App State storms back from 10 down to beat Coastal Carolina 35-32 behind Jaquari Lewis' four touchdowns

Appalachian State rallied from a 24-14 halftime deficit to beat Coastal Carolina 35-32 on Friday night, Oct. 16, in Conway, South Carolina, as Jaquari Lewis ran for four touchdowns, the AP and both schools reported.

Lewis carried 13 times for 85 yards and scored on runs of 12, 1, 12 and 3 yards. App State improved to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. Coastal fell to 2-5 and 1-2.

The comeback

Coastal scored 17 straight points in the second quarter. Nico Cavanillas Alti kicked a 58-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, after Coastal recovered an App State fumble, to give the Chanticleers a 24-14 lead.

App State then scored the first 21 points of the second half. Lewis' second 12-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 24-21. After a Devin Henderson interception, Lewis scored on a 3-yard run to put App State ahead 28-24 late in the third quarter.

Henry Hasselbeck, a junior backup who played the entire second half, threw his first career touchdown pass, a 31-yarder to Sam Pickett III for a 35-24 lead with 6:41 left.

Coastal answered with Jaden Allen-Hendrix's 2-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion to pull within 35-32 with 3:11 remaining. App State then ran out the clock, sealing it when Lewis picked up a third-and-1.

By the numbers

Hasselbeck completed 9 of 12 passes for 112 yards and ran 21 times for a game-high 125 yards. Malachi Singleton started and went 12 of 14 for 151 yards.

App State gained 516 yards, including 253 rushing. Coastal quarterback Deuce Bailey threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, and Robby Washington caught five passes for 118 yards, including a 71-yard score.

Lewis' four rushing touchdowns were the most by an App State player since Cam Peoples scored five in the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl, also at Brooks Stadium, according to App State. It was App State's first win over Coastal since 2021.