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Appalachian State routs Toledo to win the Dollar General Bowl

By Bryan FischerDec 23, 2017, 10:15 PM EDT

On paper, the Dollar General Bowl between MAC champion Toledo and perennial Sun Belt power Appalachian State shaped up to be one of the best matchups of the postseason. Games are not played on paper and that certainly played out down in Mobile, Ala. as the Mountaineers routed the Rockets 34-0 on Saturday night to cap off another season with at least nine wins for head coach Scott Satterfield.

It was quickly apparent that this wasn’t Toledo’s night early — and often. Despite entering the week with an offense that was in the top in the country in terms of scoring, the team couldn’t do much of anything on that side of the ball and recorded four three-and-outs. Record-setting quarterback Logan Woodside never could find much down the field and was pressure on nearly every drop back, throwing for only 124 yards while also tossing three interceptions. Running back Terry Swanson managed 44 hard-fought yards on the ground but didn’t see many carries down the stretch as the team fell further and further behind.

While not much was working for the visitors from the North, few things could go wrong for AppState. Taking advantage of several short fields, the run game didn’t need much to get going and tailbacks Jalin Moore (125 yards, three TDs) and Daetrich Harrington (72 yards) both made quick work of the MAC title holders. Quarterback Taylor Lamb closed out his career with the Mountaineers with a performance that may not have been statically stellar — eight completions, 131 yards, no touchdowns — but was nevertheless plenty in a game the team controlled from pretty much the opening kickoff.

While all those points were nice to have, they didn’t really need all of them given how well the Sun Belt’s top defense looked to stymie their opponents. Linebacker Anthony Flory was all over the place, hauling in a pick and recording eight tackles on the night as they held the most dangerous #MACtion offense to under 200 yards.

That gave the team yet another finishing kick as they won their fourth in a row to close out 2017 and enter with plenty of momentum heading to next season. The same could not be said for the Rockets, which still captured an elusive conference title this year but simply didn’t show up in the Dollar General Bowl and looked out of sorts from start.

Greg Sankey affirms support for 4-team playoff format

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By Zach BarnettApr 22, 2019, 12:29 PM EDT

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The College Football Playoff was founded and remains controlled by the commissioners of the Power 5 conferences. For those looking to move the 4-team format to eight, the thinking went that the old guard (emphasis on old) in the form of Mike Slive, Jim Delany and John Swofford would eventually move on, and their younger predecessors would see how much money could be made by expanding the playoff, and then expand the playoff.

Slive, of course, retired in 2015 (he passed away in 2018), Delany will step down next year, and Swofford is 70. After the ACC Network gets up and running later this year, perhaps he’ll step down, allowing three of the five big chairs — and, let’s be honest, the three biggest of the five big chairs — will have changed hands from the Playoff’s 2012 creation to negotiations for the second contract. (The current contract expires after the 2025 season.)

One problem, though: one of those predecessors likes the Playoff as is.

Speaking at an APSE event in Birmingham on Monday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey affirmed his support for the 4-team format.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey on if he favors expanding the College Football Playoff:

"No. I think four works. … We will be attentive to conversations. But fundamentally that's my statement."

— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) April 22, 2019

SEC commish Greg Sankey wants the College Football Playoff to stay at four teams. "Four works. It has worked, does work and will continue to work."

— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) April 22, 2019

The SEC is the least incentivized of the Power 5 conferences to change the status quo, because the status quo works for them. Along with the ACC, the SEC is the only conference to go 5-for-5 in placing teams in the field, and really the SEC is 6-for-5 given that Georgia and Alabama reached the Playoff in 2017, the only season to date in which one conference has occupied the four coveted spots.

The counter to this point is that it was the LSU vs. Alabama championship game that was the straw that killed the BCS’s back.

However, the counter to that counter was that Slive was on board to kill the BCS and berth the CFP. Never before in college football’s history of evolving postseason formats has change been brought against the SEC’s wishes, and that’s unlikely to change… now or in 2025.

North Carolina LB Kyle Wright plunges into transfer portal

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By Zach BarnettApr 22, 2019, 11:34 AM EDT

Marshall, Western Michigan line up future series

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By Kevin McGuireApr 21, 2019, 3:30 PM EDT

Search for missing Wyoming signee comes up empty

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By Kevin McGuireApr 21, 2019, 12:18 PM EDT

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Authorities in California are taking a rescue mission to an unfortunate turn in the search for the body of Wyoming Class of 2019 signee Naphtali Moimoi. According to an update from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, the operation moved from a rescue mission to a water recovery. It has reached an unfortunate ending as no body was discovered.

Moimoi was last seen at Half Moon Bay in California rising on a boogie board. A strong rip current whisked Moimoi away out to sea, with a search and rescue mission getting underway Friday morning. As the day progressed, the search reached a conclusion with no body found.

After an extensive search we are switching from a rescue to a water recovery. Search efforts have concluded at this time due to the lack of visibility & high surf conditions, & the probability of detection. We are working with the family & will continue to be a resource for them.

— San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) April 19, 2019

We have concluded the search on the waters in Half Moon Bay. We will continue to work with local authorities to be on the look out & follow up on any information we receive.

Thank you to everyone who assisted with the search efforts.

— San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) April 19, 2019

Moimoi is a two-star recruit from Hayward, California in Wyoming’s Class of 2019. The defensive end signed with Wyoming in December 2018 during the early signing period.

The outlook may look grim at this point, but local authorities remain on the case and will review any and all information that comes in regarding the missing body. Wyoming’s football program will continue to monitor the situation as needed as well.