Appalachian St Mountaineers 2026 College Football Preview
Posted June 7, 2026
2025 Recap
Record – 5-8
ATS – 5-8
A rough one in Boone, yo.
The Mountaineers stumbled to a 5-7 regular season — managing only one win in the second half of the campaign after a promising 4-2 start — and then got SMOKED by Georgia Southern in the Birmingham Bowl to finish at a miserable 5-8. It was their second consecutive losing campaign and a far cry from the program’s lofty standards.
Year two under HC Dowell Loggains comes with a mandate to get back to bowl eligibility and start trending toward a Sun Belt East contender. Let’s see if he can make it happen.
Appalachian St Mountaineers 2026 Outlook
OFFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (Sun Belt):
- Scoring: 24.2 PPG (#10 Sun Belt)
- Total Offense: 384.2 YPG (#7 Sun Belt)
- Rushing: 127.6 YPG (#11 Sun Belt)
- Passing: 256.6 YPG (#3 Sun Belt)
- Sacks Allowed: 27 (#10 Sun Belt)
Those are underwhelming offensive numbers — particularly the run game, which ranked #11 in the Sun Belt and saw only two players crack 110 total rushing yards (!) for the entire season. New OC Mike Anthony (South Carolina/TCU) is installing a tempo‑based spread attack, and while the passing game finished a respectable #3 in the conference last year, the ground game needs a major upgrade.
The QB battle is shaping up to be a good one. Malachi Singleton (Purdue/Arkansas) and Henry Hasselbeck (UCLA) have been the two getting the majority of the spring reps, while TOUCHDOWN Tommy Ulatowski (Kennesaw State/Kent State) is also in the mix. It’s still wide open, but right now it looks like a two‑man race between Singleton and Hasselbeck.
At running back, Jaquari Lewis returns after a solid 618‑yard, 6‑touchdown season, but the Mountaineers need a true workhorse. Houston transfer J’Marion Burnette (6‑2, 225) brings size and could be that guy between the tackles. The WR room took a major hit in the offseason, with none of last year’s top six (!) receivers returning. Gardner‑Webb transfer Chris Lofton (917 yards, 4 TDs) and highly touted youngster DOOPAH Coleman are among the notable additions tasked with replacing the OODLES of production. Up front, the offensive line returns just two multi‑game starters and will need to quickly integrate Power Conference transfers like Greydon Grimes from Kansas.
DEFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (Sun Belt):
- Scoring Defense: 29.8 PPG (#8 Sun Belt)
- Total Defense: 416.6 YPG (#11 Sun Belt)
- Rush Defense: 148.7 YPG (#3 Sun Belt)
- Pass Defense: 267.9 YPG (#14 Sun Belt — dead last)
- Sacks: 28 (#7 Sun Belt)
Those defensive numbers are wildly inconsistent — a legit #3 rush defense in the Sun Belt, but dead last in pass defense at 267.9 YPG. That number was brutal (#130 nationally), and fixing the secondary is the single biggest priority for this program this offseason.
New DC DJ Smith is a huge get. The guy ranks second all-time in program tackles (525) and was part of the legendary 2007 FCS Championship squad. Trivia TIDBIT right there. Smith wants quickness and PENETRATION up front, and there are some pieces to work with. DEs Aiden Benton and Caleb Sandstrom combined for 7 sacks last year and should do some damage this season.
The LB room could be a legitimate bright spot — led by Colton Phares, who had a fantastic 2025 season (101 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3 INT). The secondary underwent a heavy portal rebuild, and while there’s some talent in the new group, it’s still very much a work in progress. Transfers like Khalil Conley (from North Carolina) bring Power conference experience and should help, but holdover Ja’Den McBurrows at the STAR position will be a key piece in getting everyone on the same page. This is clearly the biggest question mark on the defense and the unit to watch closely all fall camp.
SPECIAL TEAMS
At PK, it’s a battle between redshirt junior Carter Everett, who’s been with the program but has yet to attempt a FG in a game (!), and transfer James London (Pittsburgh/Murray State). London made a strong impression in the spring, going a perfect 5-for-5 from inside 50 yards and drilling one from 56 yards out — exactly the kind of CANNON the Mountaineers have been looking for. At punter, Jaxson Dunn (Arkansas State) is the frontrunner, though he remains somewhat of a mystery box. App State will also be breaking in new primary kick and punt returners this fall.
Schedule Analysis
Overall — The schedule sets up favorably for a bounce-back season. No killers in non-conference play — East Carolina and NC State on the road won’t be fun but they’re manageable — and the West draw is gentle (ULM, South Alabama). Big bonus: they get both Old Dominion and James Madison at home in East division play. The final five-game stretch isn’t demanding and there’s a very real scenario where the Mountaineers make a late push for bowl eligibility if they’re on the bubble.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot — at Marshall (Nov 14)
The Thundering Herd will be CHOMPING at the bit for revenge after losing to App St in a close one last year, and Huntington is never a fun place to play. This is an extra‑tough assignment should the season be going sideways at this point.
Season Win Total
Market consensus – June 7
Over 5.5 -165
Under 5.5 +135
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Over
We’re not in love with the roster, but the schedule really works in their favor.
Note – Our official list of season win total investments will be posted in the blog section of the website.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
Appalachian State’s ICONIC upset of Michigan back in 2007 remains one of the greatest moments in college football history — the Mountaineers walked into the Big House as a massive underdog and SHOCKED THE WORLD with a 34-32 victory over the 5th-ranked Wolverines. It was the first time an FCS program had beaten a ranked FBS opponent and it remains the gold standard for Group of Six upsets to this day.
Boone, North Carolina sits at roughly 3,300 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains — making it one of the highest‑elevation college towns in the eastern United States. Late‑season games at Kidd Brewer Stadium can be brutal for visiting teams who aren’t used to the cold and the altitude. ULM better bring their WOOLIES on November 21.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
After a disappointing 2025 campaign, Appalachian St is itching to get back to a winning record. The problem is there’s still plenty of uncertainty — a wide-open quarterback battle, a completely rebuilt WR room, and questions about what head coach Dowell Loggains can actually get out of this roster. The schedule will provide some help, but the Mountaineers have to prove they can take advantage of it.
The YUUUGE issue remains the pass defense. Whether the heavily rebuilt portal secondary can fix that problem will go a long way toward determining how many wins this team ends up with. We’re calling for a 6-6 season with a bit of upside if the transfers gel quickly — bowl eligible, but not yet ready to challenge JMU and ODU at the top of the East.
App….STATE!