SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 29, 2014
Appalachian State 45, Idaho 28: Taylor Lamb threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns as the Mountaineers downed the visiting Vandals to end their first NCAA Division I FBS season with six straight wins.
Marcus Cox ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns while Terrence Upshaw added another score on the ground for Appalachian State (7-5, 6-2 Sun Belt), which averaged 11.2 yards per pass play. Shaedon Meadors, Tacoi Sumler and Bobo Beathard each caught touchdown passes for the Mountaineers.
Matt Linehan went 21-of-37 for 208 yards and a touchdown for Idaho (1-10, 1-7), which hasn't finished with a winning record since 2009. Elijhaa Penny ran for 95 yards and accounted for three touchdowns for the Vandals, who couldn't overcome 12 penalties for 145 yards.
Appalachian State took a 7-6 lead when Meadors hauled in a 59-yard touchdown pass before Lamb threw a 32-yard scoring strike to Sumler a short time later to put the Mountaineers on top 17-9. The Vandals pulled within two before Cox's 1-yard TD plunge capped a 9-play, 91-yard drive to give Appalachian State a 24-15 lead heading into intermission.
Lamb found Beathard in the end zone from eight yards out to stretch the Mountaineers' advantage to 16 midway through the third quarter. Appalachian State pulled ahead 45-21 when Upshaw rumbled two yards for a TD before Penny scored a late consolation touchdown as the Mountaineers handed Idaho its fourth straight loss.