Appalachian State celebrated one of the weekend's most significant victories, defeating previously unbeaten James Madison 34-31 in an overtime thriller. The decisive game was played Thursday night at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, marking James Madison's first loss of the season. Alexander Sanchez of the Appalachian State Mountaineers notably caught a pass for a touchdown during the first half, contributing to the team's effort.
The Mountaineers demonstrated resilience, battling back from an early deficit. The team managed to secure a late fourth-quarter lead after Colton Phares intercepted a pass, returning it 21 yards to set up a touchdown opportunity. James Madison countered, forcing the game into overtime with a touchdown in the final seconds of regulation. However, Appalachian State's defense held the Dukes scoreless in the extra period. The win was sealed when James London successfully connected on a 40-yard field goal. This victory improved Appalachian State's overall record to 5-2 and their Sun Belt Conference play record to 2-1. James Madison's record now stands at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
Across the state, other North Carolina college football teams faced a range of outcomes over the weekend of October 22-24. North Carolina's late rally ultimately fell short Saturday night in Chapel Hill, as Syracuse secured a 31-30 overtime victory by converting a two-point attempt. The Tar Heels had held a 20-10 lead in the third quarter but were unable to maintain their advantage. In overtime, Billy Edwards Jr. threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Demon June, giving UNC a 30-23 lead. Syracuse responded with a touchdown pass from Steve Angeli to Calvin Russell III before successfully executing the game-winning two-point conversion. North Carolina's overall record fell to 4-3, with an ACC record of 2-2. Syracuse improved to 3-4 overall and 1-4 in conference play. The Tar Heels are scheduled to host top-ranked Miami on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m.
Duke managed a last-minute comeback Friday night, defeating Virginia 19-16 in Charlottesville. The Blue Devils were trailing 16-13 when Nate Sheppard executed a trick play, throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to Brody Keefe. Patrick Smith-Young then secured the victory for Duke by intercepting a pass with 36 seconds left in the game. Duke's win advanced their overall record to 5-2 and their ACC record to 2-2. Virginia's record now stands at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The Blue Devils are set to host Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon.
NC State's efforts for a fourth-quarter comeback were insufficient Friday night, resulting in a 31-28 road loss to Stanford. The Wolfpack scored 14 points in the final quarter but could not overcome the deficit. Quarterback CJ Bailey contributed significantly, throwing for 256 yards and rushing for an additional 59 yards during the game. NC State's overall record dropped to 3-4, and their ACC record to 1-3. Stanford improved to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play. Following this game, NC State notably fired coach Dave Doeren. The Wolfpack will return home to face California on Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon.
East Carolina was unable to protect a 16-3 halftime lead Thursday night, ultimately falling to Memphis 41-34 in overtime. The Tigers took control by scoring 17 points in the third quarter. However, the Pirates managed to force overtime when Mitch Griffis threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sides on a fourth-and-9 play late in regulation. Memphis then scored the decisive touchdown in overtime to hand ECU the loss. Charlotte and Wake Forest both had bye weeks during the weekend of October 22-24. Charlotte is scheduled to play Tulane on Friday, Oct. 30, while Wake Forest will host Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 31.
