", 190-pound sophomore from Alpharetta, GA, has had an up-and-down season thus far for the Eagles, but the Georgia Southern offense is playing the best it has played all season coming into Saturday’s contest with Appalachian State. So far this season, Chapple has connected on 154-of-235 passes for 1,188 yards and seven TDs and nine interceptions this season.

Chapple’s favorite target coming into Saturday’s contest has been true freshman wide receiver Jamere Valentine. Valentine, a 6'1", 200-pound native of Myrtle Beach, SC, has been one of the top young receivers in the league so far this season.

Valentine possesses good speed and excellent hands. Valentine has been consistently good all season and leads the team, having hauled in 34 passes for 294 yards and has a team-leading four TD receptions. He’s averaging 8.6 yards-per-reception.

Two other top options in the passing game for the Eagles this season have been Mitch Williford and Patrick Barker. Williford, a 6'3", 180-pound true freshman wide receiver from Duluth, GA, is a big, physical wide receiver that, like Valentine, has proven to be a reliable option in the passing game for the Eagles this fall.

So far this season, Williford has been able to haul in 21 passes for 176 yards, averaging 8.4 yards per reception.

Rounding out the young receiving options for Georgia Southern coming into Saturday’s contest is Patrick Barker. The 6'1", 165-pound native of Ponte Vedra, FL, is pure speed and he is the main long ball threat for the Eagles. Barker has caught 23 passes for 174 passes and a TD this season. Barker is averaging 7.6 yards-per-reception.

The running game this season has been led by the tandem of Adam Urbano and Darreion Robinson. Both are versatile threats and can be used as run-pass options coming out of the backfield for the Eagles.

Georgia Southern had trouble running the football until last week’s victory over Chattanooga. Urbano, a 5'8", 190-pound from Calhoun, GA, has proven to be a threat both as a running threat and a threat catching the ball out of the backfield for the Eagles.

Urbano rushed for a career-high 153 yards in the 30-20 win over Chattanooga. So far this season, Urbano has led the Eagles’ ground attack, having rushed for 528 yards and five TDs on 104 carries so far this season for the Eagles.

As a receiving threat coming out of the backfield, Urbano has caught 28 passes for 235 yards, and is the team’s second-leading rusher.

Robinson, a 5'9", 185-pound running back from Bishop, GA, is another player that is a dual threat coming out of the backfield for the Eagles. Robinson, like Urbano, has excellent hands for catching the ball coming out of the backfield for Georgia Southern. As a running threat for the Eagles this season, Robinson has rushed for 244 yards and a TD on 54 rushing attempts in ‘09, averaging 4.5 yards-per-carry.

The offensive line has been a source of concern for the Eagles this season, as the unit has yielded a league worst 15 sacks so far this season. Anchoring the offensive front for Georgia Southern this fall has been Cole Fountain, who was a preseason All-SoCon candidate.

Fountain, a 6'3", 300-pound native of Cartersville, GA, will start at the right tackle position for the Eagles, and he should challenge for all-league honors this season. He has helped the Eagles rank fourth in the league in scoring offense (24.2 PPG.), fifth in total offense (317.2 YPG.), fourth in rushing offense (138.8 YPG. and fifth in passing offense (178.5 YPG.)

Fountain is joined along the offensive line by Trey Dunmon (C), Jonathan Loving (LG), Brandavious Mann (LT) and William Maxwell (RG).

One area the Eagles continue to improve as each week of the season progresses is on the defensive side of the football. Anchoring the defensive front for the Eagles coming into Saturday’s showdown with Appalachian State is redshirt defensive tackle Brent Russell. The 6'2", 270-pound native of Bowman, GA, was forced to miss much of the 2008 season with a knee injury that he suffered in preseason drills prior to last season.

Russell sports tremendous quickness and power along the defensive line, and has aquitted himself as one of the league’s premier defensive lineman. So far in ‘09, Russell has recorded 35 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, five sacks and an interception. His five sacks are tied for the league lead in that category.

Joining Russell as a starter along the defensive line at defensive tackle is nose tackle Markeith Wylie. Wylie, a 6'0", 295-pound native of Washington, GA, is another player capable of garnering all-league honors this fall. The big, physical Wylie also sports excellent quickness as a presence along the defensive line for the Eagles.

In all this season, Wylie has been able to record 21 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, and ranks second on the team in sacks, with three quarterback hits.

Rounding out the defensive linemen expected to start Saturday against Appalachian State is senior defensive end Harland Bower. The 6'2", 240-pound senior bookend from Edison, NJ, is one of the emotional leaders of the defense for the Eagles.

Bower is a powerful player that possesses deceptive quickness. Bower comes into Saturday’s game against Appalachian State, having recorded 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, a sack and a pass break-up.

The Eagles also have a talented group of linebackers coming into Saturday afternoon’s game at Appalachian State. One of the top defensive players in the SoCon this fall has been middle linebacker Dion Dubose, who ranked as one of the league’s top freshman linebackers last season.

Dubose, a 6'0", 240-pound native of Dacula, GA, has good size and moves extremely well for his size. Dubose is also one of the more physical players on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles. Coming into Saturday’s game with the Mountaineers, Dubose has recorded 58 tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss to lead the team.

Tavaris Williams and Terroine Benefield will flank Dubose on both sides at the respective outside linebacker positions. Williams, a 5'11", 200-pound native of Valdosta, GA, is one of the top athletes on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles.

Prior to this season, Williams was mostly a presence on special teams for the Eagles last season. Williams has put up some solid numbers so far in ‘09, recording 22 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, two pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries.

Benefield rounds out the starters at linebacker for the Eagles at the weakside linebacker position. The 6'0", 210-pound native of Conyers, GA, is the most experienced players on the defensive side of the football for Georgia Southern. Benefield has been one of the defensive stalwarts for the Eagles this season.

One the headiest players on the defensive side of the ball, Benefield has recorded 23 tackles, four tackles-for-loss and a sack so far this season for the Eagles. Benefield is one of the emotional leaders on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles.

The secondary for the Eagles has looked good for the Eagles this season. Leading the Georgia Southern secondary this season has been free safety Derek Heyden, who should compete for All-SoCon accolades for the Eagles this fall. Heyden, a 6'1", 175-pound native of Atlanta, GA, is a tremendous athlete and has shown the ability to make plays both against the pass as well as against the run this season.

Heyden made an immediate impact as a true freshman last season, and has managed to build on that success this fall. So far in ‘09, Heyden has recorded 38 tackles and a tackle-for-loss.

Set to start at the other two safety positions for the Eagles heading into Saturday’s contest with the Mountaineers are Hudson Presume at the "bandit" safety position and Darius Eubanks at the "rover" safety position.

Presume, a 5'9", 170-pound native of Bradenton, FL, is one of the premier athletes on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles and is a player that can make plays against both the pass and the run with his athleticism. This season, Presume has recorded 26 tackles.

Eubanks, a 6'0", 190-pound true freshman from Harlem, GA, has had an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball as a part of the secondary for the Eagles this fall. Like his teammate Presume, Eubanks is a tremendous athlete and runs extremely well. Eubanks has aquitted himself well as a true freshman this season, recording 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, two pass break-ups and has forced a fumble.

The two starters at the respective cornerback positions heading into Saturday’s showdown at The Rock are Darrell Pasco and LaRon Scott, both of whom could challenge for all-league plaudits this season.

Scott, a 5'9", 171-pound native of Warner Robins, GA, actually assumed the starting role at one of the cornerback positions after it was learned Carson Hill would be academically ineligible for the 2009 season.

Scott, who’s without question a candidate for all-freshman team honors, has 33 tackles, a tackle-for-loss, five pass break-ups and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions this fall.

Rounding out the starters on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles is Darrell Pasco. The 6'0", 170-pound native of Clearwater, FL, burst onto the scene last season after transferring into Georgia Southern from Georgia Military. Pasco is a ball-hawking cornerback, that always seems to put himself in position to make plays against the pass.

Pasco has racked up 28 tackles, a team-leading seven pass break-ups, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, including one in which he returned 85 yards for a TD. Pasco appears to be well on his way to garnering all-league honors.

Noting Last Year’s Game

Appalachian State 37, Georgia Southern 36

Writing perhaps the most dramatic chapter in the always-thrilling Appalachian State-Georgia Southern rivalry, No. 2 Appalachian took the lead with 2:36 to play stood up GSU in the red zone twice in the final two minutes to hold on for a 37-36 win at Paulson Stadium.

The win marked Appalachian’s third win in one of FCS football’s most hostile environments, including coming away with its second-consecutive win in the facility. Armanti Edwards almost single-handedly led Appalachian in the heart-stopping triumph, accounting for 333 of ASU’s 454 total yards and all five Appalachian TDs in the win.

Georgia Southern was led by quarterback Antonio Henton, who connected on 16-of-38 passes for 292 yards, while rushing for 99 yards and a couple of TDs.

Extra Notes for Saturday’s Game

—Appalachian State enters Saturday’s contest having won 15-straight Southern Conference games, dating back to Oct. 20, 2007, when the Eagles were 38-35 losers to Georgia Southern Eagles. That loss also snapped ASU’s 30-game home winning streak at The Rock.

—Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards was not only named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, he also garnered National Player of the Week accolades by The Sports Network after his performance in ASU’s 44-34 win over Wofford last Saturday.

Edwards completed Saturday’s game against the Terriers, connecting on 27-of-34 passes for 415 yards and two TDs. In total this fall, Edwards has connected on 104-of-145 passes for 1,408 yards, five TDs and an interception. As a rushing threat, Edwards has rushed for 283 yards and a team-leading eight TDs on 60 attempts.

—Edwards’ 415-yard passing effort against Wofford on Saturday vaulted him to the top of the SoCon’s all-time passing list with 8,509 passing yards.

—Appalachian State has been explosive offensively, especially over the past two weeks, surpassing the 600-yard total offense plateau against Wofford and North Carolina Central. The Mountaineers racked up a season-high 644 yards in a 55-21 win over NC Central and had 611 yards in the victory over Wofford.

—Junior running back Devon Moore enters Saturday’s contest with the Eagles leading the SoCon in rushing, having gained 668 yards and scored six TDs on 119 attempts. He’s averaging 5.6 yards-per-carry and 111.3 yards-per game.

—Saturday’s matchup between the Mountaineers and Eagles will mark the 25th all-time meeting between the two school’s, with Appalachian State holding a narrow 12-11-1 series advantage.

—Either Appalachian State or Georgia Southern has claimed at least a share of all but one SoCon title (2003) this decade.