Appalachian State quarterback Jamal Jackson made an impact playing Montana Saturday. Others, besides the 30,856 who were at Kidd Brewer Stadium, are starting to notice.

Jackson was named the College Sporting News Offensive Player of the Year, and the Offensive Player of the Week by the Southern Conference Monday.

Jackson completed 24-of-34 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in Appalachian State’s 35-27 victory over Montana Saturday. Jackson also ran for 65 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

“I was just getting the ball to my playmakers,” Jackson said. “I don’t really worry too much about my stats. If I could trade it all in for a win, just like last week, I’d do the same thing. I’ve got plenty of people to spread the ball around to. The running game opens up the pass game, so, and vice-versa, so all I have to do is get the ball to my playmakers and let them go to work.”

It was the ninth straight game Jackson has recorded at least 250 yards of total offense. Jackson led the Mountaineers to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns after the game was tied 21-21.

‘It was exactly what I expected,” Jackson said. “I knew we were going to play hard team and we were going to get their best shot. We started off fast and then hit a slow spot in the second quarter and a little bit in the third. This was a game I expected them to be a good team. They’ve got a good defense and I expect to see them in the playoffs. It was definitely a great game.”

 

ASU moves up to No. 7 in AFCA poll

The Mountaineers moved up to No. 7 in the AFCA coaches’ poll, which was released Monday, following their 35-27 victory over Montana Saturday.

Montana tumbled to 12th in the poll. North Dakota State stayed at the top following its 22-7 win over Colorado State.

Sam Houston is second, followed by Montana State, Old Dominion, James Madison, Northern Iowa, Appalachian State, Youngstown State, Wofford and Georgia Southern.

Appalachian State moved up to No. 8 in The Sports Network poll. The Mountaineers were 11th last week. Montana fell to 14th from 12th.

North Dakota State leapfrogged Sam Houston State into the top spot of the poll. Sam Houston State was second, followed by Montana State, James Madison and Youngstown State.

Old Dominion is No. 6, followed by Northern Iowa, Appalachian State, Wofford and Eastern Washington.

 

A second straight ranked opponent

The Citadel moved into the top 25 of both polls. The Bulldogs are ranked 21st by The Sports Network and 23rd by the AFCA. The Citadel upset No. 3 Georgia Southern 23-21.

The Citadel has not been in the top 25 of either poll since 2008.

Appalachian State faced ranked opponents in back-to-back games last year when it beat No. 13 Chattanooga 14-12, but lost to No. 8 Wofford 28-14.

Appalachia State beat back-to-back opponents in the first two rounds of the 2009 playoffs when the Mountaineers beat No. 7 South Carolina State 20-13 and No. 4 Richmond 35-31.

The Mountaineers last beat two straight ranked opponents in the regular season in 2008 when it beat No. 18 Furman 26-14 and No 3 Wofford 70-24.

 

Mast fund

More than $5,300 was collected for the William Hunter Mast Scholarship Fund at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday. The fund was established to endow college tuition for the newborn son of the late William Mast, Jr., a Watauga County Deputy Sheriff who was killed in the line of duty on July 26. He was the first Watauga County deputy to ever be killed in the line of duty.