Braylon Braxton accounts for 5 touchdowns to lead Marshall past Appalachian State 52-37

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Braylon Braxton passed for 129 yards and three touchdowns, and he rushed for 140 yards and two more scores in leading Marshall past Appalachian State 52-37 on Saturday.

It was the first time Marshall has scored 50-plus against an FBS opponent since topping Massachusetts 51-10 in 2020.

Marshall scored 21 straight points in the second quarter to take a 28-10 lead, started by Braxton's 75-yard connection with Jordan Houston. On App State's next offensive play, J’Coryan Anderson returned an interception for a 13-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-10.

Braxton also had a 3-yard TD run and a 5-yard scoring pass to A.J. Turner in the first half as Marshall led 28-17 at the break.

Braxton added a 26-yard touchdown pass to Chuck Montgomery early in the fourth to make it 45-24. Braxton sealed it by going untouched on a 35-yard keeper with 4:16 left.

Turner added 65 yards rushing, including a 29-yard touchdown in the third, for Marshall (3-2, 1-0 Sun Belt Conference).

Joey Aguilar was 26 of 44 for 293 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Appalachian State (2-3, 0-2).

HURRICANE HELENE

The game was played a week after Appalachian State’s campus in Boone, North Carolina, was hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

The team’s home game against Liberty on Sept. 28 was canceled and the university postponed classes until at least Oct. 15, although residence halls and dining facilities remain operational. Among the facilities damaged were the school’s multipurpose gymnasium and an 8,000-seat events center, which was being used as a Red Cross shelter.

Appalachian State coach Shawn Clark canceled his scheduled appearance Monday on the Sun Belt coaches’ teleconference. Instead, he and his players helped unload truckloads of donated supplies.

“We’re very fortunate we get to play this game of football we love,” Clark said. “Football is important. But it’s not the most important thing right now."

Several football coaches reached out to Clark to show their support, including Marshall’s Charles Huff. Marshall is no stranger to tragedy — a 1970 plane crash killed 75 people, including most of the football team, in the worst disaster in U.S. sports history.

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The Associated Press