Running game, dominant 4th quarter lead App State past Marshall

Camerun Peoples and Nate Noel combined for more than 260 rushing yards

Appalachian State running back Camerun Peoples scores his second of three first half touchdowns against Marshall in the Mountaineers' 31-30 win Thursday in Boone. (Walt Unks / The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

BOONE — Camerun Peoples ran for three touchdowns and Nate Noel rushed for 87 of his 187 yards on a game-saving drive and Appalachian State defeated Marshall 31-30 on Thursday night.

After Chandler Stanton’s 45-yard field goal put the Mountaineers on top with 5:45 to play, the defense held but Robert Lefevre’s 45-yard punt pinned Appalachian State on its 8-yard line with four minutes remaining.

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Noel then carried five-straight times, the last two 41- and 22-yard bursts that put the Mountaineers (3-1) on the Marshall 5. Quarterback Chase Brice then knelt down three times to run out the clock.

After the second of Brice’s touchdowns, Rasheen Ali had a 97-yard kickoff return to give Marshall a 20-14 lead. But Brice capped a third long drive with a touchdown two seconds before halftime to put Appalachian State back on top 21-20.

Ali’s touchdown run gave Marshall (2-2) a 30-21 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The former conference rivals from the FCS days were meeting for the second time as FBS schools with Marshall winning 17-7 last season.