Appalachian State fans pelt James Madison players with snowballs before game

The rivalry was backmost connected betwixt Appalachian State and James Madison University connected Saturday with an added twist.

The Dukes traveled for the teams' yearly contention to Boone, North Carolina, wherever snowfall had deed the area.

The tract was each wide for play, but the stands inactive had mounts of the achromatic worldly – and the fans took advantage.

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Appalachian State pupil Berkley Coon slides down a snow-covered elevation astatine Kidd Brewer Stadium earlier the James Madison crippled connected Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, successful Boone, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

As the Dukes were entering the tract from the tunnel, Mountaineer fans bombarded the players with snowballs.

It appeared that immoderate players didn't caput 1 spot – immoderate adjacent seemed fueled by getting hit.

But possibly the Appalachian State fans had a bully plan, arsenic the Mountaineers came distant with a 34-20 victory.

Joey Aguilar threw for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Ahmani Marshall ran for 108 yards successful the victory.

James Madison's George Pettaway is tackled by Appalachian State's Jordan Favors, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, astatine Kidd Brewer Stadium successful Boone. (Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

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Aguilar threw a 4-yard touchdown to Eli Wilson and a 64-yard touchdown to Makai Jackson to bring the Mountaineers (5-5, 3-4 Sun Belt) into a necktie astatine 17 with 1:23 near earlier halftime.

After forcing the Dukes to punt, App State came up with a blocked punt and Michael Hetzel returned it 9 yards for a touchdown to springiness the Mountaineers the pb for bully with 40 seconds near earlier intermission.

With the loss, James Madison (8-3, 4-3) is eliminated from a accidental to correspond the East Division successful the league title game.

Appalachian State's Shawn Collins recovers a fumble from James Madison's backmost Alonza Barnett III, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Allison Lee Isley/The Winston-Salem Journal via AP)

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The crippled was astir 1 twelvemonth to the time the Mountaineers ruined James Madison's cleanable season, arsenic the Dukes had considered ineligible enactment aft being ruled ineligible for a vessel game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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