SBC FOOTBALL 365 PREVIEW —APP STATE

Submitted by the Sun Belt Confrence

NEW ORLEANS — App State will commence its 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2, when it plays host to Gardner-Webb at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+. 

App State is 3-0 all-time against Gardner-Webb, including a 72-7 victory in the teams’ last meeting in 2018.  

The Mountaineers non-conference schedule also features trips to North Carolina (Sept. 9) and Wyoming (Sept. 23) and a much-anticipated home game against East Carolina (Sept. 16), which has already been announced as a sellout. In addition to annual dates with its East Division counterparts, App State’s conference slate includes a trip to ULM (Sept. 30) and a home game against Southern Miss (Oct. 28) out of the West Division. 

App State was picked to finish second in the East Division in last month’s 2023 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll

Head coach Shawn Clark will lead a roster that returns four All-Sun Belt honorees from 2022 and had three players listed on the 2023 Preseason All-Sun Belt teams

The Mountaineers went 6-6 overall and 3-5 in conference play in 2022, snapping a string of seven-straight bowl appearances to open their FBS era. App State has advanced to a bowl game in seven of the past eight seasons, winning six. 

To listen to head coach Shawn Clark, senior offensive lineman Isaiah Helms and senior safety Nick Ross’ comments from the 2023 Sun Belt Football Media Days, download the latest Around the Sun podcast episode on Apple Podcasts, Pandora or Spotify—among other platforms—or visit the Sun Belt Conference YouTube page

2023 SCHEDULE
9/2      Gardner-Webb
9/9      at North Carolina
9/16    East Carolina
9/23    at Wyoming
9/30    at ULM*
10/10  Coastal Carolina*
10/21  at Old Dominion*
10/28  Southern Miss*
11/4    Marshall*
11/11  at Georgia State*
11/18  at James Madison*
11/25  Georgia Southern*

* Sun Belt Conference Game 

2022 ALL-SUN BELT RETURNERS
Third Team
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State (Sr., OL – Hudson, N.C.) 
RS – Milan Tucker, App State (RS Jr., RS – Lehigh Acres, Fla.) 

Honorable Mention
RB – Nate Noel (Jr., RB – Miami, Fla.) 
WR – Kaedin Robinson (RS Jr., WR – Asheville, N.C.) 

2023 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT SELECTIONS
First Team
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State (Sr., OL – Hudson, N.C.) 
RS – Milan Tucker, App State (RS Jr., RS – Lehigh Acres, Fla.) 

Second Team
OL – Damion Daley, App State (RS Sr., OL – Columbia, S.C.)