Exactly 11 years after the biggest upset ever, Appalachian State almost shocked another Big Ten power

On Sept. 1, 2007, FCS power Appalachian State beat No. 5 Michigan at the Big House in one of college football’s most stunning upsets ever, 34-32.

On Sept. 1, 2018, Sun Belt contender App State visited No. 10 Penn State in Happy Valley and almost did it again. But the Mountaineers lost in overtime, 45-38, when Penn State’s Amani Oruwariye intercepted Zac Thomas on a throw to the end zone.

This game was televised on the Big Ten Network, just like that one was. The Mountaineers were 24-point underdogs this time. Last time, lots of sportsbooks didn’t even list the game, because Appalachian State (though a power) was in Division I’s lower level.

Though the Mountaineers led 10-7 in the early going, they were down 24-10 by the start of the third quarter. That the game was close down the stretch was an achievement.

The tide started turn at the start of that last quarter, when App State mounted a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took four minutes off the clock. Penn State answered with a scoring drive of its own, but App State was ready with counterpunches.

The next Neers possession was an 80-yard, nine-play scoring drive, and then coach Scott Satterfield got bold. A successful onside kick set up a four-play, 53-yard touchdown series, catalyzed by a 39-yard pass from Thomas to Corey Sutton that took ASU to the Lions’ 1.

The teams traded stops after App State tied the score at 31. But the Neers had Penn State badly backed up, and a punt gave them great field position at the PSU 42.

From there, App State took the ball and made sure it counted. It took the Neers four plays to go 42 yards, capped with Jalin Moore’s 16-yard, go-ahead touchdown run.

Penn State had a counter of its own, though: Trace McSorley led a seven-play, 48-yard drive after a good kick return to tie the score at 38 with 42 seconds left.

Appalachian State then drove to Penn State’s 39 in 30 seconds, but had a drive stall after a failed third-and-4. Satterfield sent out kicker Chandler Staton (career long: 53) to try a 56-yarder, which wasn’t close. After a brief PSU possession, that brought up OT.

Penn State scored on the first extra possession, with new top running back Miles Sanders — Saquon Barkley’s replacement — carrying four times in a row to cover all 25 yards.

App State had just converted a fourth-and-1 on its own series when Thomas tried to tie the score on first down with a throw to the right corner of the end zone. It didn’t work, and the dream of another cataclysmic App State upset died. But it sure was fun while it lasted.