Associated Press
STATESBORO, Ga. ó Armanti Edwards scored on a 1-yard run with 2:36 remaining to lead Appalachian State to a 37-36 win over Georgia Southern on Saturday.
Edwards touchdown, his third of the game, kept the Mountaineers (5-2, 3-0 Southern Conference) ran for 157 yards and completed 12 of 22 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns.
Edwards became second on the all-time conference total offense list with 8,755 yards. He trails former Appalachian State quarterback Ritchie Williams, who has the record at 9,370 yards.
Edwards also set a new conference record for touchdowns with 88. He is one of only seven Division I players to surpass 5,000 yards passing and 3,000 yards rushing for his career.
Despite Edwards heroics, the game was not decided until the Mountaineers Mark LeGree intercepted Georgia Southern quarterback Antonio Henton in the end zone with 14 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
LeGree’s play followed a big sack by former Northwest Cabarrus star Anthnoy “Whopper” Williams.
Henton had been intercepted at the one with 1:33 to play and the Eagles trailing 37-34. On the next play Edwards was tackled for a safety and the Mountaineers had to kick the ball to Georgia Southern.
Georgia Southern (3-4, 1-3) took over at its own 42-yardline only to see its hopes for a win dashed by LeGrees interception.
The Eagles led Appalachian State, the three-time defending national champions, 20-10 at the half, and 27-24 at the end of three periods, but could not hold on.
Edwards had a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and also had a 1-yard run early in the fourth to give his team a 31-27 lead.
Georgia Southern regained the lead, 37-34, when Henton passed 19 yards to Michael McIntosh midway through the final quarter.
Henton scored twice on runs of 4 and 1 yards, and the Eagles had an 84-yard punt return by Raja Andrews in the first quarter to give the Eagles a 10-7 lead.
Henton passed for 292 yards and ran for 99 yards for Georgia Southern, while Andrews had six receptions for 97 yards.