BOONE, N.C. (AP) — 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 the Marshall Thundering Herd 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.
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.

Marshall 6 14 10 0 = 30
Appalachian St. 7 14 0 10 = 31
First Quarter
APP–Peoples 1 run (Staton kick), 9:38.
MRSH–FG Ciucci 22, 5:36.
MRSH–FG Ciucci 33, :39.
Second Quarter
MRSH–Gaines 56 pass from G.Wells (Ciucci kick), 12:36.
APP–Peoples 2 run (Staton kick), 7:13.
MRSH–Ali 97 kickoff return (Ciucci kick), 7:01.
APP–Peoples 2 run (Staton kick), :04.
Third Quarter
MRSH–FG Ciucci 46, 7:54.
MRSH–Ali 8 run (Ciucci kick), 4:16.
Fourth Quarter
APP–Cor.Sutton 24 pass from Brice (Staton kick), 14:09.
APP–FG Staton 45, 5:45.
A–28,377.
MRSH APP
First downs 20 39
Total Net Yards 397 566
Rushes-yards 28-127 54-283
Passing 270 283
Punt Returns 1-6 2-9
Kickoff Returns 5-172 2-59
Interceptions Ret. 1-35 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 18-33-0 24-39-1
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-16 1-7
Punts 4-39.0 3-37.333
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 8-70 4-41
Time of Possession 22:38 37:22
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Marshall, Ali 17-83, S.Evans 4-20, Wells 7-20. Appalachian St., Noel 20-187, Peoples 25-78, Brice 6-22, (Team) 3-(minus 4).
PASSING–Marshall, Wells 18-33-0-270. Appalachian St., Brice 24-39-1-283.
RECEIVING–Marshall, Gaines 5-104, Ahmed 4-81, Gammage 3-12, W.Johnson 2-50, Ali 2-10, Keaton 1-7, S.Evans 1-6. Appalachian St., Cor.Sutton 10-127, T.Hennigan 9-123, M.Williams 3-28, Peoples 1-8, Noel 1-(minus 3).
MISSED FIELD GOALS–Marshall, Ciucci 32.