Rapid reaction after the Bulldogs (6-3, 4-2 SEC) rout the Mountaineers (2-8, 2-4 SoCon) at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga.
Just a different league
Even from the beginning, the App State defense found it difficult to stop the SEC-level offense of Georgia.
Through three quarters, the Mountaineers had the advantage with time of possession. However, that was mainly due to how quickly the Bulldogs were able to score, rarely needing more than four minutes. Georgia used a barrage of offensive weapons, whether on the ground with Todd Gurley or through the air via Aaron Murray.
A tale of two halves
The first half of the game showed a lot of promise from App State.
Kameron Bryant was hitting his marks and Tony Washington and Andrew Peacock were running their routes to perfection.
Bryant ended the game 22-39 for 221 yards and one interception. Washington and Peacock finished with 78 and 90 yards, respectively.
The only real problem for the Mountaineers was the inability to convert touchdowns on their trips to the red zone.
The second half saw Georgia really hit their stride both offensively and defensively, which gave the Mountaineers a heap of problems.
App State was unable to move the ball down the field and was unable to keep the Bulldogs out of the end zone, allowing 31 points in the second half alone.
The Good
There were glimmers of hope for App State during the game. At times, they seemed almost to be on the same level as Georgia. The only problem was those were few and far between.
The defense also looked better than expected early on, but fatigue and Georgia’s relentlessness soon set in as they were soon unable to stop anyone.
The Bad
Penalties both hurt and helped App State.
The main way they hurt them was in their timing. Almost every time the Mountaineers found themselves picking up momentum toward the goal line, a string of false starts would push them back. This forced three 30-plus-yard field goal attempts, one of which was blocked.
What’s Next?
App State will continue their two-game road trip as they travel to Wofford on Nov. 16. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
Story: ANDREW CLAUSEN, Sports Editor