As the ball soared through the uprights on the final play of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl, the Mountaineer sideline rushed onto the field. They jumped with joyous expressions on their faces as they stormed to the midfield logo, where senior kicker Zach Matics had run after throwing off his helmet, signaling for the crowd to be quiet.
It was a big win. One of the biggest wins in Appalachian State’s football history, and that’s saying a lot given their back-to-back-to-back championship runs in the mid-2000s. The team celebrated during the men’s basketball team’s 78-74 victory over Troy on Saturday, roughly two months after they hoisted the trophy for the first time.