Jump to content

List of Appalachian State Mountaineers football seasons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Graydon Eggers, pictured with his 1928 Appalachian State Normal School football team, was the first coach in school history.
The Mountaineer football team rushes the field prior to kickoff against the Georgia Southern Eagles on October 20, 2007.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers football team competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), representing Appalachian State University in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. The team's current head coach is Shawn Clark, who was hired after the departure of Eliah Drinkwitz following the team's victory in the 2019 Sun Belt Championship game.

The Mountaineers fielded their first team in 1928 under coach Graydon Eggers.[1] From 1928 to 1969, Appalachian State participated in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and spent time playing in the North State Conference/Carolinas Conference, the Smoky Mountain Conference, and as an independent. The Mountaineers transitioned to NCAA Division I in 1971, joining the Southern Conference in 1972.[2] Appalachian State, along with the rest of the Southern Conference, began competing at the I-AA (later known as the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS) level in 1981. The Mountaineers transitioned to the FBS in 2014, joining the Sun Belt Conference alongside longtime Southern Conference rival Georgia Southern.[3]

The Mountaineers have played 89 seasons of football, compiling a record of 616–337–28 and winning 21 conference championships (6 in the North Star Conference, 12 in the Southern Conference, and 3 in the Sun Belt Conference). The Mountaineers appeared in 9 bowl games during their time in the NAIA, compiling a 3–6 record, and they appeared in the FCS playoffs 20 times, winning three national championships (2005, 2006, and 2007). In their five seasons since joining the FBS in 2014, the Mountaineers have recorded a record of 48–16, five consecutive winning seasons, four consecutive bowl wins, and three straight conference titles.[4]

In 1931 the Mountaineers joined the North State Conference and finished in first place under coach C. B. Johnson.[4] Kidd Brewer took over coaching duties of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, winning another North State Conference championship. An All-American at Duke, Brewer's 1937 squad is best remembered for going unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0 before losing a postseason game to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 7–0.[1][5] In 1967, Appalachian State became an independent team for four years. Jim Brakefield was hired as head coach in 1971, vacating the same position he held at Wofford.[1] A year later, in 1972, Appalachian State accepted an invitation into the Southern Conference. Credited as overseeing the transition into Division I football, Brakefield had his most successful season in 1975, guiding the Mountaineers to an 8–3 record with wins over East Carolina, Wake Forest, and South Carolina.[6]

Appalachian State won two Southern Conference championships in 1986 and 1987 under Sparky Woods.[1] After Woods left to coach South Carolina, Jerry Moore was hired to replace him. Moore went on to become the longest-tenured and winningest coach in team history; the Mountaineers recorded a losing season only once in Moore's 24 seasons as head coach. The Mountaineers recorded a record of 215–87–23 during Moore's venture, making 19 playoff appearances and winning 10 Southern Conference championships. The Mountaineers won three consecutive FCS national championships from 2005 to 2007, becoming the first FCS program to ever win three straight titles and the first team from North Carolina to win a football national championship at any NCAA division level.[7] In addition to winning a national championship in 2007, the Mountaineers recorded one of the biggest upsets in United States sports history[8][9] when they defeated the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines 34–32. The win helped Appalachian State become the first FCS team to ever receive votes in the final Associated Press (AP) college football poll on January 8, 2008.[10]

Following Moore's departure in 2012, the Mountaineers hired Scott Satterfield as head coach. After finishing 4–8 in 2013, their first losing season since 1993 and only 5th since 1980, the Mountaineers began play in the FBS. The Mountaineers have since recorded the most successful FBS transition in NCAA history; they have recorded eight consecutive winning seasons, five consecutive bowl wins (from 2015 to 2020), and four consecutive Sun Belt Championships (from 2016 to 2019), and have won the East Division 3 times over a four-year span (2018–2021).[11] In 2019, after the Conference Championship game but before the New Orleans Bowl, Satterfield left Appalachian State to take the Head Coaching position at Louisville.[12] Satterfield was replaced the following season by Eli Drinkwitz, who left before the 2019 bowl season. Appalachian State coach and Alumni Shawn Clark was hired on December 13, 2019, in time for the 2019 New Orleans Bowl, and is still the coach of the Mountaineers.[13]

Seasons

[edit]

NAIA (1928–1969)

[edit]
Conference Champions Bowl game berth
Season Team Coach Conference Season results Bowl result Final ranking
Conference
finish
Wins Losses Ties AP Poll Coaches Poll
1928 1928 Graydon Eggers Independent 3 6 0
1929 1929 C. B. Johnson 4 1 3
1930 1930 8 2 1
1931 1931 North State 1st 9 2 2 Won Charlotte Charity Game vs. Catawba, 15–7
1932 1932 2nd 5 4 1
1933 1933 Eugene Garbee N/A[A 1] 7 2 0
1934 1934 N/A[A 2] 3 4 1
1935 1935 Kidd Brewer North State
Smoky Mountain[A 3]
N/A[A 4]/3rd 5 2 2
1936 1936 2nd/2nd 8 1 0
1937 1937 1st/2nd 8 1 1 Lost Doll & Toy Charity Game vs. Mississippi State Teachers, 7–0
1938 1938 North State 3rd 9 1 0 Won Charlotte Charity Game vs. Moravian, 20–0
1939 1939 Flucie Stewart 1st 7 1 2
1940 1940 R. W. "Red" Watkins 3rd 6 4 0
1941 1941 4th 4 5 0
1942 1942 Beattie Feathers 3rd 5 2 1
1943 Appalachian State did not play football during the 1943 and 1944 seasons because of World War II
1944
1945 1945 Francis Hoover North State 3rd 1 6 0
1946 1946 Flucie Stewart 2nd 6 3 0
1947 1947 E. C. Duggins 2nd 9 1 0
1948 1948 1st 8 1 1 Lost Burley Bowl vs. West Chester, 7–2
1949 1949 2nd 9 3 0 Won Pythian Bowl vs. Catawba, 21–7
1950 1950 1st 9 2 1 Lost Burley Bowl vs. Emory & Henry, 26–6
Lost Pythian Bowl vs. West Liberty, 28–26
1951 1951 Press Mull 4th 6 3 0
1952 1952 E. C. Duggins 5th 2 6 1
1953 1953 4th 6 4 0
1954 1954 1st 8 3 0 Won Burley Bowl vs. East Tennessee State, 27–13
Lost Elks Bowl vs. Newberry, 20–13
1955 1955 4th 6 5 0 Lost Burley Bowl vs. East Tennessee State, 7–0
1956 1956 Bob Broome 3rd 3 6 0
1957 1957 5th 4 6 0
1958 1958 2nd 6 4 0
1959 1959 Bob Breitenstein 2nd 6 4 0
1960 1960 Jim Duncan 2nd 8 2 0
1961 1961 Carolinas[A 5] 2nd 7 3 0
1962 1962 3rd 4 4 2
1963 1963 3rd 6 3 0
1964 1964 3rd 6 3 0
1965 1965 Carl Messere 5th 5 5 0
1966 1966 7th 3 6 1
1967 1967 2nd 7 3 0
1968 1968 Independent 8 2 0
1969 1969 6 5 0
1970 1970 5 5 0

NCAA Division I/I-A (1971–1981)

[edit]
Conference Champions Bowl game berth
Season Team Coach Conference Season results Bowl result Final ranking
Conference
finish
Wins Losses Ties AP Poll Coaches Poll
1971 1971 Jim Brakefield Independent 7 3 1
1972 1972 Southern 8th 5 5 1
1973 1973 5th 3 7 1
1974 1974 2nd 6 5 0
1975 1975 3rd 8 3 0
1976 1976 3rd 6 4 1
1977 1977 6th 2 9 0
1978 1978 3rd 7 4 0
1979 1979 5th 3 8 0
1980 1980 Mike Working 3rd 6 4 1
1981 1981 7th 3 7 1

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS (1982–2013)

[edit]
National Champions Conference Champions Playoff berth
Season Team Coach Conference Season results Playoff result Final ranking
Conference
finish
Wins Losses Ties TSN Poll Coaches Poll[A 6]
1982 1982 Mike Working Southern 4th 4 7 0
1983 1983 Mack Brown 4th 6 5 0
1984 1984 Sparky Woods 7th 4 7 0
1985 1985 2nd 8 3 0
1986 1986 1st 9 2 1 Lost First Round vs. Nicholls State, 28–26 5
1987 1987 1st 11 3 0 Won First Round vs. Richmond, 20–3
Won Quarterfinal vs. Georgia Southern, 19–0
Lost Semifinal vs. Marshall, 24–10
2
1988 1988 4th 6 4 1
1989 1989 Jerry Moore 2nd 9 3 0 Lost First Round vs. Middle Tennessee, 24–21 7
1990 1990 2nd 6 5 0
1991 1991 1st 8 4 0 Lost First Round vs. Eastern Kentucky, 14–13 10
1992 1992 2nd 7 5 0 Lost First Round vs. Middle Tennessee, 35–10 16
1993 1993 4th 4 7 0
1994 1994 2nd 9 4 0 Won First Round vs. New Hampshire, 17–10 (OT)
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Boise State, 17–14
9
1995 1995 1st 12 1 0 Won First Round vs. James Madison, 31–24
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Stephen F. Austin, 27–17
5
1996 1996 4th 7 4 0[A 7] 22
1997 1997 2nd 7 4 0 22
1998 1998 2nd 10 3 0 Won First Round vs. Tennessee State, 45–31
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Northwestern State, 31–20
6
1999 1999 T–1st 9 3 0 Lost First Round vs. Florida A&M, 44–29 T–9
2000 2000 2nd 10 4 0 Won First Round vs. Troy State, 33–30
Won Quarterfinal vs. Western Kentucky, 17–14
Lost Semifinal vs. Montana, 19–16 (OT)
4
2001 2001 2nd 9 4 0 Won First Round vs. William & Mary, 40–27
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Georgia Southern, 38–24
4
2002 2002 2nd 8 4 0 Lost First Round vs. Maine, 14–13 10
2003 2003 2nd 7 4 0
2004 2004 T–3rd 6 5 0
2005 2005 1st 12 3 0 Won First Round vs. Lafayette, 34–23
Won Quarterfinal vs. Southern Illinois, 38–24
Won Semifinal vs. Furman, 29–23
Won Championship vs. Northern Iowa, 21–16
1
2006 2006 1st 14 1 0 Won First Round vs. Coastal Carolina, 45–28
Won Quarterfinal vs. Montana State, 38–17
Won Semifinal vs. Youngstown State, 49–24
Won Championship vs. UMass, 28–17
1
2007 2007 T–1st 13 2 0 Won First Round vs. James Madison, 28–27
Won Quarterfinal vs. Eastern Washington, 38–35
Won Semifinal vs. Richmond, 55–35
Won Championship vs. Delaware, 49–21
1 1
2008 2008 1st 11 3 0 Won First Round vs. South Carolina State, 37–21
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Richmond, 33–13
5 5
2009 2009 1st 11 3 0 Won First Round vs. South Carolina State, 20–13
Won Quarterfinal vs. Richmond, 35–31
Lost Semifinal vs. Montana, 24–17
3 3
2010 2010 T–1st 10 3 0 Won Second Round vs. Western Illinois, 42–14
Lost Quarterfinal vs. Villanova, 42–24
4 4
2011 2011 T–2nd 8 4 0 Lost Second Round vs. Maine, 34–12 12 11
2012 2012 T–1st 8 4 0 Lost Second Round vs. Illinois State, 38–37 (OT) 9 8
2013 2013 Scott Satterfield 4th 4 8 0 Ineligible[A 8]

NCAA Division I-FBS (2014–present)

[edit]
Conference Champions Division Champions Bowl game berth
Season Team Coach Conference Season results Bowl result Final ranking
Conference finish Division finish Wins Losses AP Poll Coaches Poll
2014 2014 Scott Satterfield Sun Belt 3rd 7 5 Ineligible[A 9]
2015 2015 2nd 11 2 Won Camellia Bowl vs. Ohio, 31–29
2016 2016 T–1st 10 3 Won Camellia Bowl vs. Toledo, 31–28
2017 2017 T–1st 9 4 Won Dollar General Bowl vs. Toledo, 34–0
2018 2018[A 10] 1st T–1st 11 2 Won New Orleans Bowl vs. Middle Tennessee 45–13
2019 2019[A 11] Eliah Drinkwitz 1st T–1st 13 1 Won New Orleans Bowl vs. UAB 31–17 19 18
2020 2020 Shawn Clark 3rd 2nd 9 3 Won Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. North Texas 56–28
2021 2021 2nd 1st 10 4 Lost Boca Raton Bowl vs. Western Kentucky 38–59
2022 2022 5th 6 6 Ineligible[A 12]
2023 2023 2nd 9 5 Won Cure Bowl vs. Miami (OH) 13–9

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The 1933 North State Conference records list no conference champion.
  2. ^ The 1934 North State Conference records list no conference champion.
  3. ^ Appalachian State played in both the North State Conference and the Smoky Mountain Conference from 1935 to 1937.
  4. ^ The 1935 North State Conference records list no conference champion.
  5. ^ The North State Conference was renamed the Carolinas Conference in 1961.
  6. ^ The FCS Coaches Poll Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine was introduced in 2007.
  7. ^ College football introduced overtime in 1996, ending the possibility of ties.
  8. ^ Appalachian State was ineligible for a conference title or playoff appearance as they were in the first year of their transition to the FBS.[14]
  9. ^ Appalachian State was ineligible for a bowl appearance as they were in the second and final year of their transition to the FBS; a waiver request was denied.[3]
  10. ^ Scott Satterfield resigned as head coach before the New Orleans Bowl to take the head coaching job at Louisville. Mark Ivey was the interim coach for the bowl game.[15]
  11. ^ Eliah Drinkwitz resigned as head coach before the New Orleans Bowl to take the head coaching job at Missouri. Shawn Clark was hired as head coach prior to the game.[16]
  12. ^ Although Appalachian State had a 6–6 record, they were not bowl eligible as they had more than one win against FCS level teams. Only one win against an FCS opponent may count towards bowl eligibility under NCAA rules.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Flynn, Mike (2008). 2008 Appalachian Football: All-Time Coaching Records (PDF). Appalachian Sports Information. p. 182. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  2. ^ "Appalachian State moving up to FBS". ESPN. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Bowman, Tommy (December 2, 2014). "Appalachian's waiver request for bowl eligibility denied by NCAA". Winston-Salem Journal. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  4. ^ a b 2018 Appalachian State Football Media Guide, p. 2, 138
  5. ^ Flynn, Mike (2008). 2008 Appalachian Football: Kidd Brewer Stadium (PDF). Appalachian Sports Information. p. 194. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  6. ^ Appalachian Sports Information (April 25, 2004). "Stuart Wins Brakefield Academic Award". GoASU. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013.
  7. ^ "Jerry Moore Tenure Comes to an End at Appalachian". App State Sports. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  8. ^ Dan Wetzel (September 1, 2007). "Hail to the victors". Yahoo Sports. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  9. ^ Stewart Mandel (September 1, 2007). "The Mother of All Upsets". CNNSI. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  10. ^ Appalachian Sports Information (January 8, 2008). "Mountaineer Football Notebook: ASU Receives Votes in Final AP Poll". GoASU. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
  11. ^ Joyce, Ethan (December 13, 2018). "App State's culture of players leading the way has had major role in the team's success". Winston-Salem Journal. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  12. ^ Newport, Kyle. "Louisville Hires Appalachian State's Scott Satterfield to Be New HC". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  13. ^ "Shawn Clark - Head Coach - Staff Directory". App State Athletics. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  14. ^ Hartsell, Jeff (March 26, 2013). "SoCon boss: Departing Ga. Southern, App State ineligible for football title in 2013". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  15. ^ Joyce, Ethan (December 12, 2018). "App State's Mark Ivey ruled out for football program's head coaching vacancy". News & Record. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  16. ^ Lyttle, Steve (December 14, 2019). "5 things to know about Appalachian State's new football coach Shawn Clark". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.

References

[edit]