Last season saw the Appalachian State Mountaineers struggle to their worst record since they joined the Sun Belt in 2014. Can Shawn Clark’s team turn it around in the 2023 college football season? Our Appalachian State season predictions hold the answers.
Appalachian State Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-By-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the Sun Belt and across the country.
Find Every Sun Belt Season Prediction per team: App State | Arkansas State | Coastal Carolina | Georgia Southern | Georgia State | JMU | Louisiana | UL-Monroe | Marshall | ODU | South Alabama | Southern Miss | Texas State | Troy
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, what do the Appalachian State season predictions for 2023 look like?
Week 1 – Appalachian State vs. Gardner Webb: Win, 43-6
Although Gardner Webb is coming off the back of a conference-winning season where they reached the FCS Playoffs for the first time, Appalachian State should prove too strong for Tre Lamb’s team, especially with home-field advantage. Ryan Burger or Joey Aguilar — whoever starts under center for the Mountaineers this fall — gets an early opportunity to settle into the season.
Week 2 – Appalachian State at North Carolina: Loss, 20-33
The last two matchups between these two teams have produced close-fought games and offensive fireworks. With North Carolina set to be one of the top teams in the ACC once again behind Drake Maye, it might be difficult for the Mountaineers to keep it tight this time around.
Week 3 – Appalachian State vs. ECU: Win, 24-19
With East Carolina losing a slew of offensive weapons, the Pirates are ripe for the picking early in the season for Appalachian State. Although they’ve been routinely one of the top defensive units in the Group of Five, expect the Mountaineers to prevail in this Week 3 matchup.
Week 4 – Appalachian State at Wyoming: Win, 29-15
If Wyoming’s struggles down the stretch of last season carry into the 2023 college football campaign, it should be a relatively comfortable win for Appalachian State as they round out their out-of-conference schedule. The Mountaineers won by 18 points the last time the two teams met.
Week 5 – Appalachian State at Louisiana-Monroe: Win, 29-17
While it’s uncertain how the Mountaineers will replace the departed Chase Brice under center, Appalachian State has never scored less than 30 points against Louisiana-Monroe. Although our season predictions suggest they might fall short of that mark this time around, they should extend a three-game win streak against the Warhawks.
MORE: Sun Belt QB Rankings 2023
Week 7 – Appalachian State vs. Coastal Carolina: Loss, 14-29
The last two clashes between Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina have produced epic, offensive-laden games. However, as the Chanticleers march towards a date with the Sun Belt Championship Game, the presence of Grayson McCall and a plethora of weapons is likely to result in a Mountaineers’ defeat for the second consecutive season.
Week 8 – Appalachian State at Old Dominion: Win, 29-24
Old Dominion has never beaten Appalachian State in three attempts, and our season predictions suggest that streak will be extended to four. After losing key components on both sides of the ball, the Monarchs might not be a match for the Mountaineers in Week 8.
Week 9 – Appalachian State vs. Southern Miss: Win, 32-13
Although Appalachian State has never beaten Southern Miss, they should be able to ride a more dominant ground game — based on depth rather than stand-alone talent — to a comfortable victory over the Golden Eagles this fall.
Week 10 – Appalachian State vs. Marshall: Loss, 17-20
Marshall has had the better of the Mountaineers in recent history, compiling a 4-1 record in the last five clashes — including a win last season. There are several returning defensive stars for the Thundering Herd who are likely to prove the difference in a close game.
Week 11 – Appalachian State at Georgia State: Win, 29-22
Georgia State gave up over 30 points per game on average last season and had a difficult time stopping the ground game. Look for Nate Noel to take advantage as the Mountaineers secure a seventh win of the season, outstripping last season’s performance, and returning to a bowl game after a year’s absence.
Week 12 – Appalachian State at James Madison: Loss, 20-28
James Madison’s win over Appalachian State last September set the tone for the Dukes’ first season in the Sun Belt.
Although both teams came out of spring ball with some offensive uncertainties, James Madison bolstered their wide receiver room from the transfer portal and should have enough firepower to overcome their conference foe for the second successive season.
MORE: History of the James Madison Dukes Mascot
Week 13 – Appalachian State vs. Georgia Southern: Loss, 24-27
Although we don’t expect to see an all-out offensive brawl like these two teams put on to end the 2022 college campaign, their season-ending showdown should, at least, be a tight affair. Georgia Southern’s high-volume passing attack should have enough juice with Davis Brin under center to outlast the Mountaineers.
