Appalachian State beats unbeaten James Madison 34-31 on London's overtime field goal
James London's 40-yard kick ended a game that James Madison had tied with three seconds left in regulation, handing the Dukes their first loss of the season.
Appalachian State handed previously unbeaten James Madison its first loss of the season on Thursday, October 22, winning 34-31 in overtime in Boone, North Carolina, on James London's 40-yard field goal. The result moved the Mountaineers to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Sun Belt Conference; the Dukes fell to 7-1 and 4-1.
James Madison had a chance to score first in overtime, but Morgan Suarez's 47-yard attempt from the right hash struck the left upright. London then made the kick that ended the game. He also converted field goals from 48, 27 and 36 yards for Appalachian State, according to the Associated Press.
How James Madison forced overtime
Suarez had earlier matched his career long with a 47-yard field goal that put James Madison ahead 24-21 in the fourth quarter. Appalachian State later took its first lead after Colton Phares intercepted a pass and returned it 21 yards to the Dukes' 14-yard line with 6:03 remaining. Two plays later, Henry Hasselbeck threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Luke Douglas for a 31-24 lead.
James Madison quarterback Camden Coleman kept the Dukes alive on fourth-and-three, completing a three-yard pass to Jeremiah Harrison for a first down at the Appalachian State six with 12 seconds left. Coleman scored on a quarterback draw on the next play, tying the game at 31 with three seconds left in regulation. He finished 22 of 39 passing for 232 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
For Appalachian State, Malachi Singleton completed 26 of 40 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns. James Madison running back George Pettaway gained 57 yards and scored a touchdown on 15 carries before leaving late in the fourth quarter with what AP described as an apparent left hamstring injury. He did not return, and his run of four straight 100-yard rushing games ended.
What the result changed in the Sun Belt
CBS Sports' pregame preview listed James Madison at 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play entering Thursday, with Appalachian State at 4-2 and 1-1. The Dukes had beaten the Mountaineers 58-10 in their previous season's meeting, CBS Sports reported. This time, Appalachian State ended James Madison's unbeaten start.
The teams next return to Sun Belt play: James Madison hosts Troy next Thursday, while Appalachian State visits Georgia Southern on Halloween, according to AP.
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Sources and context
- James London's 40-yard FG in OT helps Appalachian St. beat James Madison 34-31Associated Press, republished by Yahoo Sports
- James Madison-Appalachian St. betting: Odds, Week 8 preview, picks, start time for Thursday college footballCBS Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.