AJT Sports LIVE FROM...Kidd Brewer Stadium (Coastal Carolina at ASU Football)

Update #16: Today's attendance of 27,619 is the 43rd consecutive attendance total above capacity in regular season play. 

ASU  puts up a 7-play, 70-yard drive elapsing 4:20 off the fourth quarter clock, culminating in a 14-yard touchdown run by Michael Frazier, providing the final ASU score in today's lopsided victory. Mountaineers win it with its offense putting up 55 points.

ASU moves to 3-2 on the season, while CCU moves to 2-3 here in 2012. Appalachian hosts Elon next Saturday, Oct. 5, at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. against the Phoenix. Thanks for reading!

Colton Blackburn gets into the action with a pair of tackles as he is in on defense here in the game's final five and a half minutes in the fourth quarter.

Also in due to the shakeup of Bryant is Logan Hallock, former West Wilkes quarterback who sees action under center for the first time this season.

Update #15: CCU returns the ensuing kickoff 87 yards, but ASU's defense forces a fumble and recovers to get the football back. Cameron Bryant enters the game at quarterback, relieving Jamal Jackson whose day appears to be done. 

Update #14: ASU strikes again with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Sean Price, capping a 15-play, 90-yard drive, elapsing 7:29 off the clock. ASU is cruising as it leads 48-14 with 13:36 left to play.

Update #13: Three quarters are in in the books, and ASU leads 41-14 and is threatening inside the CCU red zone as the fourth quarter opens from Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Update #12: With its first offensive play of the second half, Steven Miller breaks loose for a 75-yard touchdown run. Miller has a career-high in rushing yards this afternoon and ASU leads 41-14 with less than a minute gone in the third quarter.

Update #11: ASU's final offensive series results in a drive to the CCU 13-yard line, where Stewart attempted a 30-yard field goal. The kick is  good and ASU leads 34-14 at intermission.


Update #10: CCU uses a hurry-up offense to move quickly in the final three minutes. driving to the ASU 15-yard line. A pass interference call gives CCU a first-down at the ASU 2-yard line, where CCU connects on the following play with a two-yard TD pass from Hillary to David Durran to cap a 9-play, 75-yard drive, taking 2:19 off the clock. With 1:14 to play before intermission, CCU draws within 31-14.

Update #9: After giving up its first score of the game, ASU moves quickly to answer, driving inside the CCU 10-yard line. CCU stiffens on defense and ASU settles for a 25-yard field goal from Drew Stewart after a 10-play, 55-yard drive taking 3:54 off the second quarter clock. ASU leads it 31-7 with 3:39 left in the half.

Update #8: Coastal composes its best offensive drive and gets on the scoreboard following a nine play, 71-yard drive, with 3:06 used off the clock, with a 20-yard touchdown completion from Aramis Hillary to Blanks. 9:18 remains in the half and ASU's lead is cut to 28-7.

Update #7: The Mountaineers force another CCU punt and add more points to the scoreboard, looking like the ASU teams of old during this first half. Steven Miller scores untouched from three yards out to cap a five-play, 49-yard drive that elapses 2:05 off the clock. The PAT gives ASU a 28-0 lead with 12:32 left in the first half.
ASU has held Coastal to only three first downs for the half and through the first quarter outgained CCU 246-56 in total yardage. Miller has gained 102 yards already in this first half.

Update #6: One period in the books, and ASU holds a commanding 21-0 lead. Second quarter action to come!

Update #5: A great pass reception by Drew Bailey from Jackson of 23 yards caps a four-play, 59-yard scoring drive taking 1:25 off the clock. ASU's lead increases to 21-0 with 14 seconds left in the first period.

Update #4: ASU is on the board with a two-play, 97-yard drive, taking 35 seconds off the clock. A 69-yard touchdown connection from Jackson to Sean Price puts the Mountaineers ahead 14-0 with 4:50 left in the opening stanza.

Update #3: ASU holds CCU to a punt with its first series, but the Mountaineers opened its drive at its own five-yard line. ASU's Jackson throws an interception to strong safety Johnnie Houston at the ASU 41-yard line, giving the Chanticleers great field position for its second series. ASU's defense holds and forces another punt from CCU, but the Mountaineers are again pinned deep in its own territory, this time at the three-yard line with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

Update #2: Former Vikings standout Colton Blackburn has been involved in both kick return and kickoff teams for the Chanticleers thus far. He is listed as second on the middle linebacker depth chart this afternoon.

Update #1: Dreary afternoon in Boone with a temperature around 60 degrees and overcast skies. Rain has come and gone prior to kickoff. 

ASU gets first possession as CCU wins the toss and defers.

ASU makes quick work of the CCU defense on its first series, as Jackson scores on a 9-play, 64-yard drive, elapsing 3:37 off the clock. A five-yard TD run by quarterback Jamal Jackson puts the Mountaineers on top 7-0 with 11:23 to play in the opening period. ASU scores for only the second time this season on its opening series and the first time since the season-opening game at East Carolina on Sept. 1.

The AJT will be blogging this afternoon from Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone for this afternoon's nonconference football game between Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State.

Newland native and former Avery High School running back/defensive end Colton Blackburn is a linebacker with the Chanticleers and should see some action in today's contest.

ASU (2-2, 1-1 SoCon) rebounded from a 52-28 loss to The Citadel on Sept. 15 to dominate Chattanooga, outgaining the Mocs 401-270 en route to last Saturday's 34-17 win.

Coastal Carolina (2-2) has lost consecutive games at Eastern Kentucky and Toledo after a 2-0 start.

This is ASU and Coastal's third meeting. ASU pounded CCU 30-3 back in 2005 and 45-28 in the first round of the 2006 NCAA FCS playoffs. Both previous matchups were played in Boone.

Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. Thanks for reading!

Vols use strong fourth to pull away from Akron

By: Matt Laws matt.laws@averyjournal.com

For over three quarters of play, Tennessee and Akron kept trading punches. However, the Volunteers landed the knockout blow in the fourth.

After a letdown against SEC rival Florida a week ago in the second half, Tennessee scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to pull away to take a 47-26 victory over Akron on Saturday evening in Neyland Stadium.
"Well, it was a tough game, and I knew it would be,” Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley said. “They cause a lot of problems with our offense, but the disappointing part was the turnovers early in the game. We spotted them 10 points on turnovers, but I was real proud of the team in the second half. They came out and dominated the second half 24-3. So that's a good step for the team. We ran the ball well. We threw it well.”

The road, however, doesn’t get an easier for the Vols as they travel to Athens on Saturday to kick off a stretch of four games against Top 25 teams starting with the No. 5 Bulldogs.

In the first half against Akron, it looked like the Zips had upset on the mind. The Zips broke onto the board in the game’s opening minute when Akron’s Avais Commack picked off a Tyler Bray pass and raced 44 yards for a touchdown.

Tennessee responded on their ensuing drive as A.J. Johnson ran into the endzone for his second career touchdown from two-yards out. After the teams swapped field goals to end the first quarter tied at 10, both teams added field goals in the early minute of the second quarter.

Former Tennessee High standout Brendan Downs scored his first touchdown as a Volunteer on a six yard pass from Bray. However, the Zips answered with a 37-yard field goal and a 70-yard touchdown run from Quentin Hines gave Akron a 23-20 lead. Derrick Brodus ended the final Tennessee drive of the first half with a 22-yard FG to tie the game at 23 heading into the locker room.

Rajion Neal opened the scoring in the second half as he was on the receiving end of a three yard touchdown pass from Bray as Tennessee begin to slowly pull away from Akron. The teams traded fieldh goals to start the final frame, and then

Tennessee finally got breathing room when Justin Hunter scored on a 19-yard pass from Bray with 9:02 remaining. Jacob Carter caught his first touchdown pass with six minutes left to give Tennessee the 47-26 victory.

Bray ended the night 27-of-43 with 401 yards and four touchdowns.

"I told Tyler I was really proud of him because he made a lot of mistakes early on,” Dooley said. “He was off. He was rushing. He was getting ant-sy -- I could feel it. He just kept settling in and he played well down the stretch. He had a good demeanor about him. It was a big step for him."

Neal had 22 carries with 151 yards, while Marlin Lane had 47 yards on nine carries. However, Brodus delivered one of the biggest surprises of the night as he tied a school record with most points by a kicker in a game with 17 as he went 4-for-4 and added five extra points.

The Volunteers return to SEC action on Saturday as they travel to Georgia. Game time in Athens is slated for 3:30 p.m., on CBS.