Appalachian State (5-4, 2-3 Sun Belt) @ Marshall (5-4, 2-3 Sun Belt)

Saturday, November 14th, 2026

TV/Video: ESPN+

Radio: FLAGSHIP 97.3 FM (North Wilkesboro), 730 AM & 97.5 FM (Charlotte), 950 AM & 92.7 FM (Greensboro), 980 AM & 96.7 FM (Winston-Salem), 107.7 FM & 1450 AM (Hendersonville), 93.7 FM & 790 AM (Johnson City, TN) 87.7 FM (In-Stadium)

Joan C. Edwards Stadium

Capacity: 38,000

Surface: Astroturf

Jeff Sagarin Ratings

App State: 56.70

Marshall: 53.82

Home: 2.64

App State is favored by the Sagarin ratings by .24 points

VegasInsider Consensus: App State -1.5

Series: App State leads 17-11

Last Meeting: App State 26, Marshall 24, November 22, 2025, Boone, NC

It really takes the wind out of your sails when your team has been officially eliminated from a conference championship race. It’s even tougher when you are in the middle of November and just a few weeks ago, you controlled your own destiny for said race, and suddenly feel like getting to a bowl game almost seems like a tough task. That’s what losing two in a row will do to you. I think most fans are thirsty for that moment when the turnaround is finally complete. Even if the Mountaineers were able to win the rest of their games on the schedule, and finish with an 8-4 record, it will feel like we wasted something. Everyone would have taken eight wins back in August and ran with it. But like always, its not about the result, its how you got there. Enough doubt exists for all involved that eight wins seems as improbable as seven losses, but one will surprise you less than the other. Winning at Marshall isn’t easy. Everyone knows that and these teams are matched up fairly evenly. A sixth win will be a baby step in the right direction – one more than last year. I guess the small victories are still wins after all.

This Marshall team has been tough to follow all season long. Like Appalachian, they have won five games, but none of them have been too comfortable and their defense has been shaky. Marshall’s victories have come over teams with a combined record of 18-29 and their only win by more than one possession was over Old Dominion of all teams. Do not look at that box score. Old Dominion threw three interceptions. It was an ugly game, yet Marshall found enough offense. That game is important not because it was Old Dominion and its a team we have spent a lot of time on, but because it happened two weeks ago. It was ugly, but maybe the Herds best win of the season. It’s truly hard to find another one. Marshall then lost to Southern last week 49-13 in a game that really looked closer than it was. It’s the kind of game that the Herd has found themselves in all too many times. They lose the turnover battle by two. They miss field goals and turn the ball over on downs while inside the opponents ten yard line. The Herd stand at -7 in the turnover category for the season and have converted just three times on eight fourth down attempts.

Part of the reason why Marshall has struggled so much is their lack of production and familiarity from their quarterback position. Carlos Del Rio-Wilson has played in seven games but has also played just sparingly in three of them. Against Old Dominion on October 31st, he completed just three of his nine passes and ran six times for 6 yards. He was just 2/6 for 37 yards three weeks earlier against Coastal, which represents his last two appearances. If not for a 413-yard and three touchdown performance against Gardner Webb in September, Del Rio-Wilson would have just three touchdown passes on the season. Zion Turner has also seen action in seven games this season, but the South Alabama game on Thursday October 20th was all his. Turner threw for 181 yards and completed 64% of his passes, but without any touchdown passes or interceptions. And guess what, Marshall won that game by winning the turnover battle and posting a +1 in the category. It wasn’t flashy, but it got the job done. That’s part of the rub with Turner. He tossed two touchdown passes against Coastal, but only one touchdown pass against anyone else, and has thrown as many interceptions as Del Rio Wilson with 80% of the opportunities.

Last week, we removed the asterisk from the Old Dominion game and we might be placing it squarely on the James Madison game. Those are difficult words to write. For the second straight week, the Mountaineers looked outclassed by their opponents and were virtually never in the game despite the score remaining close for a period of time. Sure, there was always hope of something happening, and there was always a path to a comeback, but it never materialized. The offense has sputtered leading to unsustainable possession discrepancies and the defense being left hanging out to dry. Injuries happen to everyone this time of year, but this is the second year in a row we have seen a late season fade after early season signs of success. After allowing a fourth straight win by Georgia Southern, and breaking the twelve game win streak over Georgia State, suddenly this team has to find a way to win a game in Huntington to avoid a further late season slide. Yeah, this team is still one win away from bowl eligibility, but that was the same scenario that unfolded last season.

We have zero need to talk about the conference divisional race as last week effectively eliminated the Mountaineers from consideration. Instead the focus will become more week-to-week on the upcoming games. Marshall’s game last week against Georgia Southern was more lopsided on the scoreboard that it appeared. Georgia Southern continued to make the big play and Marshall could not track one down. Marshall played Southern tight in the first quarter. They got pressure on Maxx Johnson, something the Mountaineers really struggled to do. With each quarterback hurry, all I could think about was Marshall’s defensive line finding a way to attack the Mountaineers offensive line and get to Malachi Singleton. Most of App State’s passing plays all season have depended upon the receivers getting open eventually, but rarely within two seconds of the snap. That has put a ton of pressure on Singleton to stay upright, avoid pressure and deliver throws off balance. Way too many Mountaineer drives in the last month have ended after just a couple plays, while not covering enough yardage, and not burning clock. Since Coastal Carolina, when Henry Hasselbeck and Jaquari Lewis ran over the Chanticleers, the Mountaineers have gained just 146 yards on the ground on 72 carries. That is just not going to get it done. My biggest fear is that Marshall commits to running the ball and follows Georgia State’s lead. Sure, the Mountaineers will probably commit to containing the run better than they did last week, but mainly because Marshall’s Zion Turner will use his legs to create problems. Simply, I think this game comes down to who performs the best on third down. Whichever team defends it better and converts their own should prevail, assuming we have a game without turnovers. Marshall’s defense is actually pretty decent on third down when they get there, but typically have a hard time getting teams to that point. And guess what? Nobody gives up more first downs to their opponents via the pass in the conference than Marshall does. So with each passing week, we want to see more of a ground game in order to control the clock, but the box scores suggest that passing the ball on the opposing team could work. Chances are pretty high we see more of the same.

The First Pick

Marsha 23

Mountaineers 25