App State stays perfect with 17-7 win over Sun Belt rival La.-Lafayette


Junior wide receiver Thomas Hennigan, pictured against Coastal Carolina, and Appalachian State stayed unbeaten with a win over Sun Belt Conference rival Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday night. (Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

LAFAYETTE, La. — Zac Thomas scored twice on 7-yard sneaks, the last coming with 1:56 remaining, and Appalachian State beat Louisiana-Lafayette 17-7 on Wednesday night in a rematch of the Sun Belt championship game.

Appalachian State (5-0, 2-0 Sun Belt) broke a tie with Florida for the third-longest active winning streak in the FBS with 11, trailing Ohio State (12) and Clemson (20).

Both of Thomas’ touchdown runs capped 95-plus yard drives. He opened the scoring in the first quarter with a run to the left side of the end zone on a 95-yard drive and capped it with a 19-play, 97-yarder.

Thomas completed 11 of 17 passes for 147 yards and had 15 rushes for 63 yards. Darrynton Evans added 69 yards on the ground as the Mountaineers rushed for 196 yards on 53 carries.

Levi Lewis threw for 131 yards and a touchdown for Louisiana-Lafayette (4-2, 1-1). ULL tied it at 7 with eight second left in the first half as Lewis found fullback Nick Ralston open over the middle for a 14-yard score.