In his first career start for Marshall Football, quarterback Braylon Braxton dismantled the Appalachian State Mountaineers defense through the air and ground to lead the Herd to a 52-37 win at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Braxton tallied five total touchdowns on the day and 269 all-purpose yards. Braxton threw for three touchdowns and added two more scores on the ground to go with his 140 rushing yards.
“I definitely have been staying ready,” Braxton said. “I got here in January and went through all spring with the guys, all fall with the guys, so it was really nothing new to me. I’ve been with these guys for the better part of eight months now.”
On the Herd’s first drive of the game, Braxton plunged into the end zone to give the Herd the early lead. App State soon overtook the Herd with the help of a 42-yard field goal and a Kayne Roberts 10-yard touchdown run.
After being down 10-7, the Herd turned the game’s momentum on two scoring plays less than a minute apart in the second quarter.
Running back Jordan Houston received a short pass from Braxton that he took 75 yards into the end zone. On the ensuing Mountaineer drive, linebacker J’Coryan Anderson leaped over the back of the receiver, snagged the ball from the air, and returned it 13 yards to push the Herd’s lead to double digits.
“Through practice, we’ve always had a mindset of what that play would be that we were going through,” Anderson said. “Everyone did their job, of course, and it just so happened that I made the play. It was a team effort thing, and I was so happy to be there and get that pick.”
The Herd’s offense was on full display with running back AJ Turner breaking off a 29-yard run in the second half. Adding to the game full of chunk plays was wide receiver Chuck Montgomery snagging a 26-yard pass from Braxton for a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, Mike Green continued his bombardment on the offensive line with five tackles and 2.5 sacks. Jaden Yates led the Herd with 12 tackles.
Appalachian State was the team selected as the 2024 Preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference East Division. With the loss to the Herd, the Mountaineers fell to 0-2 in SBC play.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this entire program than I am right now,” head coach Charles Huff said. “To battle from December after not a great season, you’re picked fifth and don’t know about this or that and continue to battle – these kids are special. They’ve bought into this program; they’ve bought into this culture, and I’m really proud of them.”
With two straight wins at home, the Herd hits the road to continue SBC play to face the Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Joseph DiCristofaro can be contacted at [email protected].
