MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Filled with the kind of postgame delirium that makes you do silly things, Appalachian State senior Zach Matics sprinted down the field with a finger held to his lips in a ‘shhhhhh’ motion.
There was nothing quiet about the 2015 Camellia Bowl, however. Matics won it for the Mountaineers on the game’s final play — a 23-yard field goal that delivered a 31-29 win to Appalachian State in the program’s first-ever bowl game as a bonafide FBS program.
It was a fitting capper to a wild three-hours, well except for the Bobcats. Ohio (8-5) scored 17 points in 71 seconds in the first half to take the lead, led by 17 points in the second half, and even grabbed a 29-28 lead with 1:47 left on Josiah Yazdani’s 21-yard field goal.