BOONE, N.C. — Ryan Huff's tackle for a 5-yard loss forced another punting situation in the second quarter, but a roughing penalty officially stopped a three-and-out streak from App State's defense.
No worries. The Mountaineers limited South Alabama to 4 yards on its next three plays, with Akeem Davis-Gaither's pressure causing a third-down incompletion, and the Jaguars' punter quickly returned to the field.
App State put on a defensive clinic Saturday, holding South Alabama to 139 yards in a 30-3 road victory. The second-lowest yardage total against the Mountaineers in a Sun Belt game contributed to 10 three-and-outs forced by their defense, but even that high number is a bit misleading considering the sequence with the special teams infraction essentially involved consecutive three-and-outs within one drive.