Gio Lopez has 3 total TDs as South Alabama dominates Appalachian State in 48-14 win

BOONE, N.C. (AP) — Gio Lopez threw for two touchdowns and ran in another as South Alabama dominated Appalachian State 48-14 on Thursday night.

The Jaguars (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) scored a pair of touchdowns in the first and second quarters to jump out to a 28-0 lead. Lopez found DJ Thomas-Jones for a 10-yard score to open the scoring before Fluff Bothwell ran one in from 22 yards out.

Appalachian St. (2-2, 0-1) got on the board when Joey Aguilar threw a 47-yard touchdown to Dalton Stroman, who caught the ball over multiple defenders as time expired to end the half.

Lopez threw another touchdown pass early in the third and Bothwell had a 14-yard scoring run later in the quarter as the Jaguars built a 41-7 lead. That lead grew to 48-7 in the fourth before the Mountaineers got back in the end zone in the final minute of regulation.

Bothwell had 116 yards on 16 carries while Lopez had 154 passing yards to go with his 105 yards on the ground.

South Alabama ran for 322 yards and five touchdowns on 41 carries in the win.

Aguilar threw for 266 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Maquel Haywood had 47 yards on seven carries and had the last score of the game, running it in from the 2 with 52 seconds left.

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The Associated Press