James Madison Holds One-Point Lead Over App State in Third Quarter

Dukes carry narrow lead into second half

James Madison led Appalachian State 14-13 with 9:11 remaining in the third quarter Thursday at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina, according to the CBS Sports live game tracker. The Sun Belt matchup remained unresolved when this report was filed, so the final score, late-game turning points and complete statistical leaders were not yet available. ^{[1] [2]}

The Dukes opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run by George Pettaway in the first quarter. App State kicker Jackson London answered with a 48-yard field goal before James Madison produced the game's biggest play: JC Evans found Brandon Wisloski for a 70-yard touchdown with 4:52 left in the second quarter. ^[1]

App State stays within reach

App State cut the margin to four before halftime when quarterback Matthew Singleton completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to AJ Sanchez. London's extra point made it 14-10, and his 27-yard field goal early in the third quarter brought the Mountaineers within one point. ^[1]

At the reporting snapshot, App State had outgained James Madison 240 yards to 213 and held a 13-8 advantage in first downs. The Dukes had generated 191 passing yards but only 22 on the ground, while the Mountaineers had 170 passing yards and 70 rushing yards. Neither team had committed a turnover. ^[1]

App State had also converted five of 13 third downs, compared with an 0-for-8 mark for James Madison. That difference helped the Mountaineers sustain the touchdown drive before halftime and the field-goal drive after the break, even though JMU retained the lead through its two explosive scoring plays. ^[1]

Unbeaten JMU faces a sold-out road test

James Madison entered the game 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Sun Belt play under first-year coach Billy Napier. App State came in 4-2 and 1-1 in the conference. The Mountaineers' athletics department said the Thursday night game was sold out and scheduled for national coverage on ESPNU. ^{[3] [4]}

The Dukes arrived after a 49-22 victory over Georgia State, while App State had built its record through a series of close results. James Madison's quarterback rotation remained part of the matchup: Camden Coleman started and handled most of the passing work, while Evans supplied the long touchdown connection to Wisloski. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

The meeting followed James Madison's 58-10 victory in Harrisonburg in 2025, but Thursday's game developed very differently. App State's defense limited Pettaway to 10 yards on his first eight carries at the snapshot, keeping the Mountaineers within one possession despite JMU's unbeaten record and pregame status as the favorite. ^{[1] [3]}

What remains unknown

The fourth quarter, final result and any postgame injury information were not available at publication time. This report will require an update after the game becomes final, including the decisive possession, complete player totals and the effect on the Sun Belt standings. ^{[1] [2]}